Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'drove'

English Word: drove

Key Russian Translations:

• водить [vɐˈdʲitʲ] - [Informal, Verb; used for driving vehicles]
• стадо [ˈstadə] - [Noun; used for a group of animals]
• гнать [ˈɡnatʲ] - [Formal, Verb; used specifically for driving or herding animals]

Frequency: Medium (The word 'drove' as a verb is commonly used in everyday contexts like transportation, while as a noun it's more niche in rural or literary settings.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; for 'водить' and 'гнать' due to verb conjugations, while 'стадо' is A2 for basic noun usage. Learners should be familiar with basic Russian verbs and nouns.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

водить: [vɐˈdʲitʲ]

стадо: [ˈstadə]

гнать: [ˈɡnatʲ]

Note on водить: The soft sign (ь) affects the pronunciation, making the 't' palatalized; stress on the second syllable. Be careful with the 'в' sound, which is like a soft 'v'.

Note on стадо: The 'о' is pronounced as a schwa [ə] in unstressed positions; it's a straightforward noun but can vary in speed of speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To drive (as in operating a vehicle)

Translation(s) & Context:

• водить - Used in informal, everyday contexts like daily commuting or talking about skills.
• гнать - Used in more formal or specific contexts, such as driving fast or herding.

Usage Examples:

• Он часто водит машину по городу в час пик. (He often drives his car through the city during rush hour.)

  Translation: He often drives his car through the city during rush hour.

• Моя сестра учит гнать велосипед в парке. (My sister is learning to drive a bicycle in the park.)

  Translation: My sister is learning to drive a bicycle in the park. (Note: This shows 'гнать' in a less common, playful context.)

• Водитель гнал автобус по шоссе, чтобы успеть вовремя. (The driver was driving the bus along the highway to arrive on time.)

  Translation: The driver was driving the bus along the highway to arrive on time. (Illustrates 'гнать' for speed.)

• Я не люблю водить в дождь, потому что дорога скользкая. (I don't like driving in the rain because the road is slippery.)

  Translation: I don't like driving in the rain because the road is slippery.

Meaning 2: A group of animals (as in a herd or drove)

Translation(s) & Context:

• стадо - Used in contexts related to farming, wildlife, or literature to describe a collective group.

Usage Examples:

• Фермер пас стадо коров на пастбище. (The farmer was grazing a drove of cows in the pasture.)

  Translation: The farmer was grazing a drove of cows in the pasture. (Shows basic usage in rural settings.)

• В дикой природе стадо оленей бежит от волков. (In the wild, a drove of deer is running from wolves.)

  Translation: In the wild, a drove of deer is running from wolves. (Demonstrates usage in wildlife contexts.)

• Стадо овец заблудилось в горах во время бури. (A drove of sheep got lost in the mountains during the storm.)

  Translation: A drove of sheep got lost in the mountains during the storm. (Highlights plural and environmental scenarios.)

• Местные жители охраняют стадо лошадей от хищников. (The locals are protecting a drove of horses from predators.)

  Translation: The locals are protecting a drove of horses from predators. (Shows possessive and action-oriented usage.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For водить (a verb of the first conjugation):

It is an imperfective verb and follows regular patterns with some irregularities in stems. Here's a basic conjugation table:

For стадо (a neuter noun, second declension, singular):

It is a regular noun with standard declensions. It does not change in the nominative plural but follows patterns for cases.

For гнать, it follows similar verb conjugations as above, with imperfective forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Для 'водить': управлять (upravlyat') - More formal for controlling vehicles.
  • Для 'стадо': отара (otara) - Specifically for sheep.
  • Для 'гнать': погонять (pogonat') - Implies urging forward.
• Antonyms:
  • остановить (ostanovit') - To stop.
  • разогнать (razognat') is not a direct antonym but can imply dispersing a group.

Related Phrases:

• Водить машину - Driving a car; common phrase for everyday transportation.
• Гнать скот - Driving livestock; used in agricultural contexts.
• Стадо животных - A herd of animals; general phrase for wildlife discussions.

Usage Notes:

'Drove' as 'водить' corresponds closely to English 'to drive' in vehicular contexts but is more informal; use 'гнать' for emphasis on speed or herding. 'Стадо' is neutral and doesn't carry emotional connotations, making it suitable for factual descriptions. Be mindful of verb aspects: 'водить' is imperfective, implying ongoing action, while learners should pair it with perfective forms like 'повести' for completed actions. In formal writing, opt for more precise synonyms to avoid ambiguity.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing 'водить' with 'ездить' (to travel by vehicle); learners might say "Я водю в Москву" instead of "Я езжу в Москву" for habitual travel. Correct: Use 'ездить' for repeated journeys. Explanation: 'Водить' focuses on the act of operating, not the trip itself.
• Mistake: Incorrectly declining 'стадо' in genitive case, e.g., saying "у стада" instead of "у стада". Correct: "У стада коров" (Of the drove of cows). Explanation: Russian nouns require case agreement, and errors here can make sentences grammatically incorrect.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'стадо' often evoke rural traditions and folklore, such as in stories about Siberian herders or historical migrations. 'Гнать' can carry connotations of urgency, reflecting Russia's vast landscapes where driving long distances is common, symbolizing endurance and adventure in literature like that of Tolstoy.

Related Concepts:

• транспорт (transport)
• ферма (farm)
• пастбище (pasture)