Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'depict'

English Word: depict

Key Russian Translations:

• изображать [ɪzɐˈbraʐatʲ] - [Formal, General Use]
• описывать [ɐpɪˈsɨvatʲ] - [Formal, Often Used in Writing or Descriptions]
• рисовать [rʲɪˈsovatʲ] - [Informal, Often Used for Drawing or Painting]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "изображать" and "описывать"; A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "рисовать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

изображать: [ɪzɐˈbraʐatʲ]

Note on изображать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Russian.

описывать: [ɐpɪˈsɨvatʲ]

Note on описывать: Stress on the second syllable. The unstressed "о" is reduced to a schwa sound [ɐ].

рисовать: [rʲɪˈsovatʲ]

Note on рисовать: Stress on the second syllable. The "р" is rolled slightly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To represent visually (e.g., in art or imagery)

Translation(s) & Context:

• изображать - Used for portraying or depicting something visually, often in a formal or artistic context.
• рисовать - Commonly used when referring to drawing or sketching something by hand.

Usage Examples:

• Художник изображает природу в своих картинах.

  The artist depicts nature in his paintings.

• Она любит рисовать портреты своих друзей.

  She loves to depict (draw) portraits of her friends.

• На этой фреске изображён древний город.

  This fresco depicts an ancient city.

2. To describe or portray in words

Translation(s) & Context:

• описывать - Used for verbal or written descriptions, often in literature or detailed accounts.
• изображать - Occasionally used in a metaphorical sense to mean "portray" in speech or writing.

Usage Examples:

• Автор описывает жизнь в деревне с большой точностью.

  The author depicts life in the village with great accuracy.

• В своей книге он изображает героя как борца за справедливость.

  In his book, he depicts the hero as a fighter for justice.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

изображать (Verb, Imperfective): Follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -ать. Used for ongoing or habitual actions.

описывать (Verb, Imperfective): Follows similar regular conjugation for -ывать verbs.

рисовать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation, similar to изображать.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for изображать:

• представлять (to represent, often abstractly)
• отображать (to reflect or display, often in a technical sense)

Antonyms for изображать:

• скрывать (to hide or conceal)

Related Phrases:

• изображать на холсте - "to depict on canvas" (used for painting or artistic representation)
• описывать события - "to depict events" (used for describing happenings in detail)
• рисовать картину - "to depict a picture" (used literally for drawing or painting a picture)

Usage Notes:

• "изображать" is the most versatile translation for "depict," suitable for both visual and abstract portrayal, but it carries a slightly formal tone.
• "описывать" is primarily used for verbal or written depictions and is common in literary or academic contexts.
• "рисовать" is more specific to drawing or sketching and is informal; it may not fit contexts beyond physical art.
• Be mindful of aspect: all three verbs are imperfective. For completed actions, perfective forms like "изобразить," "описать," or "нарисовать" are used.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up "рисовать" with non-artistic contexts: English speakers may overuse "рисовать" for any depiction. Incorrect: "Он рисует проблему в своей статье" (He draws the problem in his article). Correct: "Он описывает проблему в своей статье" (He depicts the problem in his article).
• Ignoring aspectual differences: Using imperfective forms like "изображать" for completed actions. Incorrect: "Я изображал портрет вчера" for a finished portrait. Correct: "Я изобразил портрет вчера" (perfective).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the act of "depicting" (especially through "изображать") often carries a strong connection to visual arts, given the rich history of Russian iconography and painting. Using "изображать" in an artistic context may evoke associations with classical or religious art.

Related Concepts:

• портрет (portrait)
• картина (painting)
• описание (description)