Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'die'

English Word: die

Key Russian Translations:

• умирать [ʊmʲɪˈratʲ] - [Imperfective, General Use]
• умереть [ʊmʲɪˈrʲetʲ] - [Perfective, Completed Action]
• погибнуть [pɐˈɡʲibnʊtʲ] - [Perfective, Often Tragic or Violent Death]

Frequency: High (especially "умирать" and "умереть")

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate; "погибнуть" may be B2 due to specific context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

умирать: [ʊmʲɪˈratʲ]

Note on умирать: Stress falls on the second syllable; the 'р' sound is rolled slightly.

умереть: [ʊmʲɪˈrʲetʲ]

Note on умереть: Similar to "умирать," but with a sharper ending due to the perfective form.

погибнуть: [pɐˈɡʲibnʊtʲ]

Note on погибнуть: Stress on the second syllable; the 'г' is voiced and soft.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To cease living (general death)

Translation(s) & Context:

• умирать - Used for the ongoing process of dying or habitual reference to death.
• умереть - Used for a completed act of dying, often in past or future contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он умирал медленно от болезни.

  He was dying slowly from an illness.

• Она умерла прошлой ночью.

  She died last night.

• Люди умирают каждый день.

  People die every day.

2. To perish (tragic or violent death)

Translation(s) & Context:

• погибнуть - Used in contexts of tragic, sudden, or violent death, often in accidents or wars.

Usage Examples:

• Многие солдаты погибли в бою.

  Many soldiers perished in battle.

• Он погиб в автокатастрофе.

  He died in a car accident.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

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

умереть (Perfective Verb): Indicates a completed action. Used only in past and future tenses.

погибнуть (Perfective Verb): Similar to "умереть," used in past and future tenses for tragic death.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• скончаться (more formal, often for natural death)
• отойти в мир иной (idiomatic, "to pass into the other world")

Note: "скончаться" is more formal and often used in written or official contexts compared to "умереть."

Antonyms:

• жить (to live)
• выжить (to survive)

Related Phrases:

• умирать от смеха - Literally "to die of laughter," meaning to laugh uncontrollably.
• умереть со скуки - Literally "to die of boredom," meaning to be extremely bored.
• погибнуть за родину - "To die for the homeland," often used in patriotic contexts.

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "умирать" (imperfective) and "умереть" (perfective) depends on whether the action is ongoing or completed. Use "умирать" for present or habitual contexts, and "умереть" for past or future single events.
• "погибнуть" carries a connotation of tragedy or violence and is inappropriate for natural or peaceful death.
• Russian verbs of dying are often paired with prepositional phrases (e.g., "от болезни" - from illness) to specify the cause of death.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "умирать" in a completed past context. Incorrect: *Он умирал вчера.* Correct: Он умер вчера. (He died yesterday.) Explanation: "умирать" implies an ongoing process, so for a completed action, use "умереть."
• Error: Using "погибнуть" for natural death. Incorrect: *Моя бабушка погибла.* Correct: Моя бабушка умерла. (My grandmother died.) Explanation: "погибнуть" implies a tragic or violent death, not suitable for natural causes.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, death is often discussed with a degree of solemnity, and euphemisms like "скончаться" or "отойти в мир иной" are frequently used in formal or respectful contexts. Additionally, death is a significant theme in Russian literature and folklore, often symbolizing transformation or fate.

Related Concepts:

• смерть (death)
• похороны (funeral)
• траур (mourning)