Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'drown'

English Word: drown

Key Russian Translations:

• утонуть /u.tɐˈnutʲ/ - [Intransitive verb, Informal/Formal]
• утопить /u.tɐˈpʲitʲ/ - [Transitive verb, Informal/Formal]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in discussions of safety, accidents, or literature, but not in everyday casual conversation).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding Russian verb aspects and conjugations; for утонуть, it's a perfective verb, while утопить has both perfective and imperfective forms).

Pronunciation (Russian):

утонуть: /u.tɐˈnutʲ/

Note on утонуть: The stress falls on the second syllable ("tɐ"), and the final "ʲ" indicates a palatalized sound, which can be tricky for beginners. Pronounce it with a soft "t" sound.

утопить: /u.tɐˈpʲitʲ/

Note on утопить: Similar to утонуть, the stress is on the second syllable, and the palatalization in "pʲitʲ" requires careful articulation to avoid sounding unnatural.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Intransitive: To die or be submerged in water, often accidentally.

Translation(s) & Context:

• утонуть - Used in contexts describing personal or accidental drowning, such as in water bodies or metaphors for overwhelming situations (e.g., in literature).

Usage Examples:

• Он утонул в реке во время шторма.

  He drowned in the river during the storm.

• Девушка чуть не утонула, но её спасли.

  The girl almost drowned, but she was rescued.

• В этом фильме главный герой утонул в своих мыслях.

  In this film, the main character drowned in his thoughts (metaphorical usage).

• Маленький ребёнок утонул в бассейне из-за отсутствия присмотра.

  The little child drowned in the pool due to lack of supervision.

Transitive: To cause someone or something to drown.

Translation(s) & Context:

• утопить - Used when describing an intentional or accidental act of causing drowning, such as in emergencies or historical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Капитан утопил корабль, чтобы избежать захвата.

  The captain sank the ship to avoid capture (extended to objects).

• Спасатели пытались утопить моторную лодку, но не смогли.

  The rescuers tried to submerge the motorboat but couldn't.

• В старой легенде злодей утопил свою жертву в озере.

  In the old legend, the villain drowned his victim in the lake.

• Во время наводнения утопили несколько домов в деревне.

  During the flood, several houses were submerged in the village.

• Он случайно утопил телефон в воде.

  He accidentally drowned his phone in water.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "утонуть" and "утопить" are Russian verbs, with "утонуть" being imperfective and "утопить" having both imperfective (утоплять) and perfective forms. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a conjugation table for the perfective forms:

These verbs do not have irregular inflections but follow standard patterns for first-conjugation verbs. Note that aspect changes (imperfective: тонуть for утонуть) are crucial in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • захлебнуться (to choke or drown, often in liquid)
  • погрузиться (to submerge, for objects)
• Antonyms:
  • спасти (to save)
  • всплыть (to float up or resurface)

Related Phrases:

• Спасение утопающих - The rescue of drowning people; a common phrase referring to emergency aid or metaphorical help in dire situations.
• Утонуть в работе - To drown in work; means to be overwhelmed with tasks, often used in professional contexts.
• Утопить sorrows в алкоголе - To drown one's sorrows in alcohol; an idiomatic expression for coping with problems through drinking.

Usage Notes:

Russian translations like "утонуть" and "утопить" directly correspond to the English "drown" but emphasize verb aspects: "утонуть" is for the act happening (perfective), while "утопить" implies causing it. Use "утонуть" for personal experiences and "утопить" for actions on others or objects. Be mindful of formal contexts; these verbs are neutral but can carry dramatic connotations in literature. When choosing between translations, select based on transitivity: intransitive for self-experience, transitive for external action.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "утонуть" with "утопить" and using the transitive form for intransitive contexts, e.g., saying "Я утопил в реке" instead of "Я утонул в реке". Correct: "утонуть" is for the subject drowning themselves. Explanation: English "drown" can be both, but Russian requires precise aspect and transitivity.

• Error: Omitting proper conjugation, e.g., using "утонуть" in past tense as "утонуть" instead of "утонул". Correct: Always conjugate based on gender, number, and tense. Explanation: This is a common mistake for beginners due to Russian's complex verb system.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, themes of drowning often appear in literature and folklore, such as in Pushkin's works or folk tales about rivers and lakes symbolizing fate or tragedy. The phrase "утонуть в работе" reflects a cultural emphasis on endurance and stoicism in the face of overwhelming demands, common in Russian professional life.

Related Concepts:

• спасение (rescue)
• наводнение (flood)
• плавание (swimming)