Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Capsize'

English Word: capsize

Key Russian Translations:

• перевернуться [pʲɪrʲɪvʲɪrˈnutsə] - [Informal, Often used for boats or vehicles]
• опрокинуться [ɐprɐˈkʲinutsə] - [Formal, Can refer to boats or objects tipping over]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

перевернуться: [pʲɪrʲɪvʲɪrˈnutsə]

Note on перевернуться: Stress falls on the fourth syllable. The soft 'р' sound may be challenging for non-native speakers.

опрокинуться: [ɐprɐˈkʲinutsə]

Note on опрокинуться: Stress on the third syllable. Pay attention to the unstressed 'о' pronounced as 'ɐ'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To turn over (e.g., a boat or vehicle)

Translation(s) & Context:

• перевернуться - Commonly used for boats, cars, or other vehicles turning over, often in accidents.
• опрокинуться - Can be used for boats or objects tipping over, often with a sense of suddenness.

Usage Examples:

• Лодка перевернулась во время шторма.

  The boat capsized during the storm.

• Машина перевернулась на скользкой дороге.

  The car capsized on the slippery road.

• Каноэ опрокинулось, когда мы пытались сесть.

  The canoe capsized when we tried to get in.

• Судно опрокинулось из-за сильного ветра.

  The vessel capsized due to strong winds.

• Я боялся, что лодка перевернётся на волнах.

  I was afraid the boat would capsize on the waves.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both перевернуться and опрокинуться are reflexive verbs in Russian, belonging to the second conjugation. They are perfective verbs, indicating a completed action. Below are their conjugations in the past tense (most common for describing capsizing events):

Note: These verbs are typically used in the past or future tense to describe a one-time event. They do not have imperfective counterparts in this specific meaning.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• перекувырнуться (informal, less common, often implies rolling over)
• перевертеться (rare, dialectal)

Antonyms:

• выровняться (to straighten out, to stabilize)

Note: Synonyms may vary in tone or specificity. For example, перекувырнуться often has a playful or less serious connotation compared to перевернуться.

Related Phrases:

• перевернуться вверх дном - Literally "to turn upside down," often used metaphorically for chaos or disorder.
• опрокинуться на бок - "To tip over on its side," used for vehicles or objects.
• лодка перевернулась кверху килем - "The boat capsized keel up," a specific nautical expression.

Usage Notes:

• перевернуться is more colloquial and widely used in everyday speech, especially for vehicles or boats. It can also metaphorically mean "to turn over" in other contexts (e.g., life turning upside down).
• опрокинуться is slightly more formal and often emphasizes the sudden or accidental nature of capsizing. It can also apply to objects like tables or cups, unlike перевернуться.
• Both verbs are perfective, so they describe a completed action. If describing an ongoing or potential capsizing, you may need a different construction, such as "может перевернуться" (might capsize).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using перевернуться for small objects like cups or bottles. Correct: Use опрокинуться for smaller items. Example: "Стакан опрокинулся" (The glass tipped over), not *"Стакан перевернулся."
• Error: Forgetting the reflexive particle "-ся" in these verbs. Correct: Always include "-ся" as both verbs are reflexive. Incorrect: *"Лодка перевернул."* Correct: "Лодка перевернулась."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, capsizing, especially of boats, often appears in literature and folklore due to the country's vast rivers and lakes. The imagery of a boat capsizing can carry symbolic meaning, representing sudden misfortune or loss of control, as seen in works by authors like Pushkin or in traditional songs.

Related Concepts:

• потонуть (to sink)
• шторм (storm)
• авария (accident)