Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Conquer'

English Word: Conquer

Key Russian Translations:

• покорять [pəkɐˈrʲatʲ] - [Formal, Often used for territories or challenges]
• завоевать [zəvʲɪˈvatʲ] - [Formal/Neutral, Often used for military or emotional conquest]
• одолеть [ɐdɐˈlʲetʲ] - [Neutral, Often used for overcoming difficulties]

Frequency: Medium (Common in historical, military, and metaphorical contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

покорять: [pəkɐˈrʲatʲ]

Note on покорять: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'я' sound is a soft vowel, often challenging for non-native speakers.

завоевать: [zəvʲɪˈvatʲ]

Note on завоевать: Stress on the third syllable. The 'е' is pronounced as 'ye' due to palatalization.

одолеть: [ɐdɐˈlʲetʲ]

Note on одолеть: Stress on the third syllable. The 'о' is reduced in unstressed positions.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To defeat or take control (e.g., territory, enemy)

Translation(s) & Context:

• покорять - Used for subjugating lands or peoples, often with a historical tone.
• завоевать - Common in military contexts or metaphorical conquests (e.g., winning someone's heart).

Usage Examples:

• Римляне покорили многие земли в Европе.

  The Romans conquered many lands in Europe.

• Он завоевал её сердце своим обаянием.

  He conquered her heart with his charm.

2. To overcome (e.g., difficulties, fears)

Translation(s) & Context:

• одолеть - Used for overcoming obstacles, challenges, or personal struggles.

Usage Examples:

• Она одолела свой страх высоты.

  She conquered her fear of heights.

• Мы одолели трудный путь через горы.

  We conquered the difficult path through the mountains.

• Ему удалось одолеть все препятствия на пути к успеху.

  He managed to conquer all obstacles on the way to success.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

покорять (Imperfective Verb): Regular verb of the 1st conjugation. Used for ongoing or repeated action.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	покоряю [pəkɐˈrʲaju]
Ты (You, sing.)	покоряешь [pəkɐˈrʲajɪʃ]
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	покоряет [pəkɐˈrʲajɪt]

Perfective form: покорить [pəkɐˈrʲitʲ] (completed action).

завоевать (Perfective Verb): Refers to a completed action. No direct imperfective pair in common usage for ongoing conquest.

одолеть (Perfective Verb): Refers to a completed action. Imperfective pair: одолевать [ɐdɐlʲɪˈvatʲ] (ongoing struggle).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for покорять/завоевать:

• захватить (to capture)
• подчинить (to subdue)

Note: 'захватить' often implies physical capture, while 'подчинить' emphasizes submission.

Antonyms for покорять/завоевать:

• освободить (to liberate)
• уступить (to yield)

Related Phrases:

• завоевать доверие - To conquer trust (gain someone's trust).
• покорять вершины - To conquer peaks (achieve great goals, often metaphorically).
• одолеть болезнь - To conquer an illness (overcome a disease).

Usage Notes:

• 'покорять' often carries a historical or grandiose tone, suitable for discussing empires or major achievements.
• 'завоевать' is versatile, used both literally (military conquest) and figuratively (winning affection or respect).
• 'одолеть' is more specific to personal or abstract struggles, such as emotions or challenges, and less about territorial conquest.
• Pay attention to aspect (perfective vs. imperfective): use 'покорять' for ongoing efforts and 'покорить' for completed actions.

Common Errors:

1. Misusing aspect: English speakers often confuse imperfective 'покорять' with perfective 'покорить'. For example, saying Я покоряю гору (ongoing) vs. Я покорил гору (completed). Use the perfective form to indicate a completed conquest.

2. Wrong word choice: Using 'завоевать' when 'одолеть' is more appropriate for personal struggles. E.g., Incorrect: Я завоевал свой страх. Correct: Я одолел свой страх (I conquered my fear).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "conquering" often carries historical weight due to the country's past of territorial expansion (e.g., the Russian Empire, Soviet Union). Words like 'покорять' and 'завоевать' may evoke associations with historical conquests or struggles, so they are often used in formal or literary contexts rather than casual speech for personal achievements.

Related Concepts:

• победа (victory)
• триумф (triumph)
• господство (domination)