Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'leak'

English Word: leak

Key Russian Translations:

• утечка [uˈtʲetʂkə] - [Formal, Noun, Used in contexts of physical or information leaks]
• протекать [prəˈtʲekətʲ] - [Informal/Formal, Verb, Used in ongoing processes like leaking liquids or secrets]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday contexts like plumbing or news, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of noun cases and verb conjugations, but accessible with basic Russian grammar knowledge).

Pronunciation (Russian):

утечка: [uˈtʲetʂkə]

протекать: [prəˈtʲekətʲ]

Note on утечка: The "ч" sound is a soft palatal fricative, similar to the "ch" in "loch" in Scottish English; stress is on the second syllable. Variations may occur in dialects.

Note on протекать: The verb has aspectual pairs; the imperfective form is stressed on the second syllable, which can be tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As a noun, referring to an unintended escape of liquid, gas, or information.

Translation(s) & Context:

• утечка - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as environmental disasters or data breaches (e.g., in news reports or engineering).

Usage Examples:

• В доме произошла утечка газа. (V dome proizosla utechka gaza.)

  There was a gas leak in the house. (This example shows the noun in a real-life emergency scenario.)

• Правительственная утечка документов шокировала общественность. (Pravitel'stvennaya utechka dokumentov shokirovala obschestvennost'.)

  The government document leak shocked the public. (Illustrates use in informational contexts, highlighting modern media.)

• Из-за утечки воды в трубе пришлось вызвать сантехника. (Iz-za utechki vody v trube prishlos' vyzvat' santyexnika.)

  Due to the water leak in the pipe, we had to call a plumber. (Demonstrates everyday household usage with prepositional phrases.)

• Утечка нефти в океане привела к экологической катастрофе. (Utechka nefti v okeane privela k ekologicheskoy katastrofe.)

  The oil leak in the ocean led to an environmental disaster. (Shows application in broader environmental discussions.)

Meaning 2: As a verb, referring to the act of escaping or divulging something gradually.

Translation(s) & Context:

• протекать - Used for ongoing actions, such as a persistent leak or the slow release of information (e.g., in narratives or descriptions).

Usage Examples:

• Крыша протекает во время дождя. (Krysha protekaet vo vremya dozhdya.)

  The roof leaks during rain. (This example illustrates the verb in a simple, physical context with imperfective aspect.)

• Информация начала протекать в прессу. (Informatsiya nachala protekat' v pressu.)

  Information started leaking to the press. (Shows use in media or espionage scenarios, emphasizing gradual action.)

• Если труба протечёт, это может вызвать затопление. (Yesli truba protechot, eto mozhet vyzvat' zatopleniye.)

  If the pipe leaks, it could cause flooding. (Demonstrates conditional structures and potential outcomes.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For утечка (feminine noun, 1st declension), it follows standard Russian noun inflections. It is a regular noun with changes based on case and number.

For протекать (imperfective verb), it conjugates regularly in the present tense and has aspectual pairs (e.g., perfective: протечь). Example conjugation in present tense:

Note: This verb is imperfective, so it describes ongoing actions; use with caution in perfective contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • разрыв (razryv) - Similar for breaks or ruptures, but more mechanical.
  • вытекание (vytekaniye) - For liquid flows, with a slight emphasis on flowing out.
• Antonyms:
  • заделка (zadelka) - Sealing or fixing a leak.
  • удержание (uderzhaniye) - Retention or holding back, especially for information.

Related Phrases:

• Утечка информации (Utechka informatsii) - Information leak; used in cybersecurity or journalism contexts.
• Протекать кровью (Protekat' krov'yu) - To bleed (literally or figuratively); implies a severe or ongoing leak of blood.
• Предотвратить утечку (Predotvratit' utechku) - To prevent a leak; common in safety protocols with a focus on proactive measures.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "leak" as a noun is most accurately translated as "утечка" in formal settings, while the verb "to leak" aligns with "протекать" for ongoing actions. Be mindful of context: use "утечка" for static events (e.g., a detected problem) and "протекать" for dynamic processes. Russian often requires specifying the aspect (imperfective for ongoing, perfective for completed), which has no direct English equivalent. For example, choose "протекать" over its perfective pair "протечь" when describing something that is happening now. In informal speech, synonyms like "течь" (tech') might be used interchangeably, but "утечка" is preferred in professional or technical English-Russian translations.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "утечка" without proper case agreement, e.g., saying "в утечка" instead of "в утечке".
  Correct: "В утечке газа" (In the gas leak). Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case; here, the prepositional case is required after "в".
• Mistake: Conjugating "протекать" incorrectly in the present tense, e.g., saying "протекаетс" instead of "протекает".
  Correct: "Крыша протекает" (The roof leaks). Explanation: Verbs must follow standard conjugation rules; beginners often omit endings due to English's simpler verb system.
• Mistake: Confusing with similar verbs like "текать" (to flow), leading to misuse in information contexts.
  Correct: Use "протекать" for leaks; "текать" is better for natural flows. Explanation: This can alter the meaning, making sentences sound unnatural or incorrect.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and media, terms like "утечка информации" (information leak) often carry connotations of political intrigue or espionage, influenced by historical events such as Cold War-era secrets. This reflects Russia's emphasis on information control, where leaks can symbolize betrayal or vulnerability, unlike in some Western contexts where they might be seen as whistleblowing triumphs.

Related Concepts:

• разлив (razliv) - Spill or overflow, related to environmental leaks.
• конфиденциальность (konfidentsial'nost') - Confidentiality, linked to information security.
• ремонт (remont) - Repair, often involving fixing leaks in daily life.