Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'murmur'

English Word: murmur

Key Russian Translations:

• шепот [ʂɨˈpot] - [Noun, Informal, Used in everyday conversations for soft, low-volume speech]
• шептать [ʂɨpˈtatʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Used to describe the act of speaking quietly]
• бормотание [bɐrmɐˈtanʲje] - [Noun, Informal, Plural possible, Used for indistinct or mumbling speech]

Frequency: Medium (Common in casual dialogue but not as frequent as basic verbs like "говорить")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian noun and verb conjugations, but accessible after basic grammar is learned)

Pronunciation (Russian):

шепот: [ʂɨˈpot]

Note on шепот: The initial 'ш' sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to the 'sh' in English "she," but with a more retroflex quality. Stress falls on the second syllable.

шептать: [ʂɨpˈtatʲ]

Note on шептать: The verb ending '-ать' softens in conjugation; pay attention to the palatalized 'тʲ' sound, which is common in Russian verbs.

бормотание: [bɐrmɐˈtanʲje]

Note on бормотание: The 'о' in the first syllable is reduced to a neutral vowel in fast speech, a typical feature of unstressed vowels in Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

As a noun: A low, indistinct, continuous sound, often referring to quiet speech.

Translation(s) & Context:

• шепот - Used in informal settings, such as whispering secrets or in quiet environments to avoid disturbance.
• бормотание - Applied in contexts of unclear or muttering speech, like someone talking to themselves.

Usage Examples:

• В библиотеке все говорили шепотом, чтобы не мешать другим.

  In the library, everyone spoke in a murmur to not disturb others.

• Дети шептали друг другу секреты во время урока.

  The children murmured secrets to each other during the lesson.

• Его бормотание было едва слышно в шумной комнате.

  His murmur was barely audible in the noisy room.

• Под покровом ночи она услышала шепот в саду.

  Under the cover of night, she heard a murmur in the garden.

• Он начал шептать молитву, когда увидел тень.

  He started to murmur a prayer when he saw the shadow.

As a verb: To speak in a low, soft voice, often indistinctly.

Translation(s) & Context:

• шептать - Common in narrative or descriptive contexts, such as in literature or casual storytelling.

Usage Examples:

• Не шептай, говори громче, чтобы все слышали.

  Don't murmur; speak louder so everyone can hear.

• Она шептала слова утешения своему другу.

  She murmured words of comfort to her friend.

• В толпе люди шептали о предстоящем событии.

  In the crowd, people were murmuring about the upcoming event.

• Он шептал имя любимой, глядя на звезды.

  He murmured his beloved's name while gazing at the stars.

• Дети шептали шутки, чтобы не рассмешить учителя.

  The children murmured jokes to avoid making the teacher laugh.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "шепот" (a masculine noun), it follows standard first-declension patterns with regular inflections for cases and numbers. It does not have irregularities.

For "шептать" (a verb of the first conjugation), it has regular inflections across tenses, persons, and aspects. Present tense example:

"бормотание" (a neuter noun) is invariable in its base form but follows standard neuter declension patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: бормоток (similar to indistinct mumbling, often used for animal sounds), шевеление (slight movement with sound)
• Antonyms: крик (loud shout, opposite of quiet speech)

Related Phrases:

• На ухо шепотом - Whisper in the ear; used for confidential or secretive communication.
• Шепот ветра - Murmur of the wind; a poetic phrase for natural sounds.
• Шептать молитву - To murmur a prayer; common in religious or reflective contexts.

Usage Notes:

"Шепот" directly corresponds to the noun form of "murmur" in English, emphasizing soft, low-volume speech, while "шептать" aligns with the verb form. Use "шепот" in informal or narrative contexts, but avoid it in formal writing where more precise terms like "тихие слова" might be preferred. For verbs, "шептать" is imperfective, implying ongoing action, so pair it with aspects like perfective "прошептать" for completed actions. When choosing between translations, select based on context: "бормотание" for unclear muttering versus "шепот" for intentional quietness.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing "шепот" with "шёпот" (an archaic or poetic variant) and using it incorrectly in modern speech. Correct: Stick to "шепот" in standard contexts; for example, incorrect: "Я слышал шёпот в ночи" (if not literary), correct: "Я слышал шепот в ночи".
• Mistake: Overusing "шептать" without proper conjugation, e.g., saying "он шептать" instead of "он шепчет". Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject; always conjugate based on person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "шепот" often appears in literature and folklore as a symbol of intimacy or secrecy, such as in fairy tales where characters whisper spells. This reflects a broader cultural emphasis on oral traditions and the subtleties of communication in close-knit communities.

Related Concepts:

• голос (voice)
• тишина (silence)
• бормотать (to mumble)