Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'lick'

English Word: lick

Key Russian Translations:

• лизать (/lʲɪˈzatʲ/) - [Informal; used in everyday contexts, such as with animals or food]
• облизывать (/ɐblʲɪˈzɨvatʲ/) - [Formal or descriptive; implies a more thorough or repeated action]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in spoken language, especially in casual conversations about eating or animals, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "eat").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves verb conjugations and aspects, which can be challenging for learners at A2 level, but the vocabulary itself is straightforward).

Pronunciation (Russian):

лизать: /lʲɪˈzatʲ/ (The 'л' is palatalized, making it sound softer; stress on the second syllable.)

облизывать: /ɐblʲɪˈzɨvatʲ/ (Palatalized 'л' and a soft 'ы' sound; stress on the third syllable, with a focus on the prefix 'об-'.)

Note on лизать: Be cautious with the palatalization of 'л'—it's a common difficulty for English speakers, as English lacks this exact sound. Practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To pass the tongue over a surface, often for tasting or cleaning.

Translation(s) & Context:

• лизать - Used in informal contexts, such as describing an animal's behavior or a child's action with food.
• облизывать - Applied in more descriptive or formal scenarios, like in literature or when emphasizing repetition.

Usage Examples:

• Собака лижет мороженое с тарелки. (The dog is licking the ice cream off the plate.)

  English Translation: The dog is licking the ice cream off the plate. (This example shows the verb in a simple present context with an animal subject.)

• Дети облизывают конфеты, чтобы они дольше продержались. (The children are licking the candies to make them last longer.)

  English Translation: The children are licking the candies to make them last longer. (Illustrates a repetitive action in an everyday, playful scenario.)

• Он лижет пальцы после еды, но это невежливо. (He licks his fingers after eating, but it's rude.)

  English Translation: He licks his fingers after eating, but it's rude. (Demonstrates the verb in a social context with a negative connotation.)

• В зоопарке львы облизывают свои шкуры для чистоты. (In the zoo, the lions are licking their fur to clean it.)

  English Translation: In the zoo, the lions are licking their fur to clean it. (Shows usage in a natural, observational context.)

• Она облизывает конверт перед тем, как заклеить. (She licks the envelope before sealing it.)

  English Translation: She licks the envelope before sealing it. (Example in a practical, human activity context.)

Secondary Meaning: Figurative use, e.g., to flatter or fawn over someone (less common, but possible in idiomatic expressions).

Translation(s) & Context:

• лизать (figuratively) - In informal slang, to mean excessive flattery, often with a negative tone.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда лижет начальнику, чтобы получить повышение. (He always flatters the boss to get a promotion.)

  English Translation: He always flatters the boss to get a promotion. (This shows a figurative use in a professional context.)

• Не нужно лизать мне, просто скажи правду. (Don't flatter me; just tell the truth.)

  English Translation: Don't flatter me; just tell the truth. (Illustrates rejection of insincere behavior.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "лизать" and "облизывать" are verbs, so they follow Russian imperfective aspect patterns. "лизать" is imperfective and irregular in some conjugations, while "облизывать" is also imperfective but prefixed, affecting its forms.

Note: These verbs do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form but conjugate based on tense, person, and number as shown.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • облизнуть (a perfective form, implying completion)
  • полизать (informal variant, often used regionally)

  Note: "облизнуть" is more precise for a single action, while "полизать" may imply a partial lick in casual speech.

• Antonyms:
  • не касаться (not to touch)
  • отталкивать (to push away)

Related Phrases:

• лизать пальцы (lick one's fingers) - A phrase meaning to enjoy food immensely, often used idiomatically to describe something delicious.
• облизывать губы (lick one's lips) - Refers to anticipation or greed, as in "He was licking his lips at the sight of the cake."
• лизать зад (slang for brown-nosing) - A vulgar expression for excessive flattery, used in informal or derogatory contexts.

Usage Notes:

• The English word "lick" most directly corresponds to "лизать" in casual settings, but choose "облизывать" for more emphatic or formal descriptions to convey thoroughness.
• Be mindful of context: In Russian, these verbs can carry negative connotations in social situations (e.g., licking fingers is seen as rude), so use them carefully in polite conversation.
• Grammar note: Always consider the aspect—imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective forms like "облизнуть" for completed ones.
• When multiple translations exist, select based on nuance: "лизать" for simplicity, "облизывать" for detail.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "лизать" in formal writing without context, which can sound too casual. Correct: Opt for "облизывать" or rephrase. Example of error: "В ресторане лизать еду" (incorrectly casual). Correct: "В ресторане облизывать еду аккуратно" (more appropriate).
• Error: Misconjugating the verb, e.g., saying "лижетс" instead of "лижет". Explanation: Russian verbs require precise endings based on person and number; practice conjugation tables to avoid this.
• Error: Confusing with similar verbs like "лизнуть" (a slangy perfective form). Correct: Use "лизать" for imperfective actions to maintain accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, actions like licking fingers are often viewed as uncivilized or childish, stemming from historical emphasis on table manners in Slavic traditions. Figurative uses, such as in flattery, reflect a cultural wariness of insincerity, influenced by literary works like those of Chekhov, where such behaviors are satirized.

Related Concepts:

• кушать (to eat)
• облизывать губы (as a phrase)
• лапать (to paw or touch roughly)