Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'injure'

English Word: injure

Key Russian Translations:

• ранить [ˈranʲɪtʲ] - [Formal; Often used for wounds from weapons or sharp objects]
• травмировать [trəfˈmʲɪrəvətʲ] - [Formal; Commonly used in medical or accidental contexts]
• повредить [pɐfˈrʲedʲɪtʲ] - [Formal or Informal; Applies to physical damage, including injuries]

Frequency: Medium - These verbs appear regularly in everyday language, especially in news, medical discussions, and narratives, but are not as common as basic verbs like "быть" (to be).

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate) - Learners need to grasp verb conjugations and context-specific usage; "ранить" and "травмировать" may be slightly more challenging due to irregular aspects, while "повредить" is more straightforward.

Pronunciation (Russian):

ранить: [ˈranʲɪtʲ]

Note on ранить: The soft 'н' sound ([nʲ]) can be tricky for English speakers; emphasize the stress on the first syllable. Variations may occur in dialects.

травмировать: [trəfˈmʲɪrəvətʲ]

Note on травмировать: Pay attention to the rolled 'р' and the soft 'мʲ'; this word often has a faster pronunciation in casual speech.

повредить: [pɐfˈrʲedʲɪtʲ]

Note on повредить: The 'е' is pronounced as a schwa-like sound; stress is on the second syllable, which is common in perfective verbs.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To cause physical harm or injury

Translation(s) & Context:

• ранить - Used in contexts involving deliberate or accidental wounds, such as in battles or accidents.
• травмировать - Applied in medical scenarios, like sports injuries or psychological harm.
• повредить - General for any form of damage, including minor injuries to objects or people.

Usage Examples:

• Вчера на тренировке он ранил ногу об острый камень.

  Yesterday during training, he injured his leg on a sharp stone.

• Автомобильная авария травмировала нескольких пассажиров.

  The car accident injured several passengers.

• Падение с велосипеда повредило её запястье.

  Falling off the bicycle injured her wrist.

• Во время игры в футбол игрок ранил оппонента нечаянно.

  During the soccer game, the player accidentally injured his opponent.

• Зима часто травмирует деревья, повреждая их кору.

  Winter often injures trees by damaging their bark.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, primarily perfective or imperfective, and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. "Ранить" and "травмировать" are imperfective verbs, while "повредить" is often used in its perfective form. Below is a table for the infinitive and key conjugated forms:

Note: These verbs conjugate based on aspect, person, number, and gender. "Повредить" is irregular in some forms due to its perfective nature and does not change in the present tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ушибить - Similar to "injure" but for bruises; less severe than ранить.
  • наносить вред - A phrase meaning "to cause harm," more general and formal.
  • калечить - For severe, permanent injury; implies disfigurement.
• Antonyms:
  • исцелять - To heal or cure.
  • восстанавливать - To restore or recover from injury.

Related Phrases:

• получить ранение - To sustain an injury (e.g., in combat); literal translation: "to receive a wound."
• травмировать себя - To injure oneself (e.g., in sports); implies self-inflicted harm.
• повредить здоровье - To harm one's health; used in medical or lifestyle contexts.

Usage Notes:

In English, "injure" typically refers to physical harm, and its Russian equivalents align closely but vary by context. For instance, use "ранить" for intentional or weapon-related injuries, "травмировать" in professional medical settings, and "повредить" for general or object-related damage. Be mindful of aspect: Russian verbs distinguish between imperfective (ongoing action) and perfective (completed action). English learners should choose based on sentence intent—e.g., "I injure" vs. "I will injure." Additionally, these verbs often require prepositions in phrases, like "ранить в ногу" (injure in the leg), to specify the body part.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "ранить" interchangeably with "травмировать" without considering context. For example, an English learner might say "Я ранил себя в аварии" when "травмировал" is more appropriate for accidents. Correct: "Я травмировал себя в аварии." Explanation: "Ранить" implies a cutting or piercing wound, while "травмировать" covers blunt force trauma.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb aspect, e.g., using the imperfective "ранить" where a perfective form is needed. Incorrect: "Я раню его завтра" (if implying a completed action). Correct: Use the perfective equivalent like "повредить." Explanation: Russian requires aspect agreement for tense and meaning.
• Mistake: Overusing "повредить" for people when it's better for objects. Incorrect: "Он повредил друга" (sounds like damaging an object). Correct: "Он ранил друга." Explanation: Reserve "повредить" for tangible damage to avoid awkward phrasing.

Cultural Notes:

The word "ранить" often carries a historical or military connotation in Russian culture, stemming from Russia's history of wars and conflicts. For example, it's frequently used in literature and media related to World War II or modern conflicts, evoking themes of heroism and sacrifice. This can add emotional depth in narratives, unlike the more neutral "injure" in English.

Related Concepts:

• лечение
• восстановление
• травма