Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cater'

English Word: cater

Key Russian Translations:

• обслуживать [ɐbˈsluʐɨvətʲ] - [Formal, General Use]
• угождать [uˈɡoʐdətʲ] - [Informal, Often with a sense of pleasing or accommodating]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "обслуживать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "угождать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

обслуживать: [ɐbˈsluʐɨvətʲ]

Note on обслуживать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced fricative, similar to the 's' in "measure."

угождать: [uˈɡoʐdətʲ]

Note on угождать: Stress on the second syllable. The initial "у" is pronounced like 'oo' in "food."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To provide food and drink (e.g., for an event)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обслуживать - Commonly used for catering services at events or gatherings.

Usage Examples:

• Мы наняли компанию, чтобы обслуживать свадьбу.

  We hired a company to cater the wedding.

• Они будут обслуживать гостей на корпоративе.

  They will cater to the guests at the corporate event.

• Эта фирма обслуживает только крупные мероприятия.

  This company caters only to large events.

2. To accommodate or satisfy needs/wishes

Translation(s) & Context:

• угождать - Used when referring to pleasing someone or meeting their preferences.
• обслуживать - Occasionally used in a broader sense of serving needs.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда старается угождать своим клиентам.

  He always tries to cater to his clients.

• Магазин обслуживает потребности местных жителей.

  The store caters to the needs of local residents.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

обслуживать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses. Below is the present tense conjugation table:

угождать (Verb, Imperfective): Also regular conjugation. Present tense follows similar patterns to "обслуживать."

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for обслуживать:

• услуживать
• снабжать

Note: "услуживать" is less common and often implies a more personal service; "снабжать" focuses on supplying rather than serving.

Synonyms for угождать:

• потакать
• угодничать

Note: "потакать" often carries a negative connotation of indulgence; "угодничать" implies excessive pleasing.

Antonyms:

• игнорировать (to ignore)
• пренебрегать (to neglect)

Related Phrases:

• обслуживать по высшему разряду - To cater at the highest level (provide top-notch service).
• угождать во всём - To cater to every whim (to please someone in every way).

Usage Notes:

• "обслуживать" is the more neutral and widely used term for catering in the context of providing food or services, especially in formal or professional settings.
• "угождать" often implies a personal effort to please someone and may carry a slightly negative connotation if overdone.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations; "обслуживать" is safer for most formal or business-related uses.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up "обслуживать" and "угождать": English speakers often use "угождать" in formal catering contexts, which can sound inappropriate or overly personal. Correct: "Мы обслуживаем мероприятия" (We cater events); Incorrect: "Мы угождаем мероприятиям."

2. Incorrect conjugation: Learners may forget to conjugate verbs like "обслуживать" correctly. For example, saying "Я обслуживать" instead of "Я обслуживаю."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, catering (обслуживание) at events often implies a high level of hospitality, with an emphasis on abundance and guest satisfaction. The concept of "угождать" may also reflect a cultural value of pleasing others, though it can be seen as subservient if overemphasized.

Related Concepts:

• гостеприимство (hospitality)
• услуга (service)
• праздник (celebration)