Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'imbue'

English Word: imbue

Key Russian Translations:

• наделить [nədʲɪˈlʲitʲ] - [Formal, often used in literary or official contexts]
• вдохновить [vdɐx.nɐˈvʲitʲ] - [Informal or emotional contexts]
• пропитать [prɐˈpʲitətʲ] - [Literal or metaphorical saturation, e.g., with a quality]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are not everyday vocabulary but appear in literature, discussions, and formal writing.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances, varying by translation—e.g., 'наделить' may be slightly more advanced due to its formal usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

наделить: [nədʲɪˈlʲitʲ]

вдохновить: [vdɐx.nɐˈvʲitʲ]

пропитать: [prɐˈpʲitətʲ]

Note on наделить: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may alter vowel length.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To inspire or fill with a quality (e.g., imbuing something with emotion or spirit)

Translation(s) & Context:

• наделить - Used in formal contexts, such as describing the endowment of abstract qualities in literature or speeches.
• вдохновить - Applied in more personal or creative scenarios, like motivating someone.
• пропитать - Best for literal or metaphorical permeation, such as infusing an object with a substance or idea.

Usage Examples:

• Художник наделил картину глубоким смыслом, чтобы она трогала зрителей.

  The artist imbued the painting with deep meaning to touch the viewers.

• Учитель вдохновил учеников энтузиазмом, заставив их усердно работать.

  The teacher imbued the students with enthusiasm, making them work diligently.

• Эта книга пропитана духом приключений, что делает её идеальной для молодёжи.

  This book is imbued with the spirit of adventure, making it perfect for youth.

• Лидер наделил команду уверенностью перед важным матчем.

  The leader imbued the team with confidence before the important match.

• Музыка вдохновила аудиторию чувством единства на концерте.

  The music imbued the audience with a sense of unity at the concert.

To permeate or saturate with a characteristic (e.g., imbuing with culture or tradition)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пропитать - Common in contexts involving deep infusion, like cultural influences.
• наделить - Used when assigning a permanent quality, such as in historical or philosophical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Русская культура пропитала его искусство, делая его уникальным.

  Russian culture imbued his art, making it unique.

• Образование наделило его знаниями, которые он применяет в повседневной жизни.

  Education imbued him with knowledge that he applies in everyday life.

• Путешествия вдохновили её любовью к новым культурам.

  Travels imbued her with love for new cultures.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The primary translations are verbs, which undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number in Russian. 'наделить' and 'вдохновить' are perfective verbs, while 'пропитать' can be both perfective and imperfective in certain forms. Below is a table for 'наделить' as an example; similar patterns apply to others with variations.

For 'вдохновить', it follows a similar perfective pattern but with irregular aspects in some tenses. 'пропитать' is mostly regular but can vary in perfective forms. These verbs do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • вдохновить (similar to 'imbue' with inspiration, but more direct)
  • пропитать (emphasizes saturation, often interchangeable in metaphorical uses)
  • наполнить (to fill, with a subtle difference in implying completeness)
• Antonyms:
  • лишить (to deprive, opposite in the sense of removing a quality)
  • освободить (to free from, in contexts of unburdening)

Related Phrases:

• наделить властью - To endow with power; used in political or leadership contexts.
• вдохновить идеями - To inspire with ideas; common in creative or educational settings.
• пропитать атмосферой - To imbue with an atmosphere; often describes environments like events or places.

Usage Notes:

'наделить' is the most direct equivalent to 'imbue' in formal English-Russian translation, especially for abstract qualities, but choose 'вдохновить' for motivational contexts to better match emotional nuances. Be mindful of aspect in Russian verbs: perfective forms like these imply completion, so they align well with 'imbue's' result-oriented meaning. In informal speech, 'пропитать' might feel more vivid for sensory descriptions. Grammar note: These verbs require an instrumental case for the quality being imbued, e.g., 'наделить духом' (with spirit).

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'наделить' without the correct case, e.g., saying "наделить дух" instead of "наделить духом".
  Correct: "Он наделил речь духом." (He imbued the speech with spirit.)
  Explanation: Russian requires the instrumental case for the object of imbuing, which English speakers often overlook.
• Mistake: Confusing 'вдохновить' with 'наполнить', leading to overuse in non-inspirational contexts.
  Correct: Use 'наполнить' for literal filling, e.g., "наполнить водой" (fill with water), not for abstract qualities.
  Explanation: 'вдохновить' is specifically for inspiration, so it matches 'imbue' better in emotional scenarios.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'наделить' often appear in literary works by authors such as Tolstoy or Dostoevsky, where characters are imbued with moral or spiritual qualities. This reflects a deep tradition of introspection and philosophical depth in Russian literature, helping to convey the transformative power of ideas or emotions.

Related Concepts:

• вдохновение (inspiration)
• дух (spirit)
• наполнение (filling or endowment)