Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'grind'

English Word: grind

Key Russian Translations:

• молоть /mɐˈlotʲ/ - [Informal, Verb; used for grinding substances like grain or coffee]
• шлифовать /ʂlʲɪˈfovətʲ/ - [Formal, Verb; used for polishing or grinding surfaces]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday contexts like cooking or mechanical work, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "eat" or "go")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context-specific usage; for 'молоть', it's straightforward, but 'шлифовать' may involve more nuanced applications)

Pronunciation (Russian):

молоть: /mɐˈlotʲ/ (The stress is on the second syllable; note the soft 'tʲ' sound, which is a palatalized consonant common in Russian verbs.)

шлифовать: /ʂlʲɪˈfovətʲ/ (Pronounce the initial 'ш' as a voiceless postalveolar fricative; the 'лʲ' is palatalized, adding a soft 'y' quality.)

Note on молоть: Be careful with the soft sign (ь) at the end, which affects pronunciation but not spelling in other forms. Variations in regional accents may soften the vowels further.

Note on шлифовать: This verb often involves a harder 'ш' sound; learners may confuse it with similar verbs like 'шлифовать' vs. 'полировать'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To crush or pulverize something into small particles (e.g., grinding coffee beans)

Translation(s) & Context:

• молоть - Used in informal, everyday contexts like kitchen activities or manual labor.
• шлифовать - Applied in more technical or formal settings, such as machining or surface preparation.

Usage Examples:

• Я молю кофе каждый утро, чтобы приготовить свежий напиток.

  I grind coffee every morning to make a fresh drink.

• В mills фермеры молотят зерно для производства муки.

  In mills, farmers grind grain to produce flour.

• Он молотит траву в порошок для использования в медицине.

  He grinds herbs into powder for use in medicine.

• Механик шлифует металл, чтобы сделать его гладким.

  The mechanic grinds the metal to make it smooth.

As a noun, referring to a repetitive or tedious task (e.g., the daily grind)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рутина - Used for everyday routines or monotonous work, in informal conversations.

Usage Examples:

• Его ежедневная рутина на работе кажется бесконечной.

  His daily grind at work seems endless.

• После отпуска она вернулась к своей рутине с неохотой.

  After vacation, she returned to her grind reluctantly.

• Рутина студенческой жизни включает много повторяющихся заданий.

  The grind of student life includes many repetitive tasks.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'молоть' (a first-conjugation verb), it follows standard patterns with irregularities in some forms. Here's a conjugation table for the present tense:

For 'шлифовать' (also first-conjugation), it is more regular:

For the noun 'рутина', it is a feminine noun that does not change in the nominative singular but follows standard declension patterns: рутины (genitive), рутине (dative), etc. It is invariant in plural forms for most uses.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • измельчать (to pulverize; similar to молоть but often for finer grinding)
  • точить (to sharpen; more specific to edges, differing from шлифовать in context)
• Antonyms:
  • собирать (to assemble; opposite of breaking down)
  • слипать (to stick together; contrasts with grinding apart)

Related Phrases:

• Молоть кофе - Grinding coffee; a common phrase in daily routines, referring to preparing coffee beans.
• Шлифовать поверхность - To grind/polish a surface; used in technical or crafting contexts for smoothing materials.
• Ежедневная рутина - Daily grind; an idiomatic expression for monotonous daily life, often with a negative connotation.

Usage Notes:

'Grind' as a verb corresponds most closely to 'молоть' in casual, food-related contexts, while 'шлифовать' is better for mechanical or professional grinding. English speakers should note that Russian verbs require conjugation based on subject and tense, so always match the form to the sentence subject. For the noun form, 'рутина' is neutral and widely used, but be aware of regional variations where more formal synonyms like 'монотонность' might apply. When choosing between translations, opt for 'молоть' in informal speech and 'шлифовать' in written or technical descriptions.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'молоть' interchangeably with 'шлифовать' without context. For example, saying "Я молю металл" instead of "Я шлифую металл".
  Correct: "Я шлифую металл" (I grind/polish metal). Explanation: 'Молоть' implies crushing into powder, while 'шлифовать' means smoothing a surface.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Он молоть" instead of "Он мелет".
  Correct: "Он мелет" (He grinds). Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject in person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like 'ежедневная рутина' often reflect a stoic attitude toward life's monotony, influenced by historical contexts such as Soviet-era work routines. 'Молоть' may evoke traditional rural life, where grinding grain was a staple activity, symbolizing self-sufficiency and hardship.

Related Concepts:

• измельчитель (grinder machine)
• монотонность (monotony)
• труд (labor)