Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'graze'

English Word: graze

Key Russian Translations:

• пастись [ˈpasʲtʲisʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for animals grazing or feeding]
• оцарапать [ɐtsɐˈrapatʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for lightly scraping or grazing skin]
• ссадина [sɐˈsadʲinə] - [Noun, Neutral, Used for a graze wound on the skin]

Frequency: Medium - The word and its translations are encountered in everyday contexts, especially in rural or medical discussions, but not as common in casual urban conversations.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Learners at this level can grasp basic usages, but mastering inflections and contexts may require practice. For 'пастись', it's B1; for 'оцарапать' and 'ссадина', it's A2-B1.

Pronunciation (Russian):

пастись: [ˈpasʲtʲisʲ] - Stress on the first syllable; the 'щ' sound is soft and palatalized.

оцарапать: [ɐtsɐˈrapatʲ] - Stress on the third syllable; note the soft 'тʲ' which can be tricky for English speakers.

ссадина: [sɐˈsadʲinə] - Stress on the second syllable; the 'дʲ' is softened, common in Russian nouns.

Note on пастись: This verb often involves reflexive forms, so the ending '-ся' indicates the action is on the subject itself.

Note on оцарапать: The prefix 'о-' adds a sense of completion; be cautious with perfective aspects in sentences.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To eat grass or feed (as animals do)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пастись - Used in contexts involving animals in pastures or fields, often in rural or agricultural settings.

Usage Examples:

• Коровы пасутся на лугу весь день. (The cows graze in the meadow all day.)

  English: The cows graze in the meadow all day.

• Овцы пасутся у реки, наслаждаясь свежей травой. (The sheep are grazing by the river, enjoying the fresh grass.)

  English: The sheep are grazing by the river, enjoying the fresh grass.

• Летом лошади пасутся в горах, набираясь сил. (In summer, horses graze in the mountains, gaining strength.)

  English: In summer, horses graze in the mountains, gaining strength.

• Если животные пасутся слишком долго, трава быстро истощается. (If the animals graze for too long, the grass depletes quickly.)

  English: If the animals graze for too long, the grass depletes quickly.

• Дети наблюдали, как козы пасутся на склоне холма. (The children watched as the goats grazed on the hillside.)

  English: The children watched as the goats grazed on the hillside.

Meaning 2: To scrape or lightly injure the skin

Translation(s) & Context:

• оцарапать - Used in accidental injury contexts, such as falls or brushes against objects.
• ссадина - Refers to the resulting wound, often in medical or everyday injury descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Я оцарапал руку о колючий куст. (I grazed my arm on the thorny bush.)

  English: I grazed my arm on the thorny bush.

• Дети часто оцарапывают колени, играя на улице. (Children often graze their knees while playing outside.)

  English: Children often graze their knees while playing outside.

• После падения у меня появилась ссадина на лбу. (After the fall, I have a graze on my forehead.)

  English: After the fall, I have a graze on my forehead.

• Он оцарапал ногу о забор, но рана была неглубокой. (He grazed his leg on the fence, but the wound was shallow.)

  English: He grazed his leg on the fence, but the wound was shallow.

• Ссадина на руке зажила быстро, но оставила шрам. (The graze on my hand healed quickly but left a scar.)

  English: The graze on my hand healed quickly but left a scar.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'пастись' (verb, imperfective reflexive): This is a first-conjugation verb with reflexive particle '-ся'. It follows standard patterns for motion or state verbs.

For 'оцарапать' (verb, perfective): This is a perfective verb, irregular in some aspects. It doesn't have a full present tense but uses forms like 'поцарапать' in imperfective contexts.

For 'ссадина' (noun, feminine): This is a first-declension noun with regular endings.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for пастись: щипать траву (to nibble grass) - More literal for small animals; кормиться (to feed) - General feeding context.
• Synonyms for оцарапать: поцарапать (to scratch) - Similar but implies deeper injury; задеть (to brush against).
• Synonyms for ссадина: царапина (scratch) - Often interchangeable in minor injuries.
• Antonyms: исцелиться (to heal) - Opposite of injury; уйти (to leave, as in avoiding grazing).

Related Phrases:

• Пасться на пастбище (To graze on the pasture) - Common in agricultural contexts; refers to animals feeding in designated areas.
• Оцарапать кожу (To graze the skin) - Used for accidental injuries; implies a surface-level wound.
• Лечить ссадину (To treat a graze) - In medical scenarios; emphasizes first aid for minor wounds.

Usage Notes:

'Пастись' directly corresponds to the animal-related meaning of 'graze' and is commonly used in imperfective forms for ongoing actions. Avoid using it for humans; it's animal-specific. For 'оцарапать', note its perfective nature, which suits completed actions, unlike the English 'graze' which can be ongoing. In formal contexts, opt for 'ссадина' over slangier terms. When choosing between translations, consider the context: rural for 'пастись', accidental for 'оцарапать'.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'пастись' for human actions, e.g., saying "Я пасусь" to mean "I am grazing" as in eating casually. Correct: Use 'едать' or specify animal context. Explanation: 'Пастись' is reflexive and animal-oriented, leading to confusion with eating verbs.
• Error: Confusing 'оцарапать' with 'поцарапать', treating them as identical. Correct: 'Оцарапать' is perfective; use in completed scenarios. Explanation: English learners often overlook aspect, resulting in tense mismatches.
• Error: Forgetting noun gender in 'ссадина', e.g., incorrect declension in sentences. Correct: Always use feminine endings, like "у меня ссадина" (I have a graze). Explanation: Russian nouns require agreement, which can trip up beginners.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'пастись' evoke rural traditions, such as in folk stories or proverbs about livestock, reflecting Russia's agrarian history. 'Ссадина' might appear in everyday anecdotes about resilience, symbolizing minor setbacks in life's hardships.

Related Concepts:

• пастбище (pasture)
• царапина (scratch)
• травма (injury)