Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'embellish'

English Word: embellish

Key Russian Translations:

• украшать [uˈkraʂətʲ] - [Verb, Formal or Informal, used for decorating or adorning]
• приукрашивать [prʲɪʊˈkraʂɪvətʲ] - [Verb, Informal, often used for exaggerating or enhancing stories]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday language and literature, but not as frequent as basic verbs)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations; for 'приукрашивать', it may be B2 due to its nuanced connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

украшать: [uˈkraʂətʲ]

Note on украшать: The 'ш' sound is similar to the 'sh' in English "she", and the stress is on the second syllable; be mindful of the soft 'тʲ' which is palatalized.

приукрашивать: [prʲɪʊˈkraʂɪvətʲ]

Note on приукрашивать: This word has a prefix 'при-' which adds a sense of enhancement; the 'ш' sound is the same as above, and pronunciation can vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

First Meaning: To decorate or adorn something physically.

Translation(s) & Context:

• украшать - Used in contexts involving visual or aesthetic enhancement, such as decorating a room or an object; common in everyday and formal settings.

Usage Examples:

• Она украшает комнату свежими цветами каждое утро. (Ona ukrashaet komnatu svezhimi tsvetami kazhdoe utro.)

  She embellishes the room with fresh flowers every morning.

• Художник украшает картину золотыми элементами. (Khudozhnik ukrashaet kartuynu zolotymi elementami.)

  The artist embellishes the painting with gold elements.

• В праздник люди украшают дома гирляндами. (V prazdnik lyudi ukrashaet doma girlyandami.)

  During holidays, people embellish their homes with garlands.

• Дети любят украшать елку игрушками. (Deti lyubyat ukrashaet elku igrushkami.)

  Children love to embellish the Christmas tree with toys.

• Дизайнер украшает одежду вышивкой. (Dizayner ukrashaet odezhdu vishivkoy.)

  The designer embellishes clothing with embroidery.

Second Meaning: To elaborate or exaggerate, especially in storytelling.

Translation(s) & Context:

• приукрашивать - Used when adding fictional or exaggerated details to make a story more interesting; typically in informal or narrative contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда приукрашивает свои истории, чтобы они звучали интереснее. (On vsegda priukrashivaet svoi istorii, chtoby oni zvuchali interesnee.)

  He always embellishes his stories to make them sound more interesting.

• В мемуарах автор приукрашивает события прошлого. (V memuarakh avtor priukrashivaet sobytiya proshlogo.)

  In the memoirs, the author embellishes events from the past.

• Не приукрашивай факты; скажи правду. (Ne priukrashivay fakty; skazhi pravdu.)

  Don't embellish the facts; tell the truth.

• Рассказчик приукрашивает легенду, добавляя волшебные элементы. (Rasskazchik priukrashivaet legendu, dobavlya magicheskie elementy.)

  The storyteller embellishes the legend by adding magical elements.

• Она приукрашивает свои путешествия в разговорах с друзьями. (Ona priukrashivaet svoi puteshestviya v razgovorakh s druzami.)

  She embellishes her travels when talking with friends.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'украшать' and 'приукрашивать' are Russian verbs of the first conjugation, which means they follow regular patterns but have variations based on tense, aspect, and person. They are imperfective verbs, indicating ongoing or repeated actions.

For 'украшать' (to embellish/decorate):

For 'приукрашивать', the inflections are similar but with the prefix 'при-': e.g., Present: приукрашиваю (priukrashivayu), Past: приукрашивал (priukrashival). It is also regular but may have slight variations in perfective forms like 'приукрасить' (priukrasit').

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: декорировать (dekorirovat') - More formal, used for professional decoration; ornamentровать (ornamentirovat') - Specific to adding ornaments.
• Antonyms: упрощать (uproshchat') - To simplify or strip away details; разрушать (razrushat') - To destroy or dismantle.

Related Phrases:

• украшать дом (ukrahat' dom) - To decorate the house; often used during holidays for aesthetic improvements.
• приукрашивать правду (priukrashivat' pravdu) - To embellish the truth; implies adding exaggeration to facts in storytelling.
• украшать речь (ukrahat' rech') - To embellish speech; refers to making language more elaborate or rhetorical.

Usage Notes:

'Украшать' directly corresponds to the decorative sense of 'embellish' and is versatile for both literal and metaphorical uses, but it's more common in physical contexts. 'Приукрашивать' aligns with the exaggerative sense and should be chosen when implying distortion. Be aware of formal/informal contexts: use 'приукрашивать' in casual conversations, and note that Russian verbs require aspect agreement (e.g., pair with perfective forms like 'приукрасить' for completed actions). For English learners, select based on connotation to avoid mistranslation.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'украшать' when exaggeration is intended, e.g., saying "Я украшаю историю" instead of "Я приукрашиваю историю". Correct: The first implies physical decoration, while the second conveys exaggeration. Explanation: English 'embellish' can be neutral, but Russian requires the prefix for nuance.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying "Я украшать" instead of "Я украшаю". Correct: "Я украшаю" (I embellish). Explanation: Russian verbs must be conjugated by person and number; practice with tables to master this.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'украшать' is often associated with traditions like decorating homes for holidays such as New Year's or Maslenitsa, reflecting a value on aesthetics and community. 'Приукрашивать' can carry a playful connotation in folklore, where stories are embellished to entertain, highlighting Russia's rich oral tradition.

Related Concepts:

• декор (dekor)
• орнамент (ornament)
• преувеличивать (preuvelichivat') - To exaggerate