Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fatten'

English Word: fatten

Key Russian Translations:

• откармливать /ɐt.kərˈmʲi.vətʲ/ - [Informal, used primarily for animals or in agricultural contexts]
• сделать жирным /sdʲeˈlʲatʲ ˈʐir.nɨm/ - [Formal, literal translation for making something fat, often in descriptive or general contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in contexts like farming or animal husbandry, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context-specific usage for learners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

откармливать: /ɐt.kərˈmʲi.vətʲ/

сделать жирным: /sdʲeˈlʲatʲ ˈʐir.nɨm/ (Note that "сделать" is a perfective verb, and pronunciation may vary slightly by region; stress on the second syllable of "сделать")

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To make an animal or object fatter by feeding or other means

Translation(s) & Context:

• откармливать - Used in agricultural or livestock contexts, such as preparing animals for market.
• сделать жирным - Applied more broadly, including metaphorical uses, like describing the process of enriching food.

Usage Examples:

• Фермеры откармливают коров перед продажей, чтобы повысить их вес.

  Farmers fatten cows before selling them to increase their weight.

• В ресторане шеф-повар старается сделать блюдо жирным, добавляя масло для вкуса.

  In the restaurant, the chef tries to fatten the dish by adding oil for flavor.

• Иногда люди откармливают домашних животных, чтобы они были здоровее зимой.

  Sometimes people fatten their pets to make them healthier in winter.

• Чтобы сделать рыбу жирной, её нужно кормить специальным кормом.

  To fatten the fish, it needs to be fed with special feed.

• В деревне откармливают уток для праздничного стола.

  In the village, they fatten ducks for the holiday table.

Secondary Meaning: Figurative use, e.g., to enrich or make something more substantial

Translation(s) & Context:

• сделать жирным - In metaphorical contexts, such as making a story more detailed or a budget more generous.

Usage Examples:

• Автор решил сделать текст жирным, добавив больше деталей о персонажах.

  The author decided to fatten the text by adding more details about the characters.

• Бизнесмены часто стараются сделать инвестиции жирными, чтобы привлечь партнёров.

  Businessmen often try to fatten investments to attract partners.

• В речи оратор сделал аргументы жирными, используя яркие примеры.

  In the speech, the speaker fattened the arguments by using vivid examples.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "откармливать", which is an imperfective verb, it follows standard Russian verb conjugation patterns. It is a first conjugation verb and can change based on tense, aspect, and person.

For "сделать жирным", "сделать" is a perfective verb and does not inflect as regularly; it is often used in perfective aspect. "Жирным" is an adjective that declines by case and gender (e.g., жирный [masc.], жирная [fem.], жирное [neut.]). It remains uninflected in this phrase if used predicatively.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: кормить (to feed; more general), упитывать (to make plump)
• Antonyms: голодать (to starve), истощать (to exhaust or make thin; note the difference in intensity)

Related Phrases:

• откармливать скот - Refers to fattening livestock; used in farming contexts.
• сделать еду жирной - Means to make food fatty; common in cooking discussions.
• откармливание животных - The process of fattening animals; a noun phrase for agricultural practices.

Usage Notes:

"Откармливать" is the most direct translation for "fatten" in contexts involving animals and is commonly used in rural or professional settings. Choose "сделать жирным" for more general or figurative uses, as it allows for broader application. Be mindful of the aspect: "откармливать" is imperfective (ongoing action), while "сделать" is perfective (completed action). In formal writing, prefer precise verbs over literal translations to match Russian idiomatic expression.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "откармливать" for people, as in "откармливать ребёнка" (incorrectly implying animal-like treatment). Correct: Use "поправлять" or "делать полнее" for humans. Explanation: Russian speakers may find this dehumanizing.
• Error: Confusing aspect, e.g., saying "я откармлю" without context (future perfective of another verb). Correct: "Я буду откармливать" for ongoing future. Explanation: Aspect errors can change the meaning entirely in Russian verbs.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "откармливать" is often associated with traditional farming practices, such as preparing meat for holidays like Maslenitsa or New Year feasts. This reflects historical agricultural roots, where fattening animals symbolized abundance and preparation for winter, emphasizing community and survival themes.

Related Concepts:

• корм
• упитанность
• диета