Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'infest'

English Word: infest

Key Russian Translations:

• населять [nəˈsʲe.lʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, used for general infestation or habitation]
• поражать [pɐˈra.ʐatʲ] - [Informal, Plural forms common, used specifically for pests or diseases]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations appear in everyday contexts like environmental or health discussions, but not as common as basic verbs.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context, as per CEFR standards. For 'населять', it's B1; for 'поражать', it's A2 if basic, but B1 for nuanced uses.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

населять: [nəˈsʲe.lʲɪtʲ]

Note on населять: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

поражать: [pɐˈra.ʐatʲ]

Note on поражать: The 'ж' is a voiced fricative; it may vary slightly in fast speech. Common in plural contexts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To be present in large numbers and cause harm or annoyance, especially with pests or invasive organisms

Translation(s) & Context:

• поражать - Used in contexts involving diseases, insects, or unwanted invasions, such as in environmental or medical scenarios.
• населять - Applied more broadly for habitation or filling spaces, but can imply negative infestation in formal writing.

Usage Examples:

• Дом поражен муравьями, и это создает проблемы для жителей.

  The house is infested with ants, and it's causing problems for the residents.

• Река населяется вредными водорослями из-за загрязнения.

  The river is infested with harmful algae due to pollution.

• Поля поражали саранчой каждый год, что приводило к убыткам.

  The fields were infested with locusts every year, leading to losses.

• Город населяют крысы, требующие немедленных мер.

  The city is infested with rats, requiring immediate action.

• Лес поражался грибком, уничтожая древние деревья.

  The forest was infested with fungus, destroying ancient trees.

Meaning 2: To fill or overrun a place metaphorically, such as with ideas or problems

Translation(s) & Context:

• населять - In metaphorical contexts, like social or psychological issues, often in formal or literary language.

Usage Examples:

• Его разум населяют сомнения, мешающие принять решение.

  His mind is infested with doubts, preventing him from making a decision.

• Сеть населяют фейковые новости, что дезориентирует пользователей.

  The internet is infested with fake news, disorienting users.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'населять' and 'поражать' are verbs, so they follow standard Russian verb conjugation patterns. 'Населять' is imperfective, while 'поражать' can be used in both imperfective and perfective forms (e.g., 'поражать' vs. 'поразить'). Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a conjugation table for 'поражать' (imperfective) as an example:

For 'населять', it follows a similar pattern but is less irregular. It does not change in most cases beyond standard conjugation and is invariant in its base form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • заселять (similar but more neutral, often for peaceful habitation)
  • наполнять (fills a space, with subtle differences in connotation)
• Antonyms:
  • очищать (to clean or clear out)
  • избавляться (to get rid of)

Related Phrases:

• пораженный вредителями - Refers to something infested with pests; used in agricultural or health contexts.
• населять пространство - Means to inhabit or fill a space, often metaphorically for overcrowding.
• заселение насекомыми - Describes the process of infestation by insects; common in environmental discussions.

Usage Notes:

'Infest' corresponds closely to 'поражать' in contexts of harm or invasion, but 'населять' is better for broader or less aggressive filling. Use 'поражать' in informal speech for pests, as it's more vivid, while 'населять' suits formal writing. Be mindful of aspect: Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms, so pair with the correct aspect based on context (e.g., ongoing vs. completed action). When choosing between translations, opt for 'поражать' if the infestation implies damage, as in English.

Common Errors:

• Common mistake: English learners often confuse 'поражать' with 'поражать' in the wrong aspect, e.g., using the imperfective 'поражаю' when a perfective like 'поразил' is needed for a completed action. Incorrect: "Я поражаю дом" (implying ongoing). Correct: "Я поразил дом" for a finished infestation. This error stems from not distinguishing verb aspects in Russian.

• Another error: Misusing 'населять' for positive contexts, like habitation, when 'infest' implies negativity. Incorrect: "Дом населяют люди" (neutral). Correct for 'infest': "Дом поражает мусор" to convey harm.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'поражать' often appear in contexts of environmental challenges, such as pest infestations in rural areas, reflecting historical agricultural struggles. This can evoke themes from Russian literature, like in Tolstoy's works, where nature's invasions symbolize broader societal issues, adding a layer of poetic depth.

Related Concepts:

• инфекция (infection)
• вредители (pests)
• загрязнение (pollution)