Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'inundate'

English Word: inundate

Key Russian Translations:

• затопить [zəˈtopʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, used for literal or metaphorical flooding]
• завалить [zɐvɐˈlʲitʲ] - [Informal, used for overwhelming with tasks or information]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in contexts like natural disasters, work overload, or metaphorical usage, but not everyday casual speech).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and context-dependent usage. For 'затопить', it's slightly easier due to regular patterns; for 'завалить', it may vary based on regional dialects, pushing towards B2+).

Pronunciation (Russian):

затопить: [zəˈtopʲɪtʲ]

Note on затопить: The stress falls on the second syllable ('to-PIT'). Pay attention to the palatalized 't' sound, which is common in Russian verbs. Variations may occur in fast speech.

завалить: [zɐvɐˈlʲitʲ]

Note on завалить: Stress on the third syllable ('za-va-LIT'). The 'lʲ' is a soft 'l' sound, which can be tricky for beginners; practice with native speakers for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To flood or overwhelm with water (literal sense).

Translation(s) & Context:

• затопить - Used in contexts involving natural disasters or physical flooding, such as rivers overflowing. Common in formal or emergency discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: В прошлом году река затопила несколько деревень. (V proshlom godu reka zatopila neskolko dereven.)

  English: Last year, the river inundated several villages.

• Русский: Дождь был так сильным, что он затопил улицы города. (Dozhd byl tak silnym, chto on zatopil ulitsy goroda.)

  English: The rain was so heavy that it inundated the city's streets.

• Русский: Если не починить дамбу, она может затопить всю долину. (Esli ne pochinit dambu, ona mozhet zatopit vsyu dolinu.)

  English: If we don't fix the dam, it could inundate the entire valley.

• Русский: Волны во время шторма затопили пристань. (Volny vo vremya shtorma zatopili pristань.)

  English: The waves during the storm inundated the dock.

Meaning 2: To overwhelm with a large amount of something (metaphorical sense, e.g., information or work).

Translation(s) & Context:

• завалить - Informal and versatile, often used in everyday conversations about being overloaded, such as with emails or assignments. Avoid in formal writing.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Работа завалила меня на целую неделю. (Rabota zavalila menya na tselu yu nedelyu.)

  English: Work inundated me for an entire week.

• Русский: Социальные сети завалили меня уведомлениями. (Sotsialnye seti zavalili menya uvedomleniyami.)

  English: Social media inundated me with notifications.

• Русский: Экзамены завалили студентов дополнительными заданиями. (Ekzameny zavalili studentov dopolnitelnymi zadaniyami.)

  English: Exams inundated students with extra assignments.

• Русский: Новые правила завалили компанию бумажной работой. (Novye pravila zavalili kompaniyu bumazhnoi rabotoi.)

  English: The new rules inundated the company with paperwork.

• Русский: Интернет завалил меня рекламой. (Internet zavalil menya reklamoi.)

  English: The internet inundated me with ads.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'затопить' and 'завалить' are Russian verbs of the first conjugation, which means they follow regular patterns but can have irregularities in certain forms. They are imperfective verbs, often paired with perfective counterparts for aspectual pairs (e.g., 'затопить' is imperfective; its perfective form is 'затопить' in some contexts, but more commonly 'затопить' implies completion).

For 'затопить' (to flood):

For 'завалить' (to overwhelm):

These verbs do not change irregularly but require attention to aspect (imperfective vs. perfective) in Russian sentences. If unchanging in certain contexts, it's due to infinitive or imperative forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • затопить: потопить (potopit') - Similar but often implies sinking; used in nautical contexts.
  • завалить: захлестнуть (zakhlesnut') - Implies being swept away, more poetic for overwhelming emotions.
• Antonyms:
  • освободить (osvobodit') - To free or relieve from overload.
  • осушить (osushit') - To dry up or drain, opposite of flooding.

Related Phrases:

• Затопить город (Zatopit gorod) - To flood a city; used in disaster scenarios, e.g., referring to urban flooding events.
• Завалить работой (Zavalit rabotoi) - To overwhelm with work; common in professional contexts to describe heavy workloads.
• Затопить информацией (Zatopit informatsiei) - To inundate with information; metaphorical for information overload in modern life.

Usage Notes:

'Inundate' translates most directly to 'затопить' for literal flooding and 'завалить' for metaphorical overwhelming. Choose 'затопить' in formal or environmental contexts, as it's more precise for water-related scenarios. 'Завалить' is ideal for informal, everyday situations like work or digital overload, but avoid it in official documents. Grammatically, both verbs require agreement with the subject in tense and aspect; always pair with the appropriate perfective form (e.g., 'затопить' for ongoing action). English learners should note that Russian verbs often imply directionality, so context is key for accurate usage.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'затопить' interchangeably with 'завалить' without considering formality. For example, an English learner might say "Я затопил работой" instead of "Я завалил работой."
  Correct: "Я завалил работой" (I was inundated with work). Explanation: 'Затопить' implies literal water, which doesn't fit metaphorical contexts, leading to confusion.
• Mistake: Incorrect verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Я затопить" instead of "Я затоплю" in the future tense.
  Correct: "Я затоплю дом" (I will inundate the house). Explanation: Russian verbs must be conjugated based on person and tense; omitting this makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, words like 'затопить' often evoke historical events such as the frequent flooding of cities like St. Petersburg, which has a rich history of battling waters from the Neva River. This can carry connotations of resilience and national identity, making it more than just a literal term—it's tied to cultural narratives of endurance against natural forces.

Related Concepts:

• наводнение (navodnenie) - Flood
• затопление (zatoplenie) - Inundation or flooding event
• перегрузка (peregruzka) - Overload (especially in digital or work contexts)