Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Defrost'

English Word: defrost

Key Russian Translations:

• размораживать [rəzmɐˈraʐɨvətʲ] - [Informal, General Use]
• разморозить [rəzmɐˈrozʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often Used for Completed Action]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

размораживать: [rəzmɐˈraʐɨvətʲ]

Note on размораживать: Stress falls on the third syllable; the 'ж' sound is a voiced fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'.

разморозить: [rəzmɐˈrozʲɪtʲ]

Note on разморозить: Stress on the third syllable; the final 'ть' indicates an infinitive form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To remove ice or frost (e.g., from a freezer or windshield)

Translation(s) & Context:

• размораживать - Commonly used for ongoing or repetitive defrosting actions, such as a freezer.
• разморозить - Used for a completed action, often implying a one-time defrosting.

Usage Examples:

• Я размораживаю холодильник каждые три месяца.

  I defrost the fridge every three months.

• Нужно разморозить морозилку перед переездом.

  We need to defrost the freezer before moving.

• Он разморозил лобовое стекло перед поездкой.

  He defrosted the windshield before the trip.

2. To thaw (e.g., frozen food)

Translation(s) & Context:

• размораживать - Used for the process of thawing food.
• разморозить - Used when the thawing process is complete.

Usage Examples:

• Размораживай мясо в холодильнике, а не на столе.

  Defrost the meat in the fridge, not on the counter.

• Я разморозил рыбу к ужину.

  I defrosted the fish for dinner.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

размораживать (Imperfective Verb): This verb denotes an ongoing or repetitive action. It follows regular conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs.

разморозить (Perfective Verb): This verb denotes a completed action. It also follows regular conjugation patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for размораживать/разморозить:

• оттаивать
• отогревать

Note: "оттаивать" is often used for natural thawing (e.g., snow), while "отогревать" implies warming something up to defrost it.

Antonyms for размораживать/разморозить:

• замораживать
• застудить

Related Phrases:

• размораживать продукты - Defrosting food items.
• разморозить холодильник - To defrost the fridge (complete action).
• размораживать стекло - Defrosting a window or windshield.

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "размораживать" and "разморозить" depends on aspect: use "размораживать" for ongoing processes and "разморозить" for completed actions.
• Both verbs are transitive and require a direct object (e.g., холодильник, мясо).
• In informal contexts, "размораживать" is more commonly heard, especially for everyday tasks like thawing food.

Common Errors:

1. Incorrect Aspect Usage: English speakers often mix up "размораживать" and "разморозить." For example, saying "Я размораживаю мясо вчера" (incorrect) instead of "Я разморозил мясо вчера" (correct) because the action is completed in the past.

2. Omitting Direct Object: English speakers may forget that these verbs require a direct object, leading to incomplete sentences like "Я размораживаю" instead of "Я размораживаю мясо."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian-speaking countries, defrosting food or appliances like refrigerators is a common household task, especially in older homes with non-frost-free freezers. The verb "размораживать" often appears in casual conversations about cooking or home maintenance.

Related Concepts:

• замораживать (to freeze)
• оттаивать (to thaw naturally)
• охлаждать (to cool)