Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'nourish'

English Word: nourish

Key Russian Translations:

• питать [ˈpʲitətʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as providing nutrients or fostering ideas]
• взращивать [vzraˈʂʲitʲivətʲ] - [Formal, specifically for cultivating or nurturing growth, e.g., in educational or emotional contexts]
• пестовать [pʲɪˈstavatʲ] - [Formal, often implies careful nurturing, like raising a child or developing a talent]

Frequency: Medium (The verb 'питать' is commonly encountered in everyday Russian, especially in literature and scientific texts, while 'взращивать' and 'пестовать' are less frequent but still standard in formal writing.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate for 'питать' and 'взращивать', as they involve basic verb conjugation; C1 (Advanced) for 'пестовать' due to its nuanced usage and less predictable contexts, per CEFR standards.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

питать: [ˈpʲitətʲ]

взращивать: [vzraˈʂʲitʲivətʲ]

пестовать: [pʲɪˈstavatʲ]

Note on питать: The initial 'п' is aspirated, and the stress falls on the first syllable; be cautious with the soft 'т' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

Note on взращивать: Pronounce the 'щ' as a soft, prolonged 'sh' sound; this verb often has variations in informal speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To provide physical nourishment or sustenance (e.g., feeding or supplying nutrients)

Translation(s) & Context:

• питать - Used in contexts involving literal feeding, such as nutrition or biology; common in formal or scientific discussions.
• кормить (related but less precise) - Informal alternative for basic feeding scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Эта диета помогает питать организм необходимыми витаминами. (This diet helps nourish the body with necessary vitamins.)

  English: This diet helps nourish the body with necessary vitamins.

• Мать тщательно питает младенца молоком. (The mother carefully nourishes the infant with milk.)

  English: The mother carefully nourishes the infant with milk.

• Чтобы растение хорошо росло, его нужно регулярно питать удобрениями. (To make the plant grow well, it needs to be regularly nourished with fertilizers.)

  English: To make the plant grow well, it needs to be regularly nourished with fertilizers.

• Врачи рекомендуют продукты, которые питают сердце и сосуды. (Doctors recommend products that nourish the heart and blood vessels.)

  English: Doctors recommend products that nourish the heart and blood vessels.

Meaning 2: To nurture or foster abstract concepts (e.g., ideas, emotions, or talents)

Translation(s) & Context:

• взращивать - Applied to intellectual or emotional development; often in educational or motivational contexts.
• пестовать - Used for deliberate, careful cultivation, such as in personal growth or artistic endeavors.

Usage Examples:

• Учителя должны взращивать в детях любовь к чтению. (Teachers should nourish a love of reading in children.)

  English: Teachers should nourish a love of reading in children.

• Эта книга помогает пестовать творческое мышление. (This book helps nourish creative thinking.)

  English: This book helps nourish creative thinking.

• Родители пестуют таланты своих детей с раннего возраста. (Parents nourish their children's talents from an early age.)

  English: Parents nourish their children's talents from an early age.

• Общество должно взращивать идеи равенства и справедливости. (Society should nourish ideas of equality and justice.)

  English: Society should nourish ideas of equality and justice.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'питать' (a verb of the first conjugation), it follows regular patterns with variations in tense, aspect, and person. It is imperfective, meaning it describes ongoing actions.

For 'взращивать' and 'пестовать', similar first-conjugation patterns apply, but they are also imperfective and may require perfective pairs like 'взрастить' for completion.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • кормить (more literal, for feeding)
  • лелеять (tender nurturing, with a connotation of affection)
• Antonyms:
  • голодать (to starve, implying deprivation)
  • истреблять (to destroy or eradicate, for abstract concepts)

Related Phrases:

• питать надежды - (To nourish hopes; used in motivational or emotional contexts to describe sustaining optimism.)
• взращивать таланты - (To nourish talents; common in educational settings for developing skills.)
• пестовать традиции - (To nourish traditions; implies careful preservation of cultural practices.)

Usage Notes:

'Питать' directly corresponds to 'nourish' in its literal sense and is versatile for both physical and metaphorical uses, but it's more formal in Russian than everyday English equivalents. Choose 'взращивать' for intellectual growth to emphasize development over time. Be mindful of aspect: use imperfective forms for ongoing actions. In informal speech, 'кормить' might replace 'питать' for simplicity, but it lacks the depth for abstract meanings.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'питать' with 'кормить' and using it incorrectly in casual contexts. Incorrect: "Я кормлю растение" (meant to say 'питать' for nourishment). Correct: "Я питаю растение удобрениями." Explanation: 'Кормить' is for feeding animals or people, while 'питать' is for sustained nourishment; this distinction prevents misuse in scientific or metaphorical scenarios.

• Error: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "питает" for first person. Incorrect: "Я питает." Correct: "Я питаю." Explanation: Russian verbs change based on subject; always match the person and number to avoid grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'питать' often appear in literature and proverbs to symbolize emotional or spiritual sustenance, such as in works by Tolstoy, where nurturing ideas reflects the importance of personal growth amid historical challenges. This underscores Russia's emphasis on resilience and intellectual development.

Related Concepts:

• еда (food)
• рост (growth)
• развитие (development)