Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'foretell'

English Word: foretell

Key Russian Translations:

• предсказать [prʲɪd.nʲɪˈzas.atʲ] - [Formal, Perfective Verb, Used in contexts involving predictions or prophecies]
• пророчить [prɐˈro.t͡ɕɪtʲ] - [Informal, Literary, Often implies a more mystical or prophetic connotation]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, news, and everyday discussions about future events, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "сказать").

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of Russian verb aspects, such as perfective vs. imperfective forms. For 'предсказать', it's perfective, while related imperfective forms like 'предсказывать' add complexity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

предсказать: [prʲɪd.nʲɪˈzas.atʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh'.)

пророчить: [prɐˈro.t͡ɕɪtʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'ч' is a soft 'ch' sound, which can be challenging for beginners.)

Note on предсказать: This word has a soft 'т' at the end, which may vary in speeded speech; practice the palatalization for accurate pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To predict or prophesy future events.

Translation(s) & Context:

• предсказать - Used in formal or neutral contexts, such as scientific predictions or everyday forecasts.
• пророчить - Applied in more poetic or informal settings, often with a sense of destiny or mysticism.

Usage Examples:

• Он предсказал, что погода будет солнечной завтра. (He foretold that the weather would be sunny tomorrow.)

  Translation: He predicted that the weather would be sunny tomorrow. (This example shows the verb in a simple future context, highlighting its perfective aspect for completed actions.)

• Астролог пророчит большие изменения в твоей жизни. (The astrologer foretells great changes in your life.)

  Translation: The astrologer prophesies great changes in your life. (Here, it demonstrates a mystical usage, common in informal or literary Russian.)

• Учёные предсказали землетрясение на основе данных. (Scientists foretold the earthquake based on data.)

  Translation: Scientists predicted the earthquake based on data. (This illustrates the verb in a scientific context, with past tense conjugation.)

• Она пророчит успех своему новому проекту. (She foretells success for her new project.)

  Translation: She prophesies success for her new project. (This shows variation in subject and object, emphasizing personal predictions.)

• В древних текстах предсказывается конец света. (In ancient texts, the end of the world is foretold.)

  Translation: In ancient texts, the end of the world is predicted. (This example uses the passive voice, common in historical or prophetic narratives.)

Secondary Meaning: To indicate or suggest something in advance (less common, more figurative).

Translation(s) & Context:

• предвидеть - Used when implying foresight or anticipation in planning.

Usage Examples:

• Мудрый лидер предвидел проблемы и подготовился заранее. (The wise leader foretold the problems and prepared in advance.)

  Translation: The wise leader anticipated the problems and prepared in advance. (This highlights a figurative use in leadership contexts.)

• Экономисты предвидели кризис, но никто не отреагировал. (Economists foretold the crisis, but no one reacted.)

  Translation: Economists predicted the crisis, but no one reacted. (This shows the verb in a professional setting with imperfective undertones.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'предсказать', a perfective verb, it follows standard Russian conjugation patterns for verbs of the second conjugation. It does not have an imperfective counterpart in all contexts, but 'предсказывать' is its imperfective pair. Below is a table for its key inflections:

For 'пророчить', it is irregular in some aspects but follows similar patterns; it is less commonly inflected and often used in fixed expressions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: пророчить (more mystical), предвидеть (more about foresight), предугадать (to guess in advance)
• Antonyms: опровергнуть (to refute), игнорировать (to ignore, as it counters prediction)

Related Phrases:

• Предсказать будущее - (To foretell the future; used in discussions about fortune-telling or planning.)
• Пророчить беду - (To foretell disaster; often in dramatic or literary contexts, implying a warning.)
• Предсказывать погоду - (To forecast the weather; common in everyday conversations about meteorology.)

Usage Notes:

Russian translations like 'предсказать' directly correspond to 'foretell' in its predictive sense but emphasize the perfective aspect, meaning it's used for completed or specific actions. Choose 'пророчить' for more emotional or archaic tones. Be mindful of verb aspects: pair with imperfective forms like 'предсказывать' for ongoing actions. In formal writing, it's common in scientific or historical contexts, but avoid in casual speech where simpler verbs like 'сказать' might suffice.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'предсказать' interchangeably with 'предсказывать' without considering aspect. Incorrect: Я предсказываю завтрашний дождь. Correct: Я предсказываю, что будет дождь завтра. (Explanation: 'Предсказывать' is imperfective for ongoing prediction; mix-ups can alter the intended tense.)
• Error: Overusing in informal settings. Incorrect: Я пророчу, что поедим пиццу. Correct: Я думаю, мы поедим пиццу. (Explanation: 'Пророчить' sounds overly dramatic; opt for everyday verbs to avoid sounding unnatural.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'пророчить' often evoke literary traditions from authors like Dostoevsky, where prophecies tie into fate and spirituality. 'Предсказать' is more neutral and linked to modern science, such as in weather forecasts on TV, reflecting Russia's blend of mysticism and rationality in daily life.

Related Concepts:

• Пророчество (prophecy)
• Предвидение (foresight)
• Астрология (astrology)