Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Contain'

English Word: Contain

Key Russian Translations:

• содержать [sədʲɪrˈʐatʲ] - [Formal, Used for contents or inclusion]
• вмещать [vmʲɪˈɕːatʲ] - [Formal/Neutral, Used for capacity or holding]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in written and spoken contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "содержать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "вмещать" due to nuanced usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

содержать: [sədʲɪrˈʐatʲ]

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

вмещать: [vmʲɪˈɕːatʲ]

Note on вмещать: Stress on the second syllable. The 'щ' sound is a long, soft 'sh' sound, often difficult for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To have or hold something within (physical or abstract)

Translation(s) & Context:

• содержать - Often used for abstract contents, like information or ingredients (e.g., a document or food).
• вмещать - Typically used for physical capacity or space (e.g., a container or room).

Usage Examples:

• Этот документ содержит важную информацию.

  This document contains important information.

• Банка содержит 500 граммов варенья.

  The jar contains 500 grams of jam.

• Этот зал может вмещать до 200 человек.

  This hall can contain up to 200 people.

• Его речь содержала много ошибок.

  His speech contained many mistakes.

• Коробка вмещает только три книги.

  The box can contain only three books.

2. To restrain or control (emotions or actions)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сдерживать - Used for controlling emotions or actions, though not a direct translation of "contain" in all contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он не мог сдерживать свой гнев.

  He couldn’t contain his anger.

• Она пыталась сдерживать слёзы.

  She tried to contain her tears.

• Нам нужно сдерживать свои эмоции на публике.

  We need to contain our emotions in public.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

содержать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses. Below is the present tense conjugation:

вмещать (Verb, Imperfective): Similar regular conjugation pattern. Often used with accusative case for the object being contained.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for содержать:

• включать (to include)
• иметь (to have, in some contexts)

Note: "включать" is often more specific to inclusion in a list or set, while "иметь" is broader and less precise for "contain."

Antonyms for содержать/вмещать:

• выпускать (to release)
• исключать (to exclude)

Related Phrases:

• содержать в порядке - To keep in order (e.g., maintaining cleanliness or organization).
• вмещать в себя - To hold within oneself (often used metaphorically for emotions or ideas).
• содержать семью - To support a family (financially or otherwise).

Usage Notes:

• "Содержать" is more versatile and can refer to both physical and abstract contents, whereas "вмещать" is typically limited to physical or spatial capacity.
• Be mindful of the aspect: both verbs are imperfective, but perfective forms like "содержаться" or "вместить" may be needed in specific contexts (e.g., completed actions).
• In formal writing, "содержать" is often preferred when discussing contents of documents or compositions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "вмещать" for abstract contents. Incorrect: *Эта статья вмещает много идей.* Correct: Эта статья содержит много идей. (This article contains many ideas.) Explanation: "Вмещать" implies physical space, not abstract content.
• Error: Forgetting case agreement. Incorrect: *Банка содержит варенье 500 грамм.* Correct: Банка содержит 500 граммов варенья. Explanation: After quantities, use the genitive case in Russian.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the verb "содержать" can also imply responsibility or maintenance, as in "содержать семью" (to support a family). This usage reflects cultural values around familial duty and is broader than the English "contain."

Related Concepts:

• включать (to include)
• хранить (to store)
• ограничивать (to limit or confine)