Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Christen'

English Word: christen

Key Russian Translations:

• крестить [krʲɪˈsʲtʲitʲ] - [Formal, Religious Context]
• назвать [nɐˈzvatʲ] - [Informal, General Use for Naming]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in religious and naming contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "крестить"; A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "назвать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

крестить: [krʲɪˈsʲtʲitʲ]

Note on крестить: Stress falls on the second syllable. The soft 't' sound (тʲ) may be challenging for non-native speakers.

назвать: [nɐˈzvatʲ]

Note on назвать: Stress on the second syllable. The 'z' is voiced, and the final 't' is soft (тʲ).

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To baptize (in a religious sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• крестить - Used in religious contexts to refer to the act of baptism or christening a child.

Usage Examples:

• Они решили крестить ребёнка в местной церкви.

  They decided to christen the child in the local church.

• Его крестили в честь деда.

  He was christened in honor of his grandfather.

• Крестить младенца — это важная традиция в нашей семье.

  Christening a baby is an important tradition in our family.

2. To name or give a name (general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• назвать - Used for naming someone or something, often in a non-religious context.

Usage Examples:

• Мы назвали нашу лодку "Мечта".

  We christened our boat "Dream."

• Её назвали в честь бабушки.

  She was christened after her grandmother.

• Давай назовём этот проект "Новая эра".

  Let’s christen this project "New Era."

Russian Forms/Inflections:

крестить (to christen/baptize) - Verb, Imperfective Aspect

Conjugation follows regular second-conjugation patterns. Below is the present tense conjugation:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	крещу [krʲɪˈɕːu]	крестим [krʲɪˈsʲtʲim]
2nd	крестишь [krʲɪˈsʲtʲiʂ]	крестите [krʲɪˈsʲtʲitʲɪ]
3rd	крестят [krʲɪˈsʲtʲat]	крестят [krʲɪˈsʲtʲat]

Note: Perfective form is "окрестить" (used for completed actions).

назвать (to name/call) - Verb, Perfective Aspect

This verb is perfective, often used for a completed act of naming. Its imperfective counterpart is "называть."

Person	Singular (Past)	Plural (Past)
Masculine	назвал [nɐˈzval]	назвали [nɐˈzvalʲi]
Feminine	назвала [nɐˈzvalɐ]	назвали [nɐˈzvalʲi]
Neuter	назвало [nɐˈzvalɐ]	назвали [nɐˈzvalʲi]

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for крестить (baptize):

• окрестить (perfective form, more formal)

Note: "окрестить" implies a completed action and is often used in written or formal contexts.

Synonyms for назвать (name):

• именовать (more formal, often for official naming)
• обозвать (colloquial, sometimes negative connotation)

Antonyms: None directly applicable for either translation.

Related Phrases:

• крестить ребёнка - To christen a child (religious context).
• назвать по имени - To call by name (general use).
• назвать в честь - To name in honor of someone (common expression for naming after a person).

Usage Notes:

• "Крестить" is strictly tied to religious or ceremonial contexts, specifically Christian baptism. It should not be used for general naming.
• "Назвать" is more versatile and can apply to naming objects, people, or concepts in non-religious settings.
• Be mindful of the aspect: "назвать" (perfective) implies a one-time act of naming, while "называть" (imperfective) suggests a repeated or ongoing action.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing "крестить" and "назвать": English speakers might use "крестить" for any naming context, but it is incorrect to say "Я крестил свою машину" (I christened my car) in a non-religious sense. Correct usage: "Я назвал свою машину."

2. Incorrect verb aspect: Using "называть" (imperfective) instead of "назвать" (perfective) when referring to a single act of naming. Incorrect: "Я называю её Машей" (ongoing naming). Correct: "Я назвал её Машей" (I named her Masha).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian Orthodox tradition, "крестить" (to christen) is a significant religious event often accompanied by naming the child after a saint. The act of christening is deeply tied to cultural and family traditions, and the name chosen during baptism often holds spiritual importance.

Related Concepts:

• крещение (baptism)
• имя (name)
• обряд (rite/ceremony)