Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cobble'

English Word: cobble

Key Russian Translations:

• булыжник [bʊˈlɨʐnʲɪk] - [Noun, Singular, Used for 'cobblestone']
• латать [ˈlatətʲ] - [Verb, Imperfective, Informal, Used for 'to cobble together' or 'patch up']

Frequency: Medium (булыжник - Medium; латать - Medium)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for булыжник; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for латать due to verb conjugation complexity

Pronunciation (Russian):

булыжник: [bʊˈlɨʐnʲɪk]

Note on булыжник: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ж' sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for English speakers.

латать: [ˈlatətʲ]

Note on латать: Stress on the first syllable. The soft 'тʲ' requires a palatalized pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Cobblestone (as a noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• булыжник - Refers to a rounded stone used for paving streets, often in historical or old-town contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Старые улицы города вымощены булыжником.

  The old streets of the city are paved with cobblestones.

• Булыжник был скользким после дождя.

  The cobblestone was slippery after the rain.

• Он споткнулся о булыжник на дороге.

  He tripped over a cobblestone on the road.

2. To Cobble Together (as a verb, meaning to patch or assemble roughly)

Translation(s) & Context:

• латать - Used for repairing or patching something roughly, often clothes or objects; can also mean assembling something hastily in a figurative sense.

Usage Examples:

• Она латает старую одежду, чтобы сэкономить деньги.

  She cobbles together old clothes to save money.

• Мы латали план на скорую руку перед встречей.

  We cobbled together a plan quickly before the meeting.

• Он латал ботинки, чтобы они продержались до зимы.

  He cobbled his boots to make them last until winter.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

булыжник (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

латать (Verb, Imperfective, Transitive):

Note: The perfective form of латать is залатать, used for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

For булыжник (cobblestone):

• Synonyms: камень (stone, broader term), брусчатка (paving stone, more formal)
• Antonyms: асфальт (asphalt)

Note: брусчатка often implies a more systematic or modern paving compared to булыжник, which suggests older, irregular stones.

For латать (to cobble together):

• Synonyms: чинить (to repair), штопать (to darn, specifically for fabric)
• Antonyms: ломать (to break), разрушать (to destroy)

Related Phrases:

• булыжная мостовая - Cobblestone pavement; refers to streets paved with cobblestones, often in historical contexts.
• латать дыры - To patch holes; commonly used for both literal (e.g., clothes) and figurative (e.g., budget) repairs.
• латать на скорую руку - To cobble together hastily; implies a quick, often temporary fix.

Usage Notes:

• Choosing between translations: Use булыжник when referring to the physical stone or pavement type. Use латать for the action of patching or assembling something roughly, often with a sense of improvisation.
• Register: булыжник is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. латать is more colloquial, especially in figurative uses like "cobble together a plan."
• Grammar: Remember that латать is an imperfective verb. For completed actions (e.g., "I cobbled together a solution"), use the perfective form залатать.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using булыжник to mean "small pebble." Correct term for pebble is галька. Example of error: *Я нашел булыжник на пляже* (incorrect). Correct: Я нашел гальку на пляже (I found a pebble on the beach).
• Error: Confusing латать with чинить. While both mean "to repair," латать implies a rough or temporary fix, whereas чинить is more general or professional. Example of error: *Он латал машину* (incorrect for a proper repair). Correct: Он чинил машину (He repaired the car).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, булыжник is often associated with historical cities and old streets, such as those in Moscow or St. Petersburg. It can evoke a sense of nostalgia or tradition. Additionally, булыжник has historical significance as a symbol of protest, famously referenced as a weapon during revolutions (e.g., "булыжник — оружие пролетариата" or "cobblestone — the weapon of the proletariat").

Related Concepts:

• мостовая (pavement)
• камень (stone)
• ремонт (repair)