Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Croak'

English Word: croak

Key Russian Translations:

• квакать [ˈkvakətʲ] - [Informal, Used for frog sounds]
• каркать [ˈkarkətʲ] - [Informal, Used for crow sounds or negative speech]
• хрипеть [xrʲɪˈpʲetʲ] - [Neutral, Used for hoarse voice]
• кваканье [ˈkvakənʲɪə] - [Neutral, Noun form for frog croaking sound]
• карканье [ˈkarkənʲɪə] - [Neutral, Noun form for crow croaking sound]

Frequency: Medium (varies by context; "квакать" and "каркать" are more common in specific contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; pronunciation and contextual usage may pose challenges)

Pronunciation (Russian):

квакать: [ˈkvakətʲ]

Note on квакать: Stress on the first syllable; the 'кв' cluster may be tricky for non-native speakers.

каркать: [ˈkarkətʲ]

Note on каркать: Stress on the first syllable; 'р' is rolled, a common difficulty for English speakers.

хрипеть: [xrʲɪˈpʲetʲ]

Note on хрипеть: Stress on the second syllable; the 'хр' sound combination requires practice.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To make a sound like a frog (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• квакать - Used specifically for the sound frogs make, often in a natural or informal context.

Usage Examples:

• Лягушки квакают у пруда каждую ночь.

  Frogs croak by the pond every night.

• В тишине можно было услышать, как квакают лягушки.

  In the silence, you could hear the frogs croaking.

• Он пошутил, что лягушки квакают громче, чем мы говорим.

  He joked that the frogs croak louder than we talk.

2. To make a sound like a crow or to speak negatively (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• каркать - Used for the sound of crows or metaphorically for predicting misfortune or complaining.

Usage Examples:

• Ворона каркала на дереве с самого утра.

  The crow was croaking in the tree since morning.

• Перестань каркать, всё будет хорошо!

  Stop croaking, everything will be fine!

• Она всегда каркает о плохой погоде перед поездкой.

  She always croaks about bad weather before a trip.

3. To speak with a hoarse voice (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хрипеть - Refers to a hoarse or raspy voice, often due to illness or strain.

Usage Examples:

• После простуды он начал хрипеть при разговоре.

  After the cold, he started to croak when speaking.

• Его голос хрипел от усталости после долгой речи.

  His voice croaked from exhaustion after a long speech.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

квакать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in the 1st conjugation group.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	квакаю
Ты (You, sg.)	квакаешь
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	квакает
Мы (We)	квакаем
Вы (You, pl.)	квакаете
Они (They)	квакают

каркать (Verb, Imperfective): Follows similar regular conjugation as "квакать".

хрипеть (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation with stress shift in some forms.

кваканье/карканье (Nouns, Neuter): Follow standard neuter noun declension patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for квакать (frog sound):

• крякать (less common, sometimes used for ducks)

Synonyms for каркать (crow sound or negative speech):

• ворчать (for grumbling or complaining)

Synonyms for хрипеть (hoarse voice):

• сипеть (similar, but often softer hoarseness)

Antonyms: No direct antonyms, as these are specific sound-related verbs.

Related Phrases:

• каркать как ворона - To croak like a crow (used metaphorically for negative speech or pessimism).
• кваканье лягушек - Croaking of frogs (common phrase in descriptions of nature).
• хрипеть от простуды - To croak from a cold (used for describing a hoarse voice due to illness).

Usage Notes:

• "квакать" is exclusively used for the sound of frogs and is rarely applied metaphorically.
• "каркать" has a dual meaning: the literal sound of a crow and a figurative sense of pessimism or complaining. Context is key to understanding its intended meaning.
• "хрипеть" focuses on the quality of voice (hoarseness) and is not related to animal sounds. It often implies a temporary condition like illness or strain.
• Choosing the right translation depends heavily on context. For animal sounds, "квакать" and "каркать" are specific to frogs and crows, respectively. For human speech, "хрипеть" is the appropriate choice.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up "квакать" and "каркать": English learners often confuse these due to similar sounds. "квакать" is only for frogs, while "каркать" is for crows or negative speech. Incorrect: *Лягушка каркает* (The frog croaks like a crow). Correct: *Лягушка квакает*.
• Using "хрипеть" for animal sounds: "хрипеть" is reserved for human voices. Incorrect: *Ворона хрипит* (The crow croaks hoarsely). Correct: *Ворона каркает*.
• Pronunciation of 'хр' in "хрипеть": Many learners struggle with the initial 'хр' sound, often softening it. Practice the guttural 'х' followed by a rolled 'р'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "каркать" carries a strong negative connotation when used metaphorically. Saying someone is "каркает" implies they are a pessimist or bringer of bad news, much like the superstition of a crow's croak signaling misfortune. This cultural nuance may not be immediately obvious to English speakers.

Related Concepts:

• ворчать (to grumble)
• сипеть (to wheeze or speak hoarsely)
• звук природы (sounds of nature)