Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Blanch'

English Word: Blanch

Key Russian Translations:

• бланшировать [blɐnʂɨˈrovɐtʲ] - [Formal, Culinary Context]
• обдать кипятком [ɐbˈdatʲ kʲɪpʲɐtˈkom] - [Informal, Everyday Use]
• побледнеть [pɐblʲɪdˈnʲetʲ] - [Used for Figurative Meaning, e.g., Turning Pale]

Frequency: Medium (especially in culinary and figurative contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "бланшировать"; A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "обдать кипятком"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "побледнеть"

Pronunciation (Russian):

бланшировать: [blɐnʂɨˈrovɐtʲ]

Note on бланшировать: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "ш" sound is a soft hissing sound unique to Russian.

обдать кипятком: [ɐbˈdatʲ kʲɪpʲɐtˈkom]

Note on обдать кипятком: Two-word phrase; stress on the first syllable of each word.

побледнеть: [pɐblʲɪdˈnʲetʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To briefly boil or scald (Culinary Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бланшировать - Used in professional or formal cooking contexts to describe briefly boiling vegetables or fruits.
• обдать кипятком - More colloquial, often used in everyday speech for the same process.

Usage Examples:

• Нужно бланшировать овощи перед заморозкой.

  You need to blanch the vegetables before freezing them.

• Она обдала помидоры кипятком, чтобы снять кожицу.

  She blanched the tomatoes with boiling water to remove the skin.

• Бланшируйте миндаль, чтобы облегчить очистку.

  Blanch the almonds to make peeling easier.

2. To turn pale (Figurative, Emotional Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• побледнеть - Used when someone turns pale due to fear, shock, or illness.

Usage Examples:

• Он побледнел, услышав плохие новости.

  He blanched upon hearing the bad news.

• Её лицо побледнело от страха.

  Her face blanched with fear.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бланшировать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular verb following first conjugation patterns. Below is the present tense conjugation:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	бланширую [blɐnʂɨˈruju]	бланшируем [blɐnʂɨˈrujɪm]
2nd	бланшируешь [blɐnʂɨˈrujɪʂ]	бланшируете [blɐnʂɨˈrujɪtʲɪ]
3rd	бланширует [blɐnʂɨˈrujɪt]	бланшируют [blɐnʂɨˈrujut]

обдать кипятком (Verb Phrase, Perfective): "обдать" is a perfective verb, often used with instrumental case for "кипятком". Past tense forms: обдал, обдала, обдали.

побледнеть (Verb, Perfective): Perfective verb indicating a one-time action. Past tense forms: побледнел, побледнела, побледнели.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бланшировать (Culinary Context):

• ошпарить
• опустить в кипяток

Note: "ошпарить" is more informal and can imply a quicker or less controlled action than "бланшировать".

Synonyms for побледнеть (Figurative Context):

• посереть
• обесцветиться

Antonyms for побледнеть:

• покраснеть
• зардеться

Related Phrases:

• бланшировать овощи - To blanch vegetables (common culinary phrase).
• обдать кипятком для очистки - To blanch with boiling water for peeling (everyday usage).
• побледнеть от ужаса - To blanch with horror (figurative expression).

Usage Notes:

• "бланшировать" is primarily used in formal or professional culinary contexts, borrowed from French, and may not be understood by all native speakers in casual settings.
• "обдать кипятком" is a more accessible and widely understood alternative for the culinary meaning of "blanch".
• For the figurative sense (turning pale), "побледнеть" is the only appropriate choice among the translations provided.
• Be mindful of the aspectual difference: "бланшировать" is imperfective (ongoing action), while "обдать" and "побледнеть" are perfective (completed action).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "побледнеть" in a culinary context. Incorrect: "Побледнеть овощи перед готовкой." Correct: "Бланшировать овощи перед готовкой." Explanation: "побледнеть" refers to turning pale and cannot apply to food preparation.
• Error: Misusing verb aspects by repeating "обдать" for an ongoing process. Incorrect: "Я обдаю кипятком овощи каждый день." Correct: "Я бланширую овощи каждый день." Explanation: "обдать" is perfective and implies a one-time action, unsuitable for habitual actions.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culinary culture, blanching (as in "бланшировать" or "обдать кипятком") is a common technique for preserving vegetables or preparing them for traditional dishes like pickles or soups. The term "бланшировать" is often associated with modern or Western-influenced cooking, while "обдать кипятком" reflects traditional home practices.

Related Concepts:

• варить (to boil)
• ошпарить (to scald)
• замораживать (to freeze, often after blanching)