Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'besiege'

English Word: besiege

Key Russian Translations:

• осаждать [ɐˈsat͡sːdətʲ] - [Formal, Used in military or figurative contexts]
• обложить [ɐbɫɐˈʐɨtʲ] - [Informal, Often used in strategic or siege contexts]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific historical, military, or metaphorical contexts)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations due to specific usage and conjugation challenges

Pronunciation (Russian):

осаждать: [ɐˈsat͡sːdətʲ]

Note on осаждать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ц" sound is a distinct affricate in Russian, often challenging for non-native speakers.

обложить: [ɐbɫɐˈʐɨtʲ]

Note on обложить: Stress on the third syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Slavic languages.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To surround with armed forces (literal, military context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• осаждать - Used for formal or historical descriptions of sieges.
• обложить - More colloquial, often implies surrounding or blocking strategically.

Usage Examples:

• Войска осаждали город три месяца.

  The troops besieged the city for three months.

• Они обложили крепость со всех сторон.

  They surrounded the fortress from all sides.

• Армия осаждала замок, не давая врагу уйти.

  The army besieged the castle, not allowing the enemy to escape.

2. To overwhelm or harass (figurative context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• осаждать - Used metaphorically to describe persistent requests or pressure.

Usage Examples:

• Его осаждали вопросами на пресс-конференции.

  He was besieged with questions at the press conference.

• Меня осаждают просьбами о помощи.

  I am besieged with requests for help.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

осаждать (verb, imperfective aspect, transitive):

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter/Plural)
1st Singular	осаждаю	осаждал / осаждала / осаждало / осаждали
2nd Singular	осаждаешь	осаждал / осаждала / осаждало / осаждали
3rd Singular	осаждает	осаждал / осаждала / осаждало / осаждали

Note: Perfective form is "осадить" for completed actions.

обложить (verb, perfective aspect, transitive): Typically used in past tense or infinitive. Imperfective counterpart is "облагать". Conjugates similarly to regular verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for осаждать:

• окружать (to surround)
• блокировать (to block)

Note: "окружать" is broader and less aggressive, while "блокировать" emphasizes obstruction.

Antonyms for осаждать:

• освобождать (to liberate)
• отступать (to retreat)

Related Phrases:

• осаждать крепость - To besiege a fortress (literal military context).
• осаждать вопросами - To besiege with questions (figurative, to overwhelm).
• обложить врага - To surround the enemy (strategic context).

Usage Notes:

• "осаждать" is more formal and versatile, suitable for both literal sieges and figurative overwhelming situations (e.g., with questions or demands).
• "обложить" is often more specific to physical surrounding or strategic blocking and is less common in figurative contexts.
• Pay attention to aspect: "осаждать" (imperfective) implies an ongoing process, while its perfective form "осадить" indicates a completed action.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Confusing "осаждать" with "осадить" due to aspect misunderstanding.

Incorrect: Я осадил город (implies a one-time action, which is unnatural for a prolonged siege).

Correct: Я осаждал город (ongoing process of besieging).

Explanation: Use imperfective "осаждать" for ongoing or repeated actions like sieges.

Error 2: Using "обложить" in figurative contexts.

Incorrect: Меня обложили вопросами.

Correct: Меня осаждали вопросами.

Explanation: "обложить" is rarely used for non-physical contexts; stick to "осаждать" for metaphorical overwhelming.

Cultural Notes:

The concept of besieging, especially with "осаждать", carries historical weight in Russian due to significant events like the Siege of Leningrad during World War II. The term may evoke strong emotional or historical connotations in certain contexts, especially in literature or discussions of war.

Related Concepts:

• осада (siege, noun)
• блокада (blockade)
• окружение (encirclement)