Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'cosset'

English Word: cosset

Key Russian Translations:

• баловать [bɐlɐ'vatʲ] - [Informal, often used in everyday contexts for pampering children or pets]
• пестовать [pʲɪstɐ'vatʲ] - [Formal, typically in literary or parental contexts]
• лелеять [lʲɪ'lʲejatʲ] - [Formal, with a connotation of cherishing deeply, used in emotional or poetic settings]

Frequency: Medium (These verbs are commonly encountered in Russian literature, family discussions, and media, but not as frequent as basic daily verbs like "любить").

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuances; beginners may struggle with context-specific usage, while advanced learners can differentiate between translations easily).

Pronunciation (Russian):

баловать: [bɐlɐ'vatʲ]

пестовать: [pʲɪstɐ'vatʲ]

лелеять: [lʲɪ'lʲejatʲ]

Note on баловать: The stress is on the second syllable ('va-'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft 'л' sound; it often softens in casual speech.

Note on пестовать: Pronunciation may vary slightly in dialects, with a more pronounced 'п' in some regions; pay attention to the palatalized 'т'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To treat with excessive care, affection, or indulgence, often applied to children, animals, or objects.

Translation(s) & Context:

• баловать - Used in informal, everyday situations, such as parenting or pet care, to imply spoiling someone.
• пестовать - Applied in more formal or nurturing contexts, like education or long-term care, emphasizing growth and protection.
• лелеять - Reserved for emotional or intimate scenarios, highlighting deep affection without overindulgence.

Usage Examples:

• Родители часто балуют своих детей, покупая им слишком много игрушек. (Parents often cosset their children by buying them too many toys.)

  English: Parents often cosset their children by buying them too many toys.

• Она пестует своего котёнка, как будто он самый хрупкий в мире. (She cossets her kitten as if it's the most fragile thing in the world.)

  English: She cossets her kitten as if it's the most fragile thing in the world.

• В старых русских сказках короли лелеяли своих наследников, окружая их роскошью. (In old Russian fairy tales, kings would cosset their heirs, surrounding them with luxury.)

  English: In old Russian fairy tales, kings would cosset their heirs, surrounding them with luxury.

• Не стоит баловать сотрудников подарками на каждом собрании, иначе они перестанут ценить их. (Don't cosset employees with gifts at every meeting, or they will stop appreciating them.)

  English: Don't cosset employees with gifts at every meeting, or they will stop appreciating them.

• Мать пестует своё растение, поливая его ежедневно и разговаривая с ним. (The mother cossets her plant, watering it daily and talking to it.)

  English: The mother cossets her plant, watering it daily and talking to it.

Secondary Meaning: To shelter or protect excessively, leading to dependency.

Translation(s) & Context:

• баловать - In contexts where overprotection creates negative outcomes, like in child-rearing discussions.
• лелеять - When implying a more sentimental form of protection, such as in relationships.

Usage Examples:

• Если вы будете баловать подростка, он никогда не научится самостоятельности. (If you cosset a teenager, they will never learn independence.)

  English: If you cosset a teenager, they will never learn independence.

• Он лелеял свою коллекцию книг, но это помешало ему делиться знаниями. (He cosseted his book collection, but it prevented him from sharing knowledge.)

  English: He cosseted his book collection, but it prevented him from sharing knowledge.

• Пестовать ребёнка в изоляции от мира может быть вредным для его развития. (Cosseting a child in isolation from the world can be harmful to their development.)

  English: Cosseting a child in isolation from the world can be harmful to their development.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (баловать, пестовать, лелеять) are verbs, which follow the standard Russian conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs. They are first-conjugation verbs with irregularities in some forms. Below is a table for the present tense conjugations:

Note: These verbs do not change in the infinitive form and follow imperfective aspects. For past tense, they add endings based on gender (e.g., баловал for masculine, баловала for feminine).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Поклоняться (poklonit'sya) - To adore, with a more worshipful connotation.
  • Гордиться (gordit'sya) - To take pride in, often in a protective way.
  • Опекать (opekat') - To look after, implying guardianship.
• Antonyms:
  • Игнорировать (ignorirovat') - To ignore.
  • Отвергать (otvergat') - To reject.

Related Phrases:

• Баловать ребенка (balovat' rebenka) - To spoil a child; a common phrase in parenting advice, implying overindulgence.
• Пестовать таланты (pestovat' talanty) - To nurture talents; used in educational or professional contexts to mean fostering skills.
• Лелеять надежду (leleyat' nadezhdu) - To cherish hope; an idiomatic expression for holding onto aspirations in literature.

Usage Notes:

баловать is the most direct translation for "cosset" in informal settings, but it can carry a negative nuance of spoiling, so use it cautiously in positive contexts. пестовать is better for formal or nurturing scenarios, aligning with English's protective aspect. When choosing between translations, consider the emotional tone: лелеять for deep affection. In Russian, these verbs often require the accusative case for objects, e.g., "баловать кого-то" (to cosset someone). Avoid direct word-for-word translation; adapt based on context to maintain natural flow.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using баловать in formal writing without considering its informal tone. Correct: Opt for пестовать in professional or literary contexts. Example of error: "Компания балует сотрудников" (instead of "пестует" for a formal report). Explanation: баловать sounds too casual and may imply criticism.
• Mistake: Confusing conjugation, e.g., saying "балуетс" instead of "балуешь" for "you cosset." Correct: Always match the subject pronoun. Explanation: Russian verbs require precise endings, which English learners often overlook due to the lack of conjugation in English.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like баловать are often linked to traditional family values, where overprotecting children (as seen in folklore like in stories by Pushkin) can symbolize love but also potential harm, reflecting a balance between affection and independence in Slavic parenting norms.

Related Concepts:

• Воспитывать (vospityvat') - To educate or raise.
• Защищать (zashchishchat') - To protect.
• Любить (lyubit') - To love.