Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Crumble'

English Word: Crumble

Key Russian Translations:

• крошить [ˈkroʂɨtʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for breaking into small pieces]
• крошиться [krɐˈʂɨtʲsə] - [Informal, Reflexive Verb, Used for something breaking apart naturally]
• рассыпаться [rəsɨˈpatʲsə] - [Neutral, Verb, Used for falling apart or disintegrating]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts related to food or materials breaking apart)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation due to reflexive forms and nuances)

Pronunciation (Russian):

крошить: [ˈkroʂɨtʲ]

Note on крошить: Stress is on the first syllable. The "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "sh".

крошиться: [krɐˈʂɨtʲsə]

Note on крошиться: Stress on the second syllable. The reflexive ending "-ся" is common in Russian verbs indicating a passive or natural process.

рассыпаться: [rəsɨˈpatʲsə]

Note on рассыпаться: Stress on the third syllable. The prefix "рас-" often implies dispersal or disintegration.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To break into small pieces (e.g., food or materials)

Translation(s) & Context:

• крошить - Used actively when someone intentionally breaks something into crumbs (e.g., bread).
• крошиться - Used for something crumbling on its own (e.g., a cookie crumbling in your hand).

Usage Examples:

• Она крошит хлеб на мелкие кусочки.

  She crumbles the bread into small pieces.

• Печенье крошится, когда его берёшь.

  The cookie crumbles when you pick it up.

2. To fall apart or disintegrate (e.g., structures or plans)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рассыпаться - Often used metaphorically for things falling apart, like plans or structures.

Usage Examples:

• Старый дом начал рассыпаться от времени.

  The old house began to crumble over time.

• Все наши планы рассыпались из-за непогоды.

  All our plans crumbled due to bad weather.

• Его надежды рассыпались после отказа.

  His hopes crumbled after the rejection.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

крошить (Verb, Imperfective): Regular verb with standard conjugation for imperfective aspect. Used for ongoing or repeated action.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	крошу [ˈkroʂu]
Ты (You, singular)	крошишь [ˈkroʂɨʂ]
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	крошит [ˈkroʂɨt]

крошиться (Reflexive Verb, Imperfective): Reflexive form indicating a passive or natural process. Conjugates similarly to крошить with the addition of "-ся".

рассыпаться (Reflexive Verb, Perfective): Perfective aspect indicating a completed action. Often used with prefixes like "рас-" for emphasis on dispersal.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for крошить/крошиться:

• ломать (to break)
• дробить (to crush)

Note: "ломать" is more general and can imply larger pieces, while "дробить" often suggests finer crushing.

Synonyms for рассыпаться:

• разваливаться (to fall apart)
• рушиться (to collapse)

Antonyms:

• собирать (to gather)
• строить (to build)

Related Phrases:

• крошить на кусочки - to crumble into pieces (often used for food preparation).
• рассыпаться в прах - to crumble to dust (metaphorical, often for complete destruction).
• рассыпаться в благодарностях - to crumble in gratitude (idiomatic, meaning to express excessive thanks).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "крошить" and "крошиться" depends on whether the action is intentional (active verb) or natural/passive (reflexive verb).
• "рассыпаться" often carries a metaphorical or more dramatic connotation, suitable for describing collapse or disintegration, both literal and figurative.
• Russian verbs of this type are aspect-sensitive. Use imperfective forms (крошить, крошиться) for ongoing actions and perfective forms (рассыпаться) for completed actions.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up reflexive and non-reflexive forms: English speakers often forget to use "крошиться" for passive crumbling. Incorrect: *Печенье крошит* (implies active crumbling by the cookie). Correct: Печенье крошится.
• Aspect errors: Using an imperfective verb like "крошить" when describing a completed action. Incorrect: *Дом крошится* for a collapsed house. Correct: Дом рассыпался.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "рассыпаться" often appears in literature and proverbs to describe the fragility of plans or dreams, reflecting a cultural awareness of life's unpredictability. For example, the phrase "рассыпаться в прах" (to crumble to dust) is commonly used in dramatic or poetic contexts.

Related Concepts:

• разрушение (destruction)
• хрупкость (fragility)
• обломки (debris)