Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Circulate'

English Word: Circulate

Key Russian Translations:

• циркулировать [tsɪrkʊˈlʲirəvətʲ] - [Formal, Often used in technical or scientific contexts]
• распространять [rəsprəstrɐˈnʲætʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Used for spreading information or rumors]
• ходить [xɐˈdʲitʲ] - [Informal, Often used for rumors or stories circulating]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts like science, news, or informal speech)

Difficulty: циркулировать (B2/Intermediate), распространять (B1/Intermediate), ходить (A2/Beginner)

Pronunciation (Russian):

циркулировать: [tsɪrkʊˈlʲirəvətʲ]

Note on циркулировать: Stress falls on the third syllable. The 'р' sound is rolled, typical in Russian.

распространять: [rəsprəstrɐˈnʲætʲ]

Note on распространять: Stress on the fourth syllable. Pay attention to the soft 'н' sound.

ходить: [xɐˈdʲitʲ]

Note on ходить: Stress on the second syllable. The 'х' is a guttural sound, not like English 'h'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To move or flow in a circular or continuous manner (e.g., air, blood, water)

Translation(s) & Context:

• циркулировать - Used in scientific or technical contexts, such as describing the flow of liquids or air.

Usage Examples:

• Воздух циркулирует в помещении благодаря вентиляции.

  Air circulates in the room thanks to ventilation.

• Кровь циркулирует по телу через сосуды.

  Blood circulates through the body via blood vessels.

• Вода циркулирует в системе охлаждения.

  Water circulates in the cooling system.

2. To spread or distribute (e.g., information, rumors, documents)

Translation(s) & Context:

• распространять - Commonly used for spreading news, rumors, or information.
• ходить - Informal, often used for rumors or stories "going around."

Usage Examples:

• Они распространяют информацию о новом проекте.

  They are circulating information about the new project.

• Слухи ходят по городу о его отставке.

  Rumors are circulating around the city about his resignation.

• Мы распространили листовки по всему району.

  We circulated flyers throughout the district.

• По офису ходит сплетня о повышении.

  A rumor about a promotion is circulating in the office.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

циркулировать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses. Does not have a perfective counterpart in common usage.

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masc./Fem./Neut./Plural)
1st Sing.	циркулирую	циркулировал / циркулировала / циркулировало / циркулировали
3rd Plur.	циркулируют	циркулировали

распространять (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation. Perfective form is "распространить."

ходить (Verb, Imperfective): Irregular verb of motion. Often used with prefixes for different meanings. No direct perfective form for this usage of "circulate."

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for циркулировать:

• двигаться (to move, in certain contexts)
• течь (to flow, for liquids)

Synonyms for распространять:

• разносить (to spread or distribute)
• раздавать (to hand out, for physical items)

Antonyms:

• останавливать (to stop, for циркулировать)
• скрывать (to conceal, for распространять)

Note: Synonyms for "распространять" like "разносить" may carry a more physical sense of distribution, while "раздавать" is often used for tangible items.

Related Phrases:

• циркулировать по кругу - "to circulate in a circle" (often used metaphorically or literally for movement).
• распространять слухи - "to circulate rumors" (common expression for gossip).
• ходить по рукам - "to circulate from hand to hand" (used for items or information passed around informally).

Usage Notes:

• "Циркулировать" is mostly used in formal or technical contexts, such as describing physical circulation (e.g., air, blood). It is rarely used for information or rumors.
• "Распространять" is versatile and can be used for both tangible (e.g., flyers) and intangible (e.g., news) items being circulated.
• "Ходить" in the sense of "circulate" is informal and almost exclusively used for rumors, stories, or gossip. It cannot be used for physical circulation like air or water.
• Choose the translation based on context: technical (циркулировать), general spreading (распространять), or informal rumors (ходить).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "циркулировать" for rumors or news. Incorrect: "Слухи циркулируют." Correct: "Слухи ходят" or "Слухи распространяются." Explanation: "Циркулировать" is not idiomatic for information spread.
• Error: Using "ходить" for physical objects. Incorrect: "Воздух ходит в комнате." Correct: "Воздух циркулирует в комнате." Explanation: "Ходить" implies walking or informal spreading, not physical flow.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the informal use of "ходить" for rumors reflects a conversational tone often associated with gossip in social settings. Russians may use phrases like "слухи ходят" to imply unverified information, often with a sense of intrigue or skepticism.

Related Concepts:

• движение (movement)
• распространение (distribution/spread)
• слухи (rumors)