Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gloat'

English Word: gloat

Key Russian Translations:

• торжествовать [tɐrʐɨˈstvəvətʲ] - [Formal, often used in contexts of triumph or victory]
• ликовать [lʲɪkɐˈvatʲ] - [Informal, emotional expression of joy over others' misfortune]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature and everyday conversations, but not as frequent as basic verbs)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced emotional contexts; for торжествовать, it's slightly more advanced due to formal usage, while ликовать is B1)

Pronunciation (Russian):

торжествовать: [tɐrʐɨˈstvəvətʲ]

Note on торжествовать: The stress falls on the third syllable ("stvə"), and the 'zh' sound (as in 'measure') can be challenging for English speakers. Pronounce it with a soft 't' at the end.

ликовать: [lʲɪkɐˈvatʲ]

Note on ликовать: The initial 'lʲ' is a palatalized 'l', similar to the 'l' in 'lure', and the stress is on the second syllable. Avoid overemphasizing the 'v' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To feel or express great pleasure from one's own success or another's misfortune

Translation(s) & Context:

• торжествовать - Used in formal or literary contexts, such as describing victory in competitions or personal achievements, often implying a sense of superiority.
• ликовать - Applied in informal, everyday situations, like gloating over a rival's failure in social or personal interactions.

Usage Examples:

• Он торжествовал над своим соперником после победы в турнире.

  He gloated over his rival after winning the tournament.

• Друзья ликовали, видя, как их враг потерпел неудачу.

  The friends gloated as they watched their enemy fail.

• После экзамена она торжествовала, узнав о провале одноклассников.

  After the exam, she gloated upon learning about her classmates' failures.

• Войска ликовали, захватывая вражеский город.

  The troops gloated while capturing the enemy city.

• Он не мог не торжествовать, когда его план сработал идеально.

  He couldn't help but gloat when his plan worked perfectly.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both торжествовать and ликовать are verbs, primarily imperfective in aspect, and follow standard Russian verb conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs. They are irregular in some forms due to Russian's complex verbal system.

Note: These verbs do not change in perfective aspect without additional prefixes (e.g., торжествовать can become perfective as торжествовать in some contexts, but it's not standard). They remain relatively stable but require attention to gender and number in past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: ликовать (similar to the word itself, but more emotional), упиваться (to revel in, with a sense of indulgence)
• Antonyms: скорбеть (to grieve), сожалеть (to regret)

Related Phrases:

• торжествовать победу - To gloat over victory; often used in competitive or historical contexts to describe excessive celebration.
• ликовать над неудачей - To gloat over failure; common in informal settings, implying schadenfreude.
• упиваться успехом - To revel in success; a phrase that captures gloating with a tone of self-indulgence.

Usage Notes:

Gloating in Russian is often expressed through verbs like торжествовать, which aligns closely with the English 'gloat' in formal writing, such as literature or news articles. In contrast, ликовать is more casual and emotional, suitable for spoken language. Be cautious with context: in Russian culture, excessive gloating can be seen as rude or boastful, so these words are typically used with irony or in narrative forms. When choosing between translations, opt for торжествовать in professional or historical contexts and ликовать in everyday conversations. Grammatically, ensure proper verb conjugation based on subject gender and number, especially in past tense.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using торжествовать in informal settings where ликовать is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Я торжествую над твоим проигрышем" instead of "Я ликую над твоим проигрышем." Correct usage: Stick to ликовать for casual talk to avoid sounding overly formal or archaic. Explanation: This can make the speaker seem pretentious.

• Error: Misconjugating the verb, such as saying "Он торжествует" incorrectly in past tense. Correct: "Он торжествовал." Explanation: Russian verbs require agreement with gender, number, and tense, which English learners often overlook.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, gloating (as in торжествовать or ликовать) is often associated with themes of resilience and triumph over adversity, stemming from historical events like wars and revolutions. However, it can carry negative connotations, reflecting the cultural value of modesty (e.g., in proverbs like "Не радуйся чужому несчастью"), where excessive gloating is discouraged to maintain social harmony.

Related Concepts:

• победа (victory)
• неудача (failure)
• самодовольство (self-satisfaction)