Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'irrigate'

English Word: irrigate

Key Russian Translations:

• орошать [ɐˈroʂɐtʲ] - [Formal, often used in agricultural or technical contexts]
• ирригировать [ɪrʲɪɡʲɪˈravatʲ] - [Formal, more technical or medical contexts, e.g., in irrigation systems or procedures]

Frequency: Medium (Common in specialized fields like agriculture, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context-specific vocabulary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

орошать: [ɐˈroʂɐtʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'ш' sound is a voiceless retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for English speakers)

ирригировать: [ɪrʲɪɡʲɪˈravatʲ] (Note on ирригировать: The initial 'и' is a short vowel, and the word has a rolling 'р' sound; pronunciation can vary slightly in fast speech)

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Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To supply water to land or plants to promote growth, often in agriculture.

Translation(s) & Context:

• орошать - Used in general agricultural or environmental contexts, such as farming or landscaping.
• ирригировать - Applied in more technical or engineered settings, like irrigation systems or even medical irrigation (e.g., wound cleaning).

Usage Examples:

• Фермеры орошают поля ранним утром, чтобы избежать испарения воды.

  Farmers irrigate the fields early in the morning to avoid water evaporation.

• В засушливых регионах инженеры ирригируют почву с помощью современных систем капельного полива.

  In arid regions, engineers irrigate the soil using modern drip irrigation systems.

• Если не орошать сад timely, растения могут засохнуть от недостатка влаги.

  If you don't irrigate the garden in a timely manner, the plants may dry out from lack of moisture.

• Медицинский персонал ирригирует рану антисептиком для предотвращения инфекции.

  Medical staff irrigate the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection.

• Орошая огород, садовник использует дождевую воду, чтобы сэкономить ресурсы.

  While irrigating the vegetable garden, the gardener uses rainwater to conserve resources.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. "Орошать" is a first-conjugation verb, while "ирригировать" follows second-conjugation rules due to its borrowed nature. Below is a conjugation table for "орошать" in the present tense; "ирригировать" has similar but irregular patterns due to foreign origin.

For "ирригировать": It is less commonly conjugated in everyday speech but follows: ирригирую (I irrigate), ирригируешь (You irrigate), etc. Note that these verbs do not change in gender or number like nouns, but aspect (perfective/imperfective) may require related forms like "орошить" (perfective of орошать).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • поливать (polivat') - More general, meaning to water; often used interchangeably in casual contexts.
  • увлажнять (uvlazhnjat') - Emphasizes moistening, with subtle differences in implying surface-level watering.
• Antonyms:
  • осушать (osushat') - To dry out or drain.
  • засыхать (zasykhat') - To wither or dry up, though not a direct antonym verb.

Related Phrases:

• Система орошения - Irrigation system; commonly used in agricultural discussions.
• Ирригация полей - Field irrigation; refers to large-scale watering techniques.
• Капельный полив - Drip irrigation; a modern, efficient method for watering plants.

Usage Notes:

"Орошать" is the most straightforward and idiomatic translation for "irrigate" in everyday Russian, especially in contexts like farming, while "ирригировать" is preferred in technical or scientific settings due to its Latin roots. English speakers should note that Russian verbs often require perfective aspects for completed actions (e.g., орошить for a finished irrigation). Be mindful of context: in informal speech, simpler synonyms like "поливать" might be used. When choosing between translations, opt for "орошать" for naturalness unless the scenario is highly technical.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "орошать" with "поливать" and using it incorrectly in non-agricultural contexts. For example, learners might say "Я орошаю цветы" when "поливаю" is more appropriate for watering house plants.

  Correct: Я поливаю цветы (I water the flowers). Explanation: "Орошать" implies systematic or large-scale irrigation, so it's better reserved for fields or landscapes.

• Error: Forgetting verb conjugation, such as using the infinitive form in a sentence where a conjugated form is needed, e.g., "Фермеры орошать поля" instead of "Фермеры орошают поля."

  Correct: Фермеры орошают поля. Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject in person and number, unlike English where the base form can sometimes suffice.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, irrigation is a vital part of agriculture due to the country's vast arid regions, such as in Siberia or the southern steppes. The concept ties into historical practices like those in the Soviet era, where large-scale irrigation projects were emphasized for food security. Words like "орошать" carry connotations of resource management in a country with extreme climates, reflecting cultural values of endurance and innovation in farming.

Related Concepts:

• Полив (poliv) - Watering
• Засуха (zasukha) - Drought
• Фермерство (fermerstvo) - Farming