Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Crackle'

English Word: crackle

Key Russian Translations:

• трещать [trʲɪˈʂatʲ] - [Informal, Often used for sounds like fire or static]
• потрескивать [pətrʲɪˈskʲivətʲ] - [Informal, Used for softer or intermittent crackling]
• хрустеть [xrʊˈsʲtʲetʲ] - [Informal, Often used for crisp or crunching sounds]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts like describing sounds)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "трещать" and "потрескивать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "хрустеть" due to nuanced usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

трещать: [trʲɪˈʂatʲ]

Note on трещать: The "щ" sound is a soft, hissing sound unique to Russian, often challenging for non-native speakers.

потрескивать: [pətrʲɪˈskʲivətʲ]

Note on потрескивать: Stress falls on the third syllable; the prefix "по-" softens the action.

хрустеть: [xrʊˈsʲtʲetʲ]

Note on хрустеть: The initial "х" is a guttural sound, and the stress is on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To make a sharp, snapping sound (e.g., fire, static)

Translation(s) & Context:

• трещать - Commonly used for the sound of a fire or electrical static.
• потрескивать - Used for a softer, more intermittent crackling, often of a fire or small objects.

Usage Examples:

• Дрова трещат в камине.

  The firewood crackles in the fireplace.

• Радио начало трещать из-за помех.

  The radio started to crackle due to interference.

• Сухие листья потрескивают под ногами.

  Dry leaves crackle underfoot.

2. To make a crunching sound (e.g., stepping on something crisp)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хрустеть - Often used for the sound of stepping on snow, chips, or other crisp materials.

Usage Examples:

• Снег хрустит под ногами.

  The snow crackles underfoot.

• Чипсы хрустят, когда их ешь.

  Chips crackle when you eat them.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All translations are verbs and follow regular conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs in Russian. Below is the conjugation table for "трещать" (to crackle) as an example:

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter)
1st Singular (I)	трещу	трещал / трещала / трещало
2nd Singular (You)	трещишь	трещал / трещала / трещало
3rd Singular (He/She/It)	трещит	трещал / трещала / трещало
1st Plural (We)	трещим	трещали
2nd Plural (You all)	трещите	трещали
3rd Plural (They)	трещат	трещали

Note: "потрескивать" and "хрустеть" follow similar conjugation patterns but with slight stem variations. "потрескивать" often implies a repetitive or softer action due to the suffix "-ивать."

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• скрипеть (to creak - for similar sharp sounds)
• шуршать (to rustle - for softer sounds)

Note on Synonyms: "скрипеть" is often used for creaking doors or floors, while "шуршать" applies to softer rustling like paper or leaves.

Antonyms:

• молчать (to be silent - absence of sound)

Related Phrases:

• трещать по швам - Literally "to crack at the seams," meaning to be overstuffed or bursting (e.g., with food or emotion).
• трещать без умолку - Literally "to crackle without stopping," meaning to chatter incessantly.
• хрустеть костями - Literally "to crackle bones," often used to describe someone cracking their joints.

Usage Notes:

• "трещать" is the most versatile translation for "crackle," suitable for both literal sounds (like fire) and figurative uses (like incessant talking).
• "потрескивать" implies a gentler or more intermittent sound and is less common in figurative contexts.
• "хрустеть" is more specific to crisp, crunching sounds and is rarely used for fire or static.
• Pay attention to the context of the sound source when choosing the appropriate Russian verb.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up "трещать" and "хрустеть": English speakers often use "хрустеть" for fire sounds, which is incorrect. "хрустеть" is for crisp, physical crunching (e.g., snow or food), while "трещать" is for fire or static. Example of error: *Огонь хрустит* (wrong); Correct: *Огонь трещит*.

2. Incorrect conjugation: Beginners often forget the soft sign in forms like "трещишь" (you crackle), leading to mispronunciation or misspelling.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the sound of crackling fire ("трещать") often evokes a cozy, homely atmosphere, especially in literature and folklore describing winter scenes or traditional homes with a stove. The phrase "трещать по швам" also reflects a cultural emphasis on excess or emotional overflow, often used humorously.

Related Concepts:

• шум (noise)
• звук (sound)
• огонь (fire)