Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'demolish'

English Word: demolish

Key Russian Translations:

• сносить [ˈsnosʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often used for buildings or structures]
• разрушать [rəzˈruʂətʲ] - [Neutral, General destruction]
• ломать [ˈlomatʲ] - [Informal, Often physical breaking or demolishing]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts like construction or destruction)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies by word: "сносить" - B2, "ломать" - B1)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сносить: [ˈsnosʲɪtʲ]

Note on сносить: Stress on the first syllable; the "с" is soft due to the following "н".

разрушать: [rəzˈruʂətʲ]

Note on разрушать: Stress on the second syllable; "ш" is a retroflex sound, distinct from English "sh".

ломать: [ˈlomatʲ]

Note on ломать: Stress on the first syllable; straightforward pronunciation for learners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To destroy a building or structure

Translation(s) & Context:

• сносить - Used specifically for demolishing buildings or structures, often in formal or technical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Они решили снести старый дом.

  They decided to demolish the old house.

• Городские власти снесли незаконные постройки.

  The city authorities demolished illegal constructions.

• Этот завод будет снесён в следующем году.

  This factory will be demolished next year.

2. To destroy or ruin something (general or abstract)

Translation(s) & Context:

• разрушать - General term for destruction, applicable to both physical and abstract concepts (e.g., plans, hopes).

Usage Examples:

• Война разрушила многие города.

  The war demolished many cities.

• Его слова разрушили мои надежды.

  His words demolished my hopes.

• Не разрушай то, что мы построили.

  Don’t demolish what we have built.

3. To break or smash (informal, physical)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ломать - Informal, often used for physically breaking or smashing something.

Usage Examples:

• Он сломал старую мебель перед выбросом.

  He demolished the old furniture before throwing it out.

• Дети ломают игрушки слишком быстро.

  The kids demolish their toys too quickly.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

сносить (Verb, Imperfective, Transitive):

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masc./Fem./Neut./Plural)
1st Singular	сношу	снёс / снесла / снесло / снесли
2nd Singular	сносишь	снёс / снесла / снесло / снесли
3rd Singular	сносит	снёс / снесла / снесло / снесли

Note: Perfective form is "снести".

разрушать (Verb, Imperfective, Transitive): Follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -ать. Perfective form is "разрушить".

ломать (Verb, Imperfective, Transitive): Regular conjugation; Perfective form is "сломать".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for сносить/разрушать/ломать:

• уничтожать (to destroy, more intense)
• крушить (to smash, often violent or chaotic)

Note: "уничтожать" often implies complete annihilation, while "крушить" suggests a more aggressive act.

Antonyms:

• строить (to build)
• создавать (to create)

Related Phrases:

• сносить здание - to demolish a building (specific to structures)
• разрушать мечты - to demolish dreams (figurative use)
• ломать стены - to demolish walls (physical, informal)

Usage Notes:

• "сносить" is the most specific term for demolishing structures like buildings or houses and is often used in formal or technical contexts.
• "разрушать" is a broader term for destruction and can be used for both physical objects and abstract concepts like plans or relationships.
• "ломать" is more colloquial and usually refers to physically breaking something, often with a sense of carelessness or force.
• Be mindful of aspect: all three verbs have imperfective and perfective forms (e.g., "сносить/снести"), which affect the completeness of the action in Russian.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "ломать" for formal contexts like demolishing a building. Incorrect: "Они ломают старый дом." Correct: "Они сносят старый дом." (Explanation: "ломать" sounds too informal and implies breaking rather than systematic demolition.)
• Error: Ignoring verb aspect, e.g., using imperfective "разрушать" when describing a completed action. Incorrect: "Война разрушала город." Correct: "Война разрушила город." (Explanation: Use perfective "разрушить" for completed actions.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term "сносить" often appears in discussions of urban development or historical preservation, as many old Soviet-era buildings are demolished to make way for new constructions. This can carry emotional or political connotations, especially in contexts of gentrification or loss of heritage.

Related Concepts:

• реконструкция (reconstruction)
• разрушение (destruction)
• строительство (construction)