Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'mesmerise'

English Word: mesmerise

Key Russian Translations:

• завораживать [zəvɐˈraʐɨvətʲ] - [Informal; commonly used in everyday contexts to describe captivating attention]
• гипнотизировать [ɡipnoˈtizirəvətʲ] - [Formal; often used in psychological or professional settings]

Frequency: Medium (This verb appears regularly in literature and media but is not among the most common everyday words in Russian.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced contexts. For 'завораживать', it may be slightly easier at B1, while 'гипнотизировать' could reach B2 due to its formal connotations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

завораживать: [zəvɐˈraʐɨvətʲ]

Note on завораживать: The stress falls on the third syllable ('ra'), and the 'zh' sound (as in 'measure') can be tricky for English speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

гипнотизировать: [ɡipnoˈtizirəvətʲ]

Note on гипнотизировать: The initial 'g' is pronounced as a hard 'g' (like in 'go'), and the word has a rolling rhythm; practice with native audio for the soft 't' sounds.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To captivate or hold someone's attention in a spellbinding way.

Translation(s) & Context:

• завораживать - Used in informal or artistic contexts, such as describing a performance or story that enchants the listener.
• гипнотизировать - Applied in more formal or literal contexts, like hypnosis or intense psychological influence.

Usage Examples:

• Его магическое шоу завораживает зрителей каждый вечер.

  His magic show mesmerizes the audience every evening.

• Красивый пейзаж завораживает путешественников, заставляя их забыть о времени.

  The beautiful landscape mesmerizes travelers, making them forget about time.

• Оратор гипнотизирует толпу своей харизмой и убедительными аргументами.

  The speaker mesmerizes the crowd with his charisma and convincing arguments.

• Эта книга завораживает читателя с первой страницы своим интригующим сюжетом.

  This book mesmerizes the reader from the first page with its intriguing plot.

• Гипнотизирующий ритм музыки заставляет танцоров двигаться в унисон.

  The mesmerizing rhythm of the music makes the dancers move in unison.

Meaning 2: To hypnotize or induce a trance-like state (more literal sense).

Translation(s) & Context:

• гипнотизировать - Primarily used in medical, psychological, or metaphorical contexts involving control or fascination.

Usage Examples:

• Психолог пытается гипнотизировать пациента, чтобы помочь с терапией.

  The psychologist tries to mesmerize the patient to assist with therapy.

• Её глаза гипнотизируют, как будто она обладает сверхъестественной силой.

  Her eyes mesmerize as if she possesses supernatural power.

• В фильме актёр гипнотизирует зрителей своей ролью злодея.

  In the film, the actor mesmerizes viewers with his role as the villain.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. 'Завораживать' and 'гипнотизировать' are imperfective verbs, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a conjugation table for the present tense as an example; they are regular but follow standard patterns.

Note: These verbs have imperfective aspects; perfective forms exist (e.g., заворожить for 'завораживать'), but they are not the primary translations here. They do not have irregular inflections.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: зачаровывать (more magical connotation), очаровывать (charming or enchanting, often with a positive emotional nuance)
• Antonyms: отпугивать (to repel or scare away), разочаровывать (to disappoint)

Related Phrases:

• завораживающий взгляд - A mesmerizing gaze; used to describe an intense, captivating look that holds attention.
• гипнотизирующий эффект - A hypnotic effect; refers to something that induces a trance-like state or deep fascination.
• завораживать душу - To mesmerize the soul; a poetic phrase for something profoundly captivating on an emotional level.

Usage Notes:

'Mesmerise' corresponds closely to 'завораживать' in informal settings, where it implies fascination without literal hypnosis, while 'гипнотизировать' is better for formal or psychological contexts. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use imperfective forms like these for ongoing actions. In everyday speech, 'завораживать' is preferred for artistic or emotional descriptions, whereas 'гипнотизировать' might carry a more clinical tone. Choose based on context to avoid sounding overly formal or dramatic.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'завораживать' with 'очаровывать' and using them interchangeably. Correct: 'Очаровывать' implies charm and positivity, while 'завораживать' suggests a deeper, more intense captivation. Example of error: Saying 'Я очаровываю аудиторию' when meaning to mesmerize; correct: 'Я завораживаю аудиторию' for a spellbinding effect.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying 'завораживаеты' instead of 'завораживаешь'. Correct: Always conjugate based on person and number, as shown in the table above. This is a common mistake for English learners due to Russian's complex verb endings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'завораживать' often appear in literature and folklore, evoking themes of magic or enchantment, as seen in fairy tales by authors like Pushkin. 'Гипнотизировать' may reference historical figures like Franz Mesmer, whose ideas influenced Russian psychology, adding a layer of intellectual depth to its usage.

Related Concepts:

• гипноз
• очарование
• зачарованный