Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'foul'

English Word: foul

Key Russian Translations:

• грязный [ɡrʲɪzˈnɨj] - [Informal, Adjective]
• фол [fol] - [Formal, Noun, Used in sports contexts]
• загрязнять [zəɡrʲɪˈzɲætʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Action-oriented]

Frequency: Medium (The word 'foul' and its translations are commonly encountered in everyday conversation, sports, and environmental discussions, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp 'грязный' and 'фол' with some practice, while 'загрязнять' may require more advanced verb conjugation knowledge. Variations exist based on translation.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

грязный: [ɡrʲɪzˈnɨj]

Note on грязный: The stress is on the second syllable; be mindful of the palatalized 'r' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers. Variations in informal speech may soften the vowels.

фол: [fol]

Note on фол: Pronounced similarly to the English "foul," but with a softer 'l' in Russian; no major variations in standard usage.

загрязнять: [zəɡrʲɪˈzɲætʲ]

Note on загрязнять: The infinitive form ends with a soft 'tʲ'; in conjugated forms, the ending changes, which might confuse beginners. Audio: [Insert audio player placeholder for загрязнять pronunciation]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Dirty or contaminated (Adjective form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• грязный - Used in everyday descriptions of uncleanliness, such as physical dirt or metaphorical impurity (e.g., in informal or casual settings).

Usage Examples:

• Эта река грязная из-за промышленных отходов.

  This river is foul due to industrial waste.

• Грязный воздух в городе вызывает проблемы со здоровьем.

  The foul air in the city causes health problems.

• Не надевай грязную одежду на встречу.

  Don't wear foul (dirty) clothes to the meeting.

• Грязный снег на улицах делает всё вокруг непривлекательным.

  The foul snow on the streets makes everything around unappealing.

Meaning 2: A violation in sports (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• фол - Typically used in athletic or competitive contexts, equivalent to a penalty or illegal move (e.g., in formal sports commentary).

Usage Examples:

• Игрок совершил фол, и судья показал жёлтую карточку.

  The player committed a foul, and the referee showed a yellow card.

• В футболе фол часто приводит к штрафному удару.

  In soccer, a foul often results in a free kick.

• Судья не заметил фол, но зрители протестовали.

  The referee didn't see the foul, but the audience protested.

• Фол в баскетболе может быть личным или командным.

  A foul in basketball can be personal or team-based.

Meaning 3: To contaminate or pollute (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• загрязнять - Applied in environmental or action contexts, implying an ongoing process (e.g., in neutral or formal discussions about pollution).

Usage Examples:

• Фабрики загрязняют реки химическими веществами.

  Factories foul the rivers with chemicals.

• Не загрязняй окружающую среду пластиковыми отходами.

  Don't foul the environment with plastic waste.

• Загрязнять воздух выхлопными газами — это глобальная проблема.

  Fouling the air with exhaust fumes is a global issue.

• Люди продолжают загрязнять океаны, несмотря на предупреждения.

  People keep fouling the oceans despite warnings.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'грязный' (adjective): This is a standard Russian adjective that follows regular inflection patterns for gender, number, and case. It changes as follows:

Form	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	грязный	грязная	грязное	грязные
Genitive	грязного	грязной	грязного	грязных

For 'фол' (noun): This is an indeclinable noun borrowed from English, so it remains unchanged in all cases and numbers (e.g., фол, фола, etc., but typically used in nominative).

For 'загрязнять' (verb): This is a first-conjugation verb with imperfective aspect. It follows standard patterns:

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense
1st Person Singular	загрязняю	загрязнял
2nd Person Singular	загрязняешь	загрязнял

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • грязный: нечистый (slightly more formal, implies moral uncleanliness)
  • фол: нарушение (general rule-breaking, less specific to sports)
  • загрязнять: отравлять (implies poisoning, often used in toxic contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • грязный: чистый (clean)
  • фол: правомерный (legitimate or fair play)
  • загрязнять: очищать (to clean or purify)

Related Phrases:

• Грязная работа - A phrase meaning "dirty work" or menial tasks, often implying unpleasant labor.
• Совершить фол - Means "to commit a foul," used in sports to describe an illegal action.
• Загрязнение окружающей среды - Refers to "environmental pollution," a common ecological term.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'грязный' directly corresponds to the adjective form of 'foul' in English when meaning dirty, but it's more commonly used for physical dirt rather than metaphorical senses. For sports, 'фол' is a direct borrowing and is preferred in formal contexts like broadcasting. When choosing between translations, opt for 'загрязнять' for verbs involving pollution to capture the ongoing aspect. Be aware of grammatical gender agreements for adjectives like 'грязный', and note that Russian verbs often require aspectual pairs (e.g., загрязнять for imperfective).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'грязный' without proper gender agreement, e.g., saying "грязный дом" for a feminine noun. Correct: For a feminine noun like "река" (river), use "грязная река". Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case.
• Error: Confusing 'фол' with 'нарушение' in non-sports contexts. Correct: Use 'фол' only for sports; otherwise, 'нарушение' is more appropriate. Explanation: 'Фол' is context-specific and borrowed, so misapplying it can sound unnatural.
• Error: Forgetting the aspect in verbs like 'загрязнять'. Learners might say 'загрязнить' (perfective) when 'загрязнять' (imperfective) is needed for ongoing actions. Correct: Use 'загрязнять' for processes. Explanation: Russian verbs distinguish between perfective and imperfective aspects, which English does not.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'грязный' can carry deeper connotations related to purity and cleanliness, influenced by historical emphasis on hygiene in communal living, such as in banyas (saunas). 'Фол' in sports reflects Western influences, especially from English-speaking countries, highlighting how globalized activities like soccer have shaped modern Russian vocabulary.

Related Concepts:

• неприятный (unpleasant)
• загрязнение (pollution)
• штраф (penalty)