Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gather'

English Word: gather

Key Russian Translations:

• собрать [sɐˈbratʲ] - [Formal, Perfective aspect, Used for completed actions]
• собирать [sɐbʲɪˈratʲ] - [Informal/Neutral, Imperfective aspect, Used for ongoing or repeated actions]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and formal contexts, but aspect nuances make it frequent in descriptive language)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding Russian verbal aspects; beginners may struggle with perfective vs. imperfective forms)

Pronunciation (Russian):

собрать: [sɐˈbratʲ]

Note on собрать: The stress falls on the last syllable ("-ratʲ"), which is common in perfective verbs; be careful with the soft 't' sound, pronounced as [tʲ].

собирать: [sɐbʲɪˈratʲ]

Note on собирать: Stress on the second-to-last syllable; the 'bʲ' is a palatalized 'b', which can be tricky for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To collect or bring together things (e.g., items, information).

Translation(s) & Context:

• собрать - Used in contexts where the action is completed, such as gathering objects or data in a formal or everyday setting.
• собирать - Applied to ongoing processes, like habitually collecting items.

Usage Examples:

• Я собрал все документы для встречи. (Ya sobral vse dokumenty dlya vstrechi.)

  I gathered all the documents for the meeting. (Shows completed action in a professional context.)

• Она собирает редкие монеты уже несколько лет. (Ona sobiraet redkiye monety uzhe neskolko let.)

  She has been gathering rare coins for several years. (Illustrates ongoing activity.)

• Мы собрали фрукты с сада. (My sobrali frukty s sada.)

  We gathered fruits from the garden. (Demonstrates use in a rural or everyday scenario.)

• Дети собирают листья в парке осенью. (Deti sobirayut listya v parke osen'yu.)

  Children gather leaves in the park in the autumn. (Shows plural subject and seasonal context.)

• Он собирает информацию о проекте. (On sobiraet informatsiyu o proekte.)

  He is gathering information about the project. (Emphasizes process in a work environment.)

Meaning 2: To assemble or bring people together (e.g., for an event).

Translation(s) & Context:

• собрать - For finalizing a group assembly, often in formal events.
• собирать - For the process of organizing people over time.

Usage Examples:

• Семья собралась за ужином. (Sem'ya sobralas' za uzhinom.)

  The family gathered for dinner. (Perfective, focusing on the completed gathering.)

• Организаторы собирают гостей на конференцию. (Organizatory sobirayut gostey na konferentsiyu.)

  The organizers are gathering guests for the conference. (Imperfective, showing ongoing effort.)

• Друзья собрали средства для благотворительности. (Drug'i sobrali sredstva dlya blagotvoritel'nosti.)

  Friends gathered funds for charity. (Extended to metaphorical gathering.)

• Мы собираемся каждое воскресенье. (My sobiraemsya kazhdoe voskresen'ye.)

  We gather every Sunday. (Habitual use.)

• Преподаватель собрал студентов в аудитории. (Prepodavatel' sobral studentov v auditorii.)

  The teacher gathered the students in the auditorium. (Formal educational context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "собрать" and "собирать" are verbs, so they follow Russian conjugation patterns. "Собрать" is perfective, while "собирать" is imperfective. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender in past tense.

Note: These verbs are irregular in some aspects due to root changes, but they follow standard patterns for first-conjugation verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • собираться (to gather oneself or a group, often reflexive)
  • набирать (to accumulate, especially for collections)
• Antonyms:
  • развеять (to scatter or disperse)
  • рассеять (to spread out or dissipate)

Related Phrases:

• собрать урожай - To gather the harvest (used in agricultural contexts, implying seasonal collection).
• собирать информацию - To gather information (common in investigative or research scenarios).
• собраться с силами - To gather one's strength (idiomatic, meaning to muster energy for a task).

Usage Notes:

The key distinction between "собрать" and "собирать" lies in Russian verbal aspects: use "собрать" for completed actions (e.g., "I have gathered") and "собирать" for ongoing ones (e.g., "I am gathering"). English speakers often err by not matching the aspect to the context. In formal settings, "собрать" is preferred for events, while "собирать" suits habitual activities. Always consider the object: direct objects require accusative case in Russian sentences.

• Choose "собрать" when the gathering is finite; for example, in business meetings.
• Avoid literal translations; adapt based on context to maintain natural flow in Russian.

Common Errors:

One common mistake is confusing perfective and imperfective aspects. For instance, English learners might say "Я собирал книгу" (incorrect for a completed action) instead of "Я собрал книгу" (correct for "I gathered the book"). Explanation: The imperfective "собирал" implies an ongoing process, which doesn't fit a finished task. Correct usage: Use "собрал" for completion and provide context to clarify. Another error is forgetting gender agreement in past tense, e.g., saying "собрала" for a male subject.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, gathering (e.g., "собраться") often carries a communal connotation, as seen in traditions like family dinners or public holidays. For example, during festivals like Maslenitsa, people gather to celebrate, emphasizing social bonds and community, which reflects Russia's collectivist heritage.

Related Concepts:

• сбор (collection or assembly)
• встреча (meeting)
• сходка (gathering of people, often informal)