Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Choke'

English Word: Choke

Key Russian Translations:

• душить [ˈduʂɨtʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Used for physical choking or strangling]
• задыхаться [zədɨˈxatʲsə] - [Informal, Used for struggling to breathe]
• подавиться [pədəˈvʲitʲsə] - [Informal, Used for choking on food or drink]

Frequency: Medium (varies by context and translation)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; "душить" - B1, "задыхаться" - B2, "подавиться" - B2)

Pronunciation (Russian):

душить: [ˈduʂɨtʲ]

Note on душить: Stress on the first syllable; the "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "sh".

задыхаться: [zədɨˈxatʲsə]

Note on задыхаться: Stress on the third syllable; the reflexive ending "-ся" is common in Russian verbs indicating a state or action affecting oneself.

подавиться: [pədəˈvʲitʲsə]

Note on подавиться: Stress on the third syllable; the prefix "по-" often indicates a completed or sudden action.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To strangle or suffocate physically

Translation(s) & Context:

• душить - Used when referring to physically choking or strangling someone or something.

Usage Examples:

• Он пытался душить своего противника в схватке.

  He tried to choke his opponent in the fight.

• Не души меня, я не могу дышать!

  Don't choke me, I can't breathe!

• Дым начал душить нас, и мы выбежали из комнаты.

  The smoke started to choke us, and we ran out of the room.

2. To struggle to breathe or gasp for air

Translation(s) & Context:

• задыхаться - Used for a state of breathlessness, often due to exertion, emotion, or environmental factors.

Usage Examples:

• После бега я начал задыхаться.

  After running, I started to choke (gasp for air).

• Она задыхалась от волнения, рассказывая новость.

  She was choking with excitement while sharing the news.

3. To choke on food or drink

Translation(s) & Context:

• подавиться - Specifically used when choking on something ingested, like food or water.

Usage Examples:

• Он подавился костью и начал кашлять.

  He choked on a bone and started coughing.

• Не ешь так быстро, можешь подавиться!

  Don't eat so fast, you might choke!

• Она подавилась водой, когда смеялась.

  She choked on water while laughing.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

душить (verb, imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in "-ить". Below is the present tense conjugation:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	душу [ˈduʂu]	душим [ˈduʂɨm]
2nd	душишь [ˈduʂɨʂ]	душите [duˈʂɨtʲe]
3rd	душит [ˈduʂɨt]	душат [ˈduʂɨt]

задыхаться (verb, imperfective, reflexive): Reflexive verb with "-ся", conjugated similarly to regular "-аться" verbs. Stress shifts in some forms.

подавиться (verb, perfective, reflexive): Perfective aspect indicates a completed action; often used in past tense or infinitive form. Reflexive with "-ся".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for душить:

• задушить (perfective, to strangle completely)
• удушить (less common, formal)

Note: "задушить" implies a completed action, often with fatal results, while "душить" can be ongoing.

Synonyms for задыхаться:

• захлёбываться (used for choking on liquid or emotion)

Antonyms for душить:

• освободить (to release/free)

Related Phrases:

• душить в объятиях - Literally "to choke in an embrace", meaning to hug very tightly.
• задыхаться от жары - "To choke from the heat", meaning to struggle to breathe due to hot weather.
• подавиться от смеха - "To choke with laughter", used when laughter causes coughing or breathlessness.

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "душить", "задыхаться", and "подавиться" depends heavily on context. Use "душить" for intentional or physical choking, "задыхаться" for breathlessness due to exertion or emotion, and "подавиться" specifically for choking on food or drink.
• "душить" can be used metaphorically (e.g., "душить смех" - to choke back laughter), while the others are more literal.
• Aspect is important in Russian: "душить" (imperfective) indicates an ongoing action, while "задушить" (perfective) indicates completion.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "душить" when referring to choking on food. Incorrect: Я душил на еду. Correct: Я подавился едой. Explanation: "душить" implies active strangling, not accidental choking on something.
• Error: Forgetting the reflexive "-ся" in "задыхаться" or "подавиться". Incorrect: Я задыхаю. Correct: Я задыхаюсь. Explanation: These verbs require the reflexive particle to indicate the action affects the subject.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressions involving "душить" can sometimes carry emotional or dramatic connotations, especially in literature or storytelling, where it might symbolize oppression or intense struggle. For example, "душить слезы" (to choke back tears) is a common poetic expression.

Related Concepts:

• дышать (to breathe)
• удушье (suffocation)
• кашель (cough)