Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'heal'

English Word: heal

Key Russian Translations:

• лечить [ˈlʲet͡ɕɪtʲ] - [Informal, Imperfective, Used in ongoing medical contexts]
• вылечить [vɨˈlʲet͡ɕɪtʲ] - [Formal, Perfective, Used for completed healing processes]
• исцелять [ɪsˈt͡sʲelʲatʲ] - [Formal, Literary or Spiritual contexts, Imperfective]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in medical, everyday, and literary contexts, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "быть" or "иметь")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding aspect differences in Russian verbs; for "лечить" and "вылечить", it's straightforward, but mastering inflections may require intermediate grammar knowledge)

Pronunciation (Russian):

лечить: [ˈlʲet͡ɕɪtʲ]

вылечить: [vɨˈlʲet͡ɕɪtʲ]

исцелять: [ɪsˈt͡sʲelʲatʲ]

Note on лечить: The soft 'л' sound [lʲ] can be tricky for English speakers; it's similar to the 'l' in "million". Stress on the first syllable.

Note on вылечить: The prefix 'вы-' adds a prefix vowel that affects pronunciation; practice with native audio for the perfective aspect.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To restore health or cure a wound/illness (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• лечить - Used in contexts involving ongoing treatment, such as in hospitals or daily care (e.g., treating a patient over time).
• вылечить - Applied when the healing process is complete, often in formal or medical reports.

Usage Examples:

• Врач лечит пациента от гриппа. (The doctor is treating the patient for the flu.)

  English: The doctor is treating the patient for the flu. (This shows "лечить" in a present imperfective context, emphasizing the ongoing process.)

• Ей удалось вылечить рану за неделю. (She managed to heal the wound in a week.)

  English: She managed to heal the wound in a week. (Illustrates "вылечить" in a perfective past tense, focusing on completion.)

• Этот травяной чай помогает исцелять душу. (This herbal tea helps heal the soul.)

  English: This herbal tea helps heal the soul. (Demonstrates "исцелять" in a metaphorical or spiritual context, often in literature.)

• Медики лечат детей в клинике каждый день. (Doctors heal children in the clinic every day.)

  English: Doctors heal children in the clinic every day. (Shows "лечить" with plural subjects and routine actions.)

• Он вылечил себя от простуды домашними средствами. (He healed himself from the cold using home remedies.)

  English: He healed himself from the cold using home remedies. (Highlights "вылечить" in a reflexive context.)

Secondary Meaning: To recover or mend emotionally (Verb, less common)

Translation(s) & Context:

• исцелять - Used in emotional or psychological contexts, such as therapy or personal growth.

Usage Examples:

• Время исцеляет душевные раны. (Time heals emotional wounds.)

  English: Time heals emotional wounds. (This proverb-like usage shows "исцеляет" in a figurative sense.)

• Путешествия помогают исцелять от стресса. (Travel helps heal from stress.)

  English: Travel helps heal from stress. (Illustrates ongoing healing in modern contexts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For verbs like "лечить" and "вылечить", Russian verbs conjugate based on aspect, tense, person, and number. "Лечить" is an imperfective verb, while "вылечить" is its perfective counterpart. Below is a table for key conjugations:

"Исцелять" follows similar patterns as an imperfective verb. These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • исцелять (more spiritual or complete healing, often used in religious contexts)
  • восстанавливать (focuses on restoring health, especially after injury)
• Antonyms:
  • болеть (to be ill)
  • ранить (to injure)

Related Phrases:

• Лечить от болезни - (To treat from an illness; used in medical contexts to indicate specific treatment.)
• Вылечить полностью - (To heal completely; emphasizes total recovery in formal settings.)
• Исцелять душу - (To heal the soul; a phrase for emotional or spiritual healing, common in literature.)

Usage Notes:

Russian verbs for "heal" like "лечить" (imperfective) and "вылечить" (perfective) must be chosen based on the aspect of the action: use "лечить" for ongoing processes and "вылечить" for completed ones. English "heal" often corresponds more directly to the perfective form in outcomes, but in Russian, context dictates the choice. Be mindful of formal vs. informal settings; "лечить" is neutral, while "исцелять" may sound archaic or poetic. In medical contexts, pair with prepositions like "от" (from) for specificity, e.g., "лечить от рака".

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "лечить" when a completed action is needed, e.g., saying "Я лечить больного" instead of "Я вылечил больного". Correct: "Я вылечил больного" – Explanation: English speakers often overlook the perfective aspect, leading to confusion in tense; always check if the action is finished.
• Mistake: Confusing with nouns, e.g., using "лечебный" (healing, as an adjective) incorrectly as a verb. Correct: Use "лечить" for the verb form – Explanation: "Лечить" is a verb, not related to adjectives like "healthy"; this error stems from direct word-for-word translation.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, healing often intertwines with folklore and tradition; for instance, "исцелять" might evoke images of folk healers or Orthodox religious practices, where spiritual healing is as important as physical. This reflects Russia's historical emphasis on holistic health, influenced by its vast rural heritage and literature like Tolstoy's works, where emotional healing is a common theme.

Related Concepts:

• болезнь (illness)
• медицина (medicine)
• восстановление (recovery)