Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'enkindle'

English Word: enkindle

Key Russian Translations:

• зажечь [zɐˈʐetɕ] - [Informal, used for both literal ignition and metaphorical sparking of emotions]
• возбудить [vɐzbʊˈdʲitʲ] - [Formal, often in emotional or intellectual contexts]
• разжечь [rɐˈʐetɕ] - [Neutral, implying intensification or stirring up]

Frequency: Low (The word 'enkindle' is rare in English, and its Russian equivalents are not everyday vocabulary, appearing more in literary or formal texts.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances, as per CEFR standards. For 'возбудить', it may lean towards B2 due to its formal connotations, while 'зажечь' could be A2 for basic forms.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

зажечь: [zɐˈʐetɕ]

Note on зажечь: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it softens before 'е'. Variations in stress may occur in dialects.

возбудить: [vɐzbʊˈdʲitʲ]

Note on возбудить: Pay attention to the palatalized 'дʲ' at the end, which affects the pronunciation; it's common in perfective verbs.

разжечь: [rɐˈʐetɕ]

Note on разжечь: Similar to 'зажечь', the prefix 'раз-' adds emphasis; ensure the rolled 'р' is pronounced clearly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Literal Meaning: To ignite or set alight (e.g., a fire)

Translation(s) & Context:

• зажечь - Used in everyday contexts for lighting something, such as a candle or fire; informal and direct.
• разжечь - Applied when intensifying or starting a fire that requires effort; neutral in conversations about survival or cooking.

Usage Examples:

• Он зажёг спичку, чтобы зажечь костёр. (He lit a match to enkindle the campfire.)

  Translation: He lit a match to enkindle the campfire.

• Дети разожгли огонь в саду для барбекю. (The children enkindled a fire in the garden for a barbecue.)

  Translation: The children enkindled a fire in the garden for a barbecue.

• Ветер помог зажечь пламя быстрее. (The wind helped enkindle the flame more quickly.)

  Translation: The wind helped enkindle the flame more quickly.

• Разожги костёр осторожно, чтобы не вызвать пожара. (Enkindle the bonfire carefully to avoid causing a fire.)

  Translation: Enkindle the bonfire carefully to avoid causing a fire.

Metaphorical Meaning: To arouse or stimulate (e.g., emotions, interest)

Translation(s) & Context:

• возбудить - Common in formal or psychological contexts, such as stirring emotions or ideas; often used in literature or speeches.
• зажечь - Informal for igniting passion or enthusiasm, like in motivational talks.

Usage Examples:

• Его речь возбудила интерес у аудитории. (His speech enkindled interest in the audience.)

  Translation: His speech enkindled interest in the audience.

• Книга зажгла в нём любовь к путешествиям. (The book enkindled a love for travel in him.)

  Translation: The book enkindled a love for travel in him.

• Музыка возбудила воспоминания о детстве. (The music enkindled memories of childhood.)

  Translation: The music enkindled memories of childhood.

• Её энтузиазм зажёг команду на победу. (Her enthusiasm enkindled the team to victory.)

  Translation: Her enthusiasm enkindled the team to victory.

• Фильм возбудил в зрителях желание изменить мир. (The film enkindled in viewers a desire to change the world.)

  Translation: The film enkindled in viewers a desire to change the world.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. They are imperfective or perfective verbs, requiring attention to aspects.

For 'зажечь' (perfective):

For 'возбудить' and 'разжечь', similar patterns apply with irregularities in stems. These verbs do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form but conjugate fully in other tenses.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • взбудоражить (vzbudorazhit') - More intense stirring, often chaotic.
  • возжечь (vozhech') - Poetic variant of igniting.
• Antonyms:
  • угасить (ugasit') - To extinguish or dampen.
  • остудить (ostudit') - To cool or suppress.

Related Phrases:

• зажечь огонь в душе - To enkindle a fire in the soul (Meaning: To inspire deeply; used in motivational contexts).
• возбудить интерес - To enkindle interest (Meaning: To spark curiosity, common in educational settings).
• разжечь спор - To enkindle a debate (Meaning: To ignite an argument or discussion).

Usage Notes:

'Enkindle' corresponds most closely to 'зажечь' in literal senses and 'возбудить' in metaphorical ones, but choose based on context—use 'зажечь' for informal, everyday ignition, and 'возбудить' for formal emotional arousal. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: perfective forms like these imply completion. In sentences, ensure subject-verb agreement and proper tense usage to match English's progressive aspects.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'зажечь' with 'сжечь' (to burn completely): English learners might overuse 'сжечь' thinking it means 'enkindle', but it's more destructive. Correct: Use 'зажечь' for starting; Error example: "Я сжёг огонь" (incorrect for enkindling); Right: "Я зажёг огонь".
• Misapplying aspects: Forgetting that 'возбудить' is perfective, leading to awkward tense shifts. Error: "Я возбуждаю интерес каждый день" (implies ongoing, but better as 'возбуждаю' if imperfective needed); Right: Use 'возбудить' for a single event.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'зажечь' often carry metaphorical weight in literature and folklore, symbolizing the ignition of revolutionary spirit, as seen in works by Pushkin or in Soviet-era anthems, where enkindling passion for change is a common theme.

Related Concepts:

• пламя (plamya) - Flame
• энтузиазм (entuziazm) - Enthusiasm
• вдохновение (vdokhnovenie) - Inspiration