Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'incubate'

English Word: incubate

Key Russian Translations:

• инкубировать /ɪnkuˈbɪrəvætʲ/ - [Formal, Scientific, Used in technical or metaphorical contexts]
• высиживать /vɨˈsʲiʐɨvætʲ/ - [Informal, Specific to animal behavior, Used when referring to birds or natural processes]
• развивать /rəzˈvʲivətʲ/ - [Neutral, Metaphorical, Used in business or creative contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in scientific, educational, and business discussions but not in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage; 'инкубировать' may be more challenging due to its borrowed origin, while 'высиживать' is slightly easier for beginners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

инкубировать: /ɪnkuˈbɪrəvætʲ/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'р' is rolled, and the ending softens in spoken Russian)

высиживать: /vɨˈsʲiʐɨvætʲ/ (Stress on the second syllable; note the palatalized 'сʲ' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers)

развивать: /rəzˈvʲivətʲ/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'вʲ' is palatalized, common in Russian verbs)

Note on инкубировать: This word is a borrowing from Latin via English, so pronunciation may vary slightly in regional dialects; focus on the soft 'тʲ' at the end for accuracy.

Note on высиживать: In rapid speech, the initial 'в' can sound more like a 'v' with a slight aspiration; practice with native audio for natural flow.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To keep eggs warm until they hatch (Biological sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• высиживать - Used in contexts involving animals, especially birds, in informal or descriptive writing; common in nature documentaries or literature.

Usage Examples:

• Птица высиживает яйца в гнезде. (The bird incubates its eggs in the nest.)

  Translation: The bird incubates its eggs in the nest. (This example shows the verb in a simple present tense, highlighting natural behavior.)

• В зоопарке высиживают редких птиц для сохранения вида. (In the zoo, they incubate rare birds to preserve the species.)

  Translation: In the zoo, they incubate rare birds to preserve the species. (Demonstrates use in a conservation context with plural subjects.)

• Курица не высиживает яйца из-за плохой погоды. (The hen isn't incubating the eggs due to bad weather.)

  Translation: The hen isn't incubating the eggs due to bad weather. (Illustrates negative form and environmental factors.)

• Молодые птицы учатся высиживать потомство в естественной среде. (Young birds learn to incubate their offspring in the wild.)

  Translation: Young birds learn to incubate their offspring in the wild. (Shows infinitive form in a learning context.)

• В лабораторных условиях высиживают яйца для научных исследований. (In laboratory conditions, they incubate eggs for scientific research.)

  Translation: In laboratory conditions, they incubate eggs for scientific research. (Highlights a more formal, scientific application.)

Meaning 2: To develop or nurture an idea, plan, or project (Metaphorical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• инкубировать - Used in business, technology, or creative fields; formal and often associated with innovation hubs or startups.
• развивать - More general; applied in educational or personal development contexts, less specific to incubation.

Usage Examples:

• Компания инкубирует новые идеи для будущего продукта. (The company incubates new ideas for the future product.)

  Translation: The company incubates new ideas for the future product. (This shows the verb in a business context with direct objects.)

• В инкубаторе стартапов развивают проекты на ранних этапах. (In startup incubators, they develop projects at early stages.)

  Translation: In startup incubators, they develop projects at early stages. (Illustrates combination with related nouns and prepositional phrases.)

• Ученые инкубируют концепцию в лаборатории годами. (Scientists incubate the concept in the laboratory for years.)

  Translation: Scientists incubate the concept in the laboratory for years. (Demonstrates use with time expressions.)

• Чтобы инкубировать инновации, нужно создать подходящую среду. (To incubate innovations, you need to create a suitable environment.)

  Translation: To incubate innovations, you need to create a suitable environment. (Shows infinitive form in instructional sentences.)

• Бизнес-инкубатор помогает развивать малые предприятия. (The business incubator helps develop small enterprises.)

  Translation: The business incubator helps develop small enterprises. (Highlights synonymous usage with 'развивать' in entrepreneurial contexts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For verbs like 'инкубировать' and 'высиживать', Russian conjugation follows standard patterns for first-conjugation verbs. 'Развивать' is irregular in some aspects. Below is a table for 'инкубировать' as an example; 'высиживать' follows similar rules.

Note: 'Высиживать' has similar conjugations but is less common in perfective forms. 'Развивать' is invariable in some aspects and can be used in imperfective contexts without major changes.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • вынашивать (vynashivat') - Similar to nurturing, often used for ideas; implies longer development.
  • взращивать (vzrashchivat') - Focuses on growth, especially in metaphorical senses.
• Antonyms:
  • отбрасывать (otbrasyvat') - To discard or abandon an idea.
  • прекращать (prekrashchat') - To stop or terminate development.

Related Phrases:

• Бизнес-инкубатор (Biznes-inkubator) - Business incubator; a program for startup development.
• Высиживать идею (Vysizhivat' ideyu) - To incubate an idea; metaphorical for nurturing concepts.
• Инкубировать проект (Inkubirovat' proekt) - To incubate a project; common in innovation contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Инкубировать' directly mirrors the English 'incubate' in scientific and business contexts, making it a precise equivalent, but it's more formal and borrowed from Western terminology. Use 'высиживать' for literal egg incubation to sound more natural in Russian. Be cautious with context: 'развивать' is broader and can overlap but doesn't always convey the 'incubation' nuance. In spoken Russian, these verbs often appear in imperfective aspects to emphasize ongoing processes. When choosing between translations, opt for 'инкубировать' in professional settings and 'высиживать' in everyday or descriptive ones.

Common Errors:

• Mistaking 'инкубировать' for 'высиживать' in non-biological contexts: Error - "Я высиживаю идею" (incorrect for ideas); Correct - "Я инкубирую идею"; Explanation: 'Высиживать' is specific to physical incubation, leading to confusion in metaphorical uses.
• Overusing the perfective form: Error - "Инкубируйте идею быстро" (implies completion, which is unnatural); Correct - "Инкубируйте идею" in imperfective; Explanation: Russian verbs like these are often imperfective for ongoing actions.
• Gender agreement in past tense: Error - "Она инкубировала проект" (correct), but learners might forget to adjust for female subjects; Explanation: Ensure past tense endings match the subject's gender for accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'инкубировать' is often associated with modern innovation ecosystems, like those in Moscow's Skolkovo tech hub, reflecting Russia's push for technological advancement. Meanwhile, 'высиживать' evokes traditional rural life, such as in folk tales where birds symbolize patience and nurturing, highlighting the blend of old and new in Russian language use.

Related Concepts:

• инновация (innovatsiya)
• выращивание (vyrashchivanie)
• развитие (razvitie)