Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Devastate'

English Word: Devastate

Key Russian Translations:

• опустошить [ˌɒpʊsˈtoʂɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often used for physical or emotional destruction]
• разрушить [rəzˈruʂɪtʲ] - [Formal/Neutral, Commonly used for physical destruction]
• уничтожить [ˌunʲɪˈtɕtoʐɪtʲ] - [Strong, Often used for complete annihilation]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts related to destruction or severe impact)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "опустошить" and "разрушить"; C1 (Advanced) for "уничтожить" due to its intensity and nuance

Pronunciation (Russian):

опустошить: [ˌɒpʊsˈtoʂɪtʲ]

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

разрушить: [rəzˈruʂɪtʲ]

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

уничтожить: [ˌunʲɪˈtɕtoʐɪtʲ]

Note on уничтожить: Stress on the third syllable. The "ч" is a soft affricate sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To cause severe damage or destruction (Physical)

Translation(s) & Context:

• разрушить - Used for physical destruction of buildings, structures, or landscapes.
• уничтожить - Used when emphasizing total annihilation or obliteration.

Usage Examples:

• Ураган разрушил весь город.

  The hurricane devastated the entire city.

• Война уничтожила их деревню.

  The war devastated their village completely.

• Землетрясение разрушило старинный храм.

  The earthquake devastated the ancient temple.

2. To cause severe emotional or psychological impact

Translation(s) & Context:

• опустошить - Often used for emotional devastation or feeling "emptied" by grief or loss.

Usage Examples:

• Его слова опустошили её.

  His words devastated her.

• Потеря близкого человека опустошила его душу.

  The loss of a loved one devastated his soul.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs. Russian verbs conjugate based on person, number, tense, and aspect. Below are the conjugations for the perfective aspect (common for these verbs indicating completed action).

опустошить (to devastate emotionally or physically)

Note: Imperfective form is "опустошать" for ongoing action. Similar tables apply to "разрушить" (imperfective: "разрушать") and "уничтожить" (imperfective: "уничтожать").

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for разрушить (physical destruction):

• снести (to demolish)
• повредить (to damage)

Note: "снести" often implies intentional demolition, while "повредить" is less severe than "разрушить."

Antonyms for разрушить:

• построить (to build)
• восстановить (to restore)

Related Phrases:

• опустошить душу - to devastate one’s soul (emotional impact)
• разрушить планы - to devastate plans (ruin someone’s intentions)
• уничтожить врага - to devastate the enemy (completely destroy)

Usage Notes:

• "опустошить" is more figurative and often used for emotional or resource depletion, while "разрушить" is primarily physical.
• "уничтожить" conveys a stronger, often irreversible sense of destruction compared to the other two verbs.
• Choose the verb based on context: use "опустошить" for emotional contexts, "разрушить" for physical damage, and "уничтожить" for total annihilation.
• These verbs are perfective, indicating completed actions. For ongoing destruction, use their imperfective counterparts (e.g., "опустошать").

Common Errors:

1. Confusing aspects: English learners often use perfective verbs like "разрушить" when describing ongoing destruction. Incorrect: "Я разрушаю дом каждый день." Correct: "Я разрушаю (imperfective: разрушаю) дом каждый день" for habitual action.

2. Overusing "уничтожить": This verb is very strong and should not be used for mild damage. Incorrect: "Я уничтожил старую мебель." Correct: "Я разрушил старую мебель" or "Я выбросил старую мебель" (threw away).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "devastation" often carries historical weight due to the country’s experiences with wars and natural disasters. Words like "опустошить" and "разрушить" may evoke strong imagery of loss, especially in literature or discussions of historical events like World War II.

Related Concepts:

• катастрофа (catastrophe)
• разорение (ruin, devastation)
• трагедия (tragedy)