Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Bury'

English Word: bury

Key Russian Translations:

• хоронить [xɐˈronʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often used for burial of people]
• похоронить [pɐxɐˈronʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Perfective form of 'хоронить']
• зарывать [zɐˈravɐtʲ] - [Informal, Often used for objects or animals]
• закопать [zɐkɐˈpatʲ] - [Informal, Perfective form of 'зарывать']

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts like funerals or hiding objects)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies by verb aspect and context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

хоронить: [xɐˈronʲɪtʲ]

Note on хоронить: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'х' sound is a guttural fricative, unfamiliar to many English speakers.

похоронить: [pɐxɐˈronʲɪtʲ]

зарывать: [zɐˈravɐtʲ]

закопать: [zɐkɐˈpatʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To inter a body (funeral context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хоронить / похоронить - Used specifically for burying a deceased person, often in a formal or religious context.

Usage Examples:

• Мы хороним его завтра на старом кладбище.

  We are burying him tomorrow at the old cemetery.

• Они похоронили бабушку с почестями.

  They buried their grandmother with honors.

• Его похоронили рядом с отцом.

  He was buried next to his father.

2. To hide or cover something in the ground

Translation(s) & Context:

• зарывать / закопать - Used for burying objects, treasure, or animals, often in a less formal context.

Usage Examples:

• Собака зарывает кость во дворе.

  The dog buries a bone in the yard.

• Он закопал клад под старым дубом.

  He buried the treasure under the old oak tree.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

хоронить / похоронить: These are verbs of the second conjugation. 'хоронить' is imperfective (ongoing action), while 'похоронить' is perfective (completed action). Below is a simplified conjugation table for 'хоронить' in present tense:

Person	Form
Я (I)	хороню [xɐˈronʲʊ]
Ты (You, singular)	хоронишь [xɐˈronʲɪʂ]
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	хоронит [xɐˈronʲɪt]
Мы (We)	хороним [xɐˈronʲɪm]
Вы (You, plural/formal)	хороните [xɐˈronʲɪtʲɪ]
Они (They)	хоронят [xɐˈronʲɐt]

зарывать / закопать: Similarly, 'зарывать' is imperfective, and 'закопать' is perfective. These follow a similar conjugation pattern but belong to the first conjugation group.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for хоронить/похоронить:

• погребать
• предавать земле (formal, "to commit to the earth")

Note: 'погребать' is more archaic or literary, while 'предавать земле' is highly formal.

Synonyms for зарывать/закопать:

• прятать (to hide, less specific to burying)

Antonyms:

• выкапывать (to dig up)
• откапывать (to unearth)

Related Phrases:

• похоронить надежду - "to bury hope" (figurative, to give up hope)
• закопать талант в землю - "to bury talent in the ground" (idiomatic, to waste one's abilities)

Usage Notes:

• The choice between 'хоронить/похоронить' and 'зарывать/закопать' depends on the object being buried. Use the former for people and the latter for objects or animals.
• Russian verbs often come in imperfective/perfective pairs. 'хоронить' and 'зарывать' indicate an ongoing or repeated action, while 'похоронить' and 'закопать' indicate a completed action.
• Be mindful of the formal tone of 'хоронить/похоронить,' especially in funeral contexts, as casual usage may seem disrespectful.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'зарывать' for burying a person. Incorrect: "Я зарыл деда." (I buried grandpa - sounds disrespectful). Correct: "Я похоронил деда." (I buried grandpa).
• Error: Ignoring verb aspect. Incorrect: "Я хоронил клад." (I buried the treasure - ongoing, doesn’t make sense). Correct: "Я закопал клад." (I buried the treasure - completed).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, burial (especially of people) is often tied to Orthodox Christian traditions, and the verb 'хоронить/похоронить' may carry a sense of ritual or reverence. Funerals are significant events, and language around them is typically formal and respectful.

Related Concepts:

• кладбище (cemetery)
• похороны (funeral)
• могила (grave)