Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Deflate'

English Word: deflate

Key Russian Translations:

• сдувать [ˈsdu.vatʲ] - [Informal, Used for physical deflation like balloons or tires]
• сдуваться [sduˈvatʲ.sʲə] - [Informal, Reflexive, Often used for objects deflating on their own]
• уменьшать [u.mʲɪnʲˈʂatʲ] - [Formal, Used metaphorically for reducing value, importance, or confidence]

Frequency: Medium (varies by context; "сдувать" is more common in everyday speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "сдувать" and "сдуваться"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for metaphorical "уменьшать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

сдувать: [ˈsdu.vatʲ]

Note on сдувать: Stress falls on the first syllable; the "в" is pronounced softly before "а".

сдуваться: [sduˈvatʲ.sʲə]

Note on сдуваться: Stress on the second syllable; the reflexive ending "-ся" is unstressed.

уменьшать: [u.mʲɪnʲˈʂatʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To release air or gas (literal, physical deflation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сдувать - Used when someone actively deflates something (e.g., a balloon or tire).
• сдуваться - Used when something deflates on its own or loses air naturally.

Usage Examples:

• Он сдул шарик перед тем, как убрать его.

  He deflated the balloon before putting it away.

• Колесо медленно сдувается.

  The tire is slowly deflating.

• Нужно сдуть матрас после пикника.

  We need to deflate the mattress after the picnic.

2. To reduce value, confidence, or importance (metaphorical)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уменьшать - Often used in formal or abstract contexts to describe diminishing something intangible like enthusiasm or ego.

Usage Examples:

• Его критика уменьшила мою уверенность.

  His criticism deflated my confidence.

• Эта новость уменьшила их энтузиазм.

  This news deflated their enthusiasm.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

сдувать (Imperfective Verb): Regular conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses. Indicates an ongoing or repeated action.

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (M/F/N)
1st Singular (I)	сдуваю	сдувал / сдувала / сдувало
3rd Plural (They)	сдувают	сдували

сдуваться (Imperfective Reflexive Verb): Follows similar conjugation patterns but includes the reflexive particle "-ся".

уменьшать (Imperfective Verb): Regular conjugation; often paired with a noun in the accusative case to indicate what is being reduced.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for сдувать/сдуваться:

• спускать (to let out air)
• выпускать (to release air)

Note: "спускать" is more common for tires or large inflatable objects, while "выпускать" can be more general.

Synonyms for уменьшать:

• снижать (to lower)
• убавлять (to diminish)

Antonyms:

• надувать (to inflate, for physical objects)
• увеличивать (to increase, for abstract concepts)

Related Phrases:

• сдувать пыль - "to blow off dust" (literal or metaphorical, e.g., refreshing old ideas)
• сдуться от страха - "to deflate from fear" (colloquial, to lose courage)
• уменьшать значение - "to diminish importance" (formal, often used in discussions or arguments)

Usage Notes:

• "сдувать" and "сдуваться" are primarily used for literal deflation of objects like balloons or tires. Use "сдувать" when the action is performed by someone, and "сдуваться" when it happens naturally or reflexively.
• "уменьшать" is the go-to verb for metaphorical deflation, such as reducing confidence, value, or enthusiasm. It sounds more formal and is often used in written or academic contexts.
• Be mindful of aspect: "сдуть" and "уменьшить" are perfective forms (completed action) of "сдувать" and "уменьшать", respectively, and may be more appropriate in certain past or result-focused contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "сдувать" in metaphorical contexts. Wrong: Его критика сдувала мою уверенность. Correct: Его критика уменьшила мою уверенность. Explanation: "сдувать" is strictly for physical deflation; for emotions or abstract concepts, use "уменьшать".
• Error: Forgetting the reflexive "-ся" in "сдуваться" when describing spontaneous deflation. Wrong: Колесо сдувает. Correct: Колесо сдувается. Explanation: The reflexive form is required for actions happening on their own.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "deflating" someone's ego or confidence (using "уменьшать") can carry a nuanced tone in social interactions. Russians often value directness, so deflating someone's overconfidence might be seen as a way to maintain humility, especially in professional or academic settings. However, it’s important to gauge the context to avoid seeming overly critical.

Related Concepts:

• надувать (to inflate)
• спускать (to let out, release)
• снижать (to lower, reduce)