Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Capture'

English Word: Capture

Key Russian Translations:

• захватить [zɐxˈvatʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, Often used for physical or territorial capture]
• поймать [pɐjˈmatʲ] - [Informal, Commonly used for catching or capturing a person/animal]
• захват [zɐxˈvat] - [Noun, Formal, Refers to the act of capture or seizure]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "захватить" and "поймать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for nuanced uses of "захват"

Pronunciation (Russian):

захватить: [zɐxˈvatʲɪtʲ]

Note on захватить: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "х" sound is a voiceless fricative, similar to the Scottish "loch."

поймать: [pɐjˈmatʲ]

Note on поймать: Stress on the second syllable. The "й" is a short glide sound, blending into the following vowel.

захват: [zɐxˈvat]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To take control or possession by force

Translation(s) & Context:

• захватить - Used for capturing territory, objects, or abstract concepts like attention.
• захват - Refers to the act of capturing or seizing, often in military or strategic contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Армия захватила город после долгой осады.

  The army captured the city after a long siege.

• Его речь захватила внимание аудитории.

  His speech captured the audience's attention.

• Захват территории был стратегически важен.

  The capture of the territory was strategically important.

2. To catch or apprehend

Translation(s) & Context:

• поймать - Used for physically catching someone or something, like a criminal or animal.

Usage Examples:

• Полиция поймала вора на месте преступления.

  The police captured the thief at the crime scene.

• Он поймал рыбу в реке.

  He captured (caught) a fish in the river.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

захватить (Verb, Perfective): This verb is perfective, indicating a completed action. It conjugates irregularly in some forms. Below is the present tense conjugation (though rare, as perfective verbs are mostly used in past/future).

Person	Form (Future Tense Example)
Я (I)	захвачу [zɐxˈvatʃu]
Ты (You, singular)	захватишь [zɐxˈvatʲɪʃ]
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	захватит [zɐxˈvatʲɪt]

поймать (Verb, Perfective): Also perfective, used for completed actions. Similar conjugation pattern to "захватить."

захват (Noun, Masculine): Declines as a masculine noun in Russian. Below are the main cases.

Case	Singular
Nominative	захват [zɐxˈvat]
Genitive	захвата [zɐxˈvatə]
Accusative	захват [zɐxˈvat]

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "захватить":

• овладеть (to take possession of, more formal)
• захапать (colloquial, to grab or seize)

Synonyms for "поймать":

• схватить (to seize or grab quickly)
• поймать (to catch, more general)

Antonyms:

• отпустить (to release or let go)
• освободить (to free or liberate)

Related Phrases:

• захватить власть - To seize power (used in political contexts).
• поймать на слове - To catch someone at their word (idiomatic, to hold someone accountable for what they said).
• захват территории - Capture of territory (often military or strategic).

Usage Notes:

• "захватить" is more versatile and can refer to both physical and abstract captures (e.g., capturing attention), while "поймать" is mostly limited to physically catching something or someone.
• Use "захват" as a noun when discussing the concept or act of capture, especially in formal or written contexts.
• Be mindful of the perfective aspect of both verbs ("захватить" and "поймать"), which implies a completed action. For ongoing actions, you may need imperfective forms like "захватывать" or "ловить."

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "поймать" for abstract concepts like capturing attention.
  Incorrect: Я поймал внимание аудитории.
  Correct: Я захватил внимание аудитории.
  Explanation: "поймать" is reserved for tangible captures, while "захватить" works for abstract ideas.
• Error: Misusing noun and verb forms.
  Incorrect: Мы сделали захватить города.
  Correct: Мы сделали захват города.
  Explanation: "захват" is the noun form for "the act of capture," while "захватить" is the verb.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the word "захват" often carries a historical or political connotation, especially in the context of territorial disputes or military actions (e.g., "захват земель" - capture of lands). It may evoke strong imagery related to Soviet or imperial history, so use it carefully in sensitive discussions.

Related Concepts:

• оккупация (occupation)
• плен (captivity)
• добыча (prey or spoils)