Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ingest'

English Word: ingest

Key Russian Translations:

• проглатывать [prɐˈɡlatɨvətʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday contexts like eating or swallowing]
• поглощать [pɐˈɡloʂːatʲ] - [Formal, often in scientific or metaphorical contexts]
• усваивать [usˈvaivatʲ] - [Neutral, emphasizing absorption or assimilation in biological or educational contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This verb and its variants appear regularly in everyday Russian, especially in health, biology, and casual speech, but not as common as basic verbs like есть [to eat].)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp basic conjugations, but irregular aspects may require practice. For 'проглатывать', it's straightforward; for 'поглощать', nuances in formal usage might push it to B2.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

проглатывать: [prɐˈɡlatɨvətʲ]

поглощать: [pɐˈɡloʂːatʲ] (Note the soft 'ш' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers; it's similar to the 'sh' in 'sheep' but softer.)

усваивать: [usˈvaivatʲ] (Note on усваивать: The stress is on the second syllable, and the 'в' sound is pronounced as a voiced labiodental fricative; common in rapid speech.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To take in or absorb substances, especially food or medicine, into the body

Translation(s) & Context:

• проглатывать - Used in informal, everyday situations, such as swallowing food quickly (e.g., in casual meals or when in a hurry).
• поглощать - Applied in formal or scientific contexts, like ingesting nutrients or absorbing information metaphorically.
• усваивать - Common in educational or biological contexts, focusing on the process of assimilation after ingestion.

Usage Examples:

• Он проглатывает таблетку без воды, чтобы быстрее почувствовать эффект.

  He ingests the pill without water to feel the effect faster.

• Дети поглощают витамины во время еды, чтобы укрепить иммунитет.

  Children ingest vitamins during meals to strengthen their immunity.

• Организм усваивает питательные вещества из пищи в течение нескольких часов.

  The body ingests and assimilates nutrients from food over several hours.

• В экстренных ситуациях люди проглатывают лекарства прямо на улице.

  In emergency situations, people ingest medicine right on the street.

• Учёные изучают, как поглощать токсины без вреда для здоровья.

  Scientists study how to ingest toxins without harming health.

Secondary Meaning: To absorb or take in information or ideas metaphorically

Translation(s) & Context:

• усваивать - Often used in learning contexts, implying internalization of knowledge.
• поглощать - In metaphorical senses, like being engrossed in a book or idea.

Usage Examples:

• Студент усваивает новый материал во время лекции.

  The student ingests new material during the lecture.

• Она поглощает книги по психологии, чтобы лучше понять себя.

  She ingests books on psychology to better understand herself.

• Дети быстро усваивают иностранные слова через игры.

  Children quickly ingest foreign words through games.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. These are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions.

For 'проглатывать' (imperfective):

Similar patterns apply to 'поглощать' and 'усваивать', with slight irregularities in stem changes. These verbs do not change in gender or case like nouns do.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • поесть (to eat, more specific to consuming food)
  • впитывать (to absorb, with a focus on liquids or ideas; differs from проглатывать by implying passive intake)
  • принимать (to take, as in medication; often interchangeable in medical contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • выводить (to excrete or eliminate)
  • отвергать (to reject, metaphorically)

Related Phrases:

• Проглатывать целиком - To swallow whole (used for food or pills; implies not chewing).
• Поглощать информацию - To absorb information (common in educational settings; emphasizes rapid learning).
• Усваивать пищу - To digest food (focuses on the post-ingestion process in health contexts).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'ingest' translations like проглатывать are more literal and action-oriented, often implying a physical act, whereas поглощать can be metaphorical. Choose проглатывать for informal daily use and поглощать for formal or scientific writing. Be mindful of aspect: these are imperfective, so pair with perfective forms like проглотить for completed actions. English speakers might confuse it with есть (to eat), but ingest is broader and less about enjoyment.

• Context matters: In medical scenarios, усваивать is preferred for assimilation.
• Grammar tip: Always conjugate based on subject; no passive voice without additional verbs.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse проглатывать by treating it as a perfective verb, e.g., saying "Я проглатываю вчера" (incorrect; should be "Я проглатывал вчера" for past tense). Correct usage: Incorrect: "Он проглатывает таблетку каждый день" (if implying a single event); Correct: Use the perfective проглотить for completed actions, e.g., "Он проглотил таблетку". Another error is overusing поглощать in casual speech, which sounds overly formal—opt for проглатывать instead.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, ingesting food quickly (as in проглатывать) is sometimes associated with busy urban life or historical contexts like wartime scarcity, where meals were rushed. This contrasts with the more leisurely, social aspect of eating in Russian traditions, emphasizing that ingestion isn't just physical but tied to community and hospitality.

Related Concepts:

• питание (nutrition)
• усвоение (assimilation)
• травление (digestion)