Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'grasping'

English Word: grasping

Key Russian Translations:

• хватать [xva'tatʲ] - [Informal, Verb; used for physically seizing or grabbing]
• схватывать [sɣra'bitʲ] - [Formal, Verb; implies a quicker, more forceful action]
• жадный [ˈʐadnɨj] - [Adjective, Formal; refers to the greedy or avaricious sense]

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

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and adjective agreements, per CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

хватать: [xva'tatʲ]

Note on хватать: The initial 'х' is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the 'ch' in Scottish "loch"; stress falls on the second syllable, and it may vary slightly in rapid speech.

схватывать: [sɣra'bitʲ]

Note on схватывать: The 'г' is pronounced as a voiced velar fricative; be careful with the soft sign (ʲ) indicating palatalization.

жадный: [ˈʐadnɨj]

Note on жадный: The 'ж' is a voiced retroflex fricative; stress is on the first syllable, and it agrees with nouns in gender, number, and case.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To seize or grasp something firmly (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хватать - Used in informal, everyday contexts for quickly grabbing an object, such as in physical actions or urgent situations.
• схватывать - Applied in more formal or descriptive contexts, like in literature or when emphasizing speed and force.

Usage Examples:

• Он быстро хватает книгу с полки.

  He quickly grabs the book from the shelf.

• Дети хватают игрушки, чтобы поиграть на улице.

  The children grab toys to play outside.

• В панике она хватает сумку и бежит к двери.

  In a panic, she grabs her bag and runs to the door.

• Схватывая момент, он решает проблему мгновенно.

  Seizing the moment, he solves the problem instantly.

• Мужчина схватывает руль, чтобы избежать аварии.

  The man grabs the steering wheel to avoid an accident.

Meaning 2: Being greedy or avaricious (Adjective form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• жадный - Used to describe someone who is overly possessive or eager to acquire more, often in moral or character discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Его жадный характер отпугивает друзей.

  His grasping nature repels his friends.

• Жадный бизнесмен не делится прибылью.

  The grasping businessman doesn't share the profits.

• В сказке жадный король loses его королевство.

  In the fairy tale, the grasping king loses his kingdom.

• Она кажется жадной, когда речь идет о деньгах.

  She appears grasping when it comes to money.

• Жадный взгляд на богатство приводит к одиночеству.

  A grasping gaze on wealth leads to loneliness.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For verbs like "хватать" and "схватывать" (imperfective and perfective aspects), they follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. "Хватать" is imperfective, while "схватывать" is often used as a perfective counterpart.

For "жадный" (adjective), it inflects by gender, number, and case:

• Nominative: жадный (m.), жадная (f.), жадное (n.), жадные (pl.)
• It is invariant in some fixed phrases but generally follows standard adjective declension.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: сграбить (to grab roughly), ухватить (to catch hold of) - "Ухватить" is more neutral and often used in idiomatic expressions.
• Antonyms: отпустить (to release) - Implies letting go, contrasting the act of grasping.

Related Phrases:

• хватать за горло - Grabbing by the throat; used metaphorically to mean choking or intimidating someone financially or emotionally. (Context: Often in dramatic or threatening scenarios.)
• жадный до денег - Grasping for money; describes extreme greed in financial matters. (Context: Common in discussions about wealth and ethics.)
• схватить момент - To seize the moment; equivalent to "carpe diem" in English. (Context: Motivational or opportunistic situations.)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "grasping" as a verb is best translated with "хватать" for ongoing actions and "схватывать" for completed ones, mirroring English aspect differences. For the adjective form, "жадный" carries a negative connotation, similar to "greedy" in English, and should be used cautiously in formal contexts to avoid offense. Choose between translations based on context: physical actions for verbs and character traits for adjectives. Note that Russian verbs require aspect consideration, which English "grasping" does not explicitly convey.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "хватать" interchangeably with "схватывать" without considering aspect. For example, learners might say "Я схватываю яблоко вчера" (incorrect, as it mixes aspects).

  Correct: "Я схватил яблоко вчера" (for a completed action). Explanation: Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms; use perfective for finished events.

• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "жадный женщина" instead of "жадная женщина".

  Correct: "жадная женщина". Explanation: Adjectives in Russian must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "жадный" often appear in folklore and literature to criticize excessive materialism, reflecting historical values of community and sharing in Slavic traditions. For instance, in Russian fairy tales, a "grasping" character frequently meets a downfall, emphasizing moral lessons about greed versus generosity.

Related Concepts:

• жадность (greed)
• схватка (scuffle or struggle)
• хват (grip or hold)