Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'drain'

English Word: drain

Key Russian Translations:

• сток [stok] - [Formal, Noun, Commonly used in technical or everyday contexts]
• осушать [ɐˈsuʂatʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used for actions involving removal of liquids]
• слив [slʲif] - [Informal, Noun, Plural possible, Often in casual or plumbing discussions]

Frequency: Medium (The word 'drain' and its translations are moderately common in everyday language, especially in contexts like plumbing, engineering, or environmental discussions.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires basic understanding of Russian nouns and verbs. For 'осушать', it might lean towards B2 due to verb conjugation complexities.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сток: [stok]

Note on сток: The 'о' is pronounced as a short 'o' sound, similar to 'cot' in English. Stress falls on the first syllable, which is common for many Russian nouns.

осушать: [ɐˈsuʂatʲ]

Note on осушать: This verb has a soft 'ш' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; it's pronounced with the tongue near the palate. The ending '-ать' indicates an infinitive form.

слив: [slʲif]

Note on слив: The 'лʲ' is a palatalized 'l' sound, softer than in English; pay attention to the vowel shift in inflected forms.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A pipe or channel that carries away water or sewage (Noun form).

Translation(s) & Context:

• сток - Used in formal contexts like engineering or household maintenance, referring to a drainage system.
• слив - Informal context, such as in kitchens or bathrooms, for everyday liquid outflow.

Usage Examples:

• Вода быстро ушла в сток после дождя.

  The water quickly went down the drain after the rain.

• Этот слив в ванной комнате часто засоряется.

  This drain in the bathroom often gets clogged.

• Сток на улице был переполнен из-за сильного ливня.

  The street drain was overflowing due to the heavy downpour.

• Мы должны почистить сток, чтобы избежать затопления.

  We need to clean the drain to avoid flooding.

2. To remove liquid or cause to flow away (Verb form).

Translation(s) & Context:

• осушать - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as draining fields or removing excess water.

Usage Examples:

• Они осушают болото для строительства нового парка.

  They are draining the swamp to build a new park.

• Врачи осушают рану, чтобы предотвратить инфекцию.

  The doctors are draining the wound to prevent infection.

• Осушать батарею телефона не рекомендуется, если она намокла.

  Draining the phone battery is not recommended if it's wet.

• Фермеры осушают поля перед посевом урожая.

  Farmers drain the fields before planting the crop.

• Осушать бассейн нужно раз в неделю.

  You need to drain the pool once a week.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'сток' (a masculine noun, 2nd declension):

For 'осушать' (a verb, 1st conjugation):

'Слив' follows similar inflection patterns to 'сток' as a masculine noun and does not have irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: слив (similar to drain as a pipe), дренаж (more technical, like drainage system)
• drainage (Note: слив is often interchangeable with сток in informal speech, but дренаж implies a larger system.)
• Antonyms: наполнять (to fill), затоплять (to flood)

Related Phrases:

• Слив воды - Refers to the draining of water, commonly used in plumbing or environmental contexts.
• Осушить поле - Means to drain a field, often in agricultural settings.
• Засор стока - Indicates a clogged drain, a frequent issue in urban life.

Usage Notes:

The English word 'drain' corresponds closely to 'сток' for nouns and 'осушать' for verbs in Russian. Use 'сток' in formal or technical writing, but opt for 'слив' in everyday conversations. Be mindful of context: 'осушать' implies a process over time, while 'сток' is static. Grammatically, verbs like 'осушать' require agreement with subject gender in past tense, which can be confusing for English speakers used to gender-neutral verbs.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'сток' without proper case agreement, e.g., saying "в сток" instead of "в стоке" in prepositional case. Correct: "В стоке есть проблема" (There is a problem in the drain). Explanation: Russian requires nouns to change based on case, which English learners often overlook.

• Error: Conjugating 'осушать' incorrectly, such as saying "осушать" in all forms instead of "осушаю" for first person. Correct: "Я осушаю воду" (I am draining the water). Explanation: Verbs must be conjugated by person and tense, unlike English infinitives.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'сток' are often associated with practical, everyday problem-solving, such as dealing with harsh winters where drainage systems prevent flooding. This reflects Russia's historical emphasis on engineering resilience in adverse weather conditions.

Related Concepts:

• канализация (sewer system)
• водосток (gutter)
• освобождать (to release or free, related to draining liquids)