Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pinch'

English Word: pinch

Key Russian Translations:

• щипать [ʂɨˈpatʲ] - [Informal, Verb; used for pinching with fingers]
• щепотка [ʂɨˈpotkə] - [Noun; refers to a small amount, like a pinch of spice]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts, especially in cooking and casual interactions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic verb conjugations and noun inflections for щипать, while щепотка is straightforward)

Pronunciation (Russian):

щипать: [ʂɨˈpatʲ]

щепотка: [ʂɨˈpotkə]

Note on щипать: The initial 'щ' sound is a voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds like 'sh' in 'she' but with more palatalization. Variations may occur in dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To squeeze or nip with fingers (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• щипать - Used in informal or everyday situations, such as playfully pinching someone or in descriptions of pain.

Usage Examples:

• Она щипает меня за руку, чтобы привлечь внимание. (Ona ščipaet menja za ruku, čtoby privleč' vnimanie.)

  She pinches me on the arm to get my attention. (This example shows the verb in a casual, interpersonal context.)

• Дети щипают друг друга во время игры. (Deti ščipajut drug druga vo vremja igry.)

  Children pinch each other during play. (Illustrates the verb in a playful, informal setting.)

• Не щипай цветы в саду! (Ne ščipaj cvetý v sadu!)

  Don't pinch the flowers in the garden! (Demonstrates imperative form in a prohibitive context.)

• Он щипал себя, чтобы не уснуть. (On ščipal sebja, čtoby ne usnut'.)

  He pinched himself to stay awake. (Shows the verb in a self-reflective or urgent scenario.)

Meaning 2: A small amount, like a pinch of an ingredient (Noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• щепотка - Commonly used in culinary contexts for measuring small quantities, often in recipes.

Usage Examples:

• Добавьте щепотку соли в суп. (Dobav'te ščepotku soli v sup.)

  Add a pinch of salt to the soup. (This highlights the noun in a cooking instruction.)

• В рецепте требуется щепотка перца. (V recepte trebujet'sja ščepotka perca.)

  The recipe calls for a pinch of pepper. (Shows the noun in a precise, measurement-based context.)

• Она взяла щепотку сахара для чая. (Ona vzjala ščepotku sakhara dlja čaja.)

  She took a pinch of sugar for the tea. (Illustrates everyday domestic use.)

• Щепотка специй может изменить вкус блюда. (ščepotka speczij mozhet izmenit' vkus bljuda.)

  A pinch of spices can change the taste of the dish. (Demonstrates the noun in a metaphorical or advisory context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For щипать (a verb of the first conjugation):

This verb follows regular patterns but has some irregularities in imperfective aspects. It is an imperfective verb; the perfective form is щипнуть [ʂɨˈpnutʲ].

For щепотка (a feminine noun, first declension):

It inflects regularly based on case and number. Singular form shown below; plural is rare.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • сжимать [sžimatʲ] (to squeeze; similar to щипать but implies more pressure)
  • ущипнуть [uʂɨˈpnutʲ] (to nip; a perfective variant, used for quick actions)
• Antonyms:
  • отпустить [ɒtˈpusʲtʲɕ] (to release; opposite of pinching or holding)

Related Phrases:

• взять щепотку соли (vzjast' ščepotku soli) - To take a pinch of salt; used in cooking to mean adding a small amount.
• щипать за живое (ščipat' za živoe) - To pinch where it hurts; figuratively means to touch on a sensitive topic.

Usage Notes:

щипать is often used informally in Russian and corresponds closely to the English "pinch" in physical actions, but be cautious with context—it's not suitable for formal writing. щепотка is a precise equivalent for measuring small quantities in recipes, similar to English usage, and doesn't have strong regional variations. When choosing between translations, use щипать for actions and щепотка for quantities. Grammatically, verbs like щипать require attention to aspect (imperfective for ongoing actions), which English speakers might overlook.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using щипать in formal contexts without considering its informal connotation. Incorrect: В официальном докладе он щипает документы. Correct: В официальном докладе он просматривает документы. (Explanation: щипать implies a physical pinch, which is inappropriate; use a neutral verb like просматривать for reviewing.)
• Mistake: Confusing the noun щепотка with its inflections, e.g., using nominative in all cases. Incorrect: Я добавил щепотка соли. Correct: Я добавил щепотку соли. (Explanation: Genitive case is needed after "добавил"; proper inflection ensures grammatical accuracy.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "щипать за живое" (to pinch where it hurts) often appear in literature and everyday speech to describe emotional sensitivity, reflecting the value placed on directness and expressiveness in interpersonal communication. There's no strong historical connotation for "pinch" itself, but in culinary contexts, it ties into traditional Russian cooking where precise measurements like щепотка are common in home recipes.

Related Concepts:

• сжимать (sžimatʲ)
• ущипнуть (uʂɨˈpnutʲ)
• прихватизировать (prihvatirovatʲ) [related to grasping or pinching in a metaphorical sense]