Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'exterminate'

English Word: exterminate

Key Russian Translations:

• Уничтожить [ʊˈnʲit͡ɕəʐɨtʲ] - [Formal, Verb]
• Искоренить [ɪskərʲɪˈnʲitʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in contexts of eradication or rooting out]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly used in formal or technical discussions, such as in biology, military, or pest control, but not in everyday casual speech).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and formal vocabulary; for "Уничтожить," it's B2, while "Искоренить" might lean toward B2-C1 due to its metaphorical usage).

Pronunciation (Russian):

Уничтожить: [ʊˈnʲit͡ɕəʐɨtʲ]

Искоренить: [ɪskərʲɪˈnʲitʲ]

Note on Уничтожить: The stress falls on the third syllable ("-чи-"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized "нʲ" sound. Pronounce it with a soft "n" as in "onion."

Note on Искоренить: This word has a rolling "р" and a soft "нʲ," emphasizing the root meaning of "rooting out." Avoid over-emphasizing the "и" at the end.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To completely destroy or eliminate something, often pests, insects, or enemies.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Уничтожить - Used in formal or scientific contexts, such as pest control or military operations.
• Искоренить - Applied in metaphorical or long-term eradication scenarios, like eliminating diseases or bad habits.

Usage Examples:

• Мы должны уничтожить вредителей в саду, чтобы защитить урожай. (We must exterminate the pests in the garden to protect the harvest.)

  English Translation: We must exterminate the pests in the garden to protect the harvest.

• Правительство планирует искоренить коррупцию в системе. (The government plans to exterminate corruption in the system.)

  English Translation: The government plans to exterminate corruption in the system.

• С помощью химикатов можно уничтожить насекомых, но это вредно для окружающей среды. (With chemicals, you can exterminate insects, but it's harmful to the environment.)

  English Translation: With chemicals, you can exterminate insects, but it's harmful to the environment.

• Чтобы искоренить эпидемию, необходимо вакцинировать население. (To exterminate the epidemic, it's necessary to vaccinate the population.)

  English Translation: To exterminate the epidemic, it's necessary to vaccinate the population.

• Войска были посланы, чтобы уничтожить вражеский лагерь. (Troops were sent to exterminate the enemy camp.)

  English Translation: Troops were sent to exterminate the enemy camp. This shows the verb in a military context with imperative undertones.

Meaning 2: To eradicate or wipe out completely in a broader, non-literal sense, such as ideas or traditions.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Искоренить - Preferred for abstract concepts, emphasizing thorough removal over time.
• Уничтожить - Less common here, but used for immediate, destructive actions.

Usage Examples:

• Образование помогает искоренить невежество в обществе. (Education helps to exterminate ignorance in society.)

  English Translation: Education helps to exterminate ignorance in society.

• Эта реформа aims to уничтожить бюрократию в правительстве. (This reform aims to exterminate bureaucracy in the government.)

  English Translation: This reform aims to exterminate bureaucracy in the government.

• Международные усилия необходимы, чтобы искоренить нищету. (International efforts are necessary to exterminate poverty.)

  English Translation: International efforts are necessary to exterminate poverty. Note the use in global contexts.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Уничтожить" and "Искоренить" are verbs in Russian, belonging to the first conjugation group. They are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, number, and mood. Below is a table for "Уничтожить" as an example; "Искоренить" follows similar patterns.

For "Искоренить," the inflections are similar but with slight phonetic changes, e.g., Present: Я искореню (Ya iskorenyu). These verbs are regular but require attention to aspect (imperfective vs. perfective forms like "уничтожить" is perfective).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Элиминировать [Eliminirovat'] - More formal, often used in scientific contexts; implies removal without destruction.
  • Ликвидировать [Likvidirovat'] - Similar to exterminate but with a connotation of liquidation or dissolution.
• Antonyms:
  • Сохранить [Sokhranit'] - To preserve or save.
  • Защитить [Zashchitit'] - To protect or defend.

Related Phrases:

• Уничтожить вредителей - To exterminate pests (Common in agricultural or household contexts).
• Искоренить зло - To exterminate evil (Used metaphorically in moral or philosophical discussions).
• Массовое уничтожение - Mass extermination (Refers to large-scale destruction, e.g., in historical contexts).

Usage Notes:

"Exterminate" translates most directly to "Уничтожить" for immediate, physical destruction, while "Искоренить" is better for long-term or root-level eradication. In Russian, these verbs are often used in formal writing or speech; avoid them in casual conversations to prevent sounding overly dramatic. Pay attention to verb aspect: "Уничтожить" is perfective (completed action), so pair it with contexts implying a finished result. When choosing between translations, opt for "Искоренить" in abstract scenarios like social issues. Grammatically, ensure subject-verb agreement based on gender and number in past tense.

• Context tip: In environmental discussions, "Уничтожить" might imply ecological harm, so use cautiously.
• Multiple translations: If the context is metaphorical, "Искоренить" is preferable for its nuance of thoroughness.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "Уничтожить" with "Убить" (to kill), but "Убить" is more about individual killing, while "Уничтожить" implies total elimination. For example:

• Incorrect: Я убил вредителей. (This means "I killed the pests," which is too literal and doesn't convey complete eradication.)
• Correct: Я уничтожил вредителей. (This properly means "I exterminated the pests," emphasizing thoroughness.)
• Another error: Misusing aspect, e.g., saying "Я уничтожаю" for a completed action; instead, use "Я уничтожил" for past perfective.

Explanation: Always check the verb's aspect to match the timeline of the action, as Russian requires this for accurate expression.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and history, words like "Уничтожить" carry heavy connotations due to events such as World War II, where mass extermination was a tragic reality. Using these terms in casual speech can evoke strong emotional responses, so they are often reserved for serious contexts like literature, politics, or education to discuss themes of survival and resilience.

Related Concepts:

• Экстерминат (Eksterminat) - A loanword for extermination devices or processes.
• Геноцид (Genotsid) - Genocide, often linked in historical discussions.
• Эрадикация (Eradikatsiya) - Eradication, similar to extermination in medical contexts.