Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pollinate'

English Word: pollinate

Key Russian Translations:

• опылять [ɐˈpɨlʲɪtʲ] - [Verb, General use in biological and agricultural contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in scientific, agricultural, and educational discussions, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: Intermediate (B1-B2 on CEFR scale; involves understanding verb conjugations and specific contexts in Russian)

Pronunciation (Russian):

опылять: [ɐˈpɨlʲɪtʲ]

Note on опылять: The stress is on the second syllable, and the 'ы' sound can be challenging for English speakers, as it is a centralized vowel not present in English. Pronounce it with a soft 'l' sound due to palatalization.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The process of transferring pollen from the male to the female parts of a flower to fertilize it.

Translation(s) & Context:

• опылять - Used in contexts related to biology, botany, or agriculture, often describing natural or artificial pollination processes.

Usage Examples:

• Цветки опыляются пчелами в весенний период.

  The flowers are pollinated by bees in the spring period.

• Фермеры опыляют сады вручную, чтобы повысить урожай.

  Farmers pollinate the gardens manually to increase the yield.

• В природе растения опыляются ветром или насекомыми.

  In nature, plants are pollinated by wind or insects.

• Ученые изучают, как опылять редкие виды для сохранения биоразнообразия.

  Scientists study how to pollinate rare species to preserve biodiversity.

• Без опыления цветков фруктовые деревья не принесут плодов.

  Without pollination of the flowers, fruit trees will not bear fruit.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Опылять" is a first-conjugation verb in Russian, meaning it follows regular patterns for most forms, but pay attention to aspect (imperfective). It is imperfective and can pair with perfective forms like "опылить" for completed actions. Below is a table of key inflections:

Note: The verb is regular but can vary slightly in perfective aspect (e.g., опылю for future perfective). It does not change for gender in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • запылять - Similar but often used in contexts involving dust or fine particles; less common for biological pollination.
  • производить опыление - A more descriptive phrase, used in formal or scientific writing for emphasis.
• Antonyms:
  • Не опылять - Not directly an antonym, but implies prevention; in practice, there isn't a precise single-word antonym in Russian for this concept.

Related Phrases:

• Крестец опыления - A fixed phrase meaning "cross-pollination," used in botanical contexts to describe pollen transfer between different plants; refers to genetic diversity in agriculture.
• Искусственное опыление - Means "artificial pollination," commonly used in farming to describe human-assisted methods like hand-pollination.
• Естественное опыление - Translates to "natural pollination," referring to processes involving wind, insects, or animals without human intervention.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "опылять" directly corresponds to the English "pollinate" as an imperfective verb, emphasizing ongoing or repeated actions. It is most commonly used in formal, scientific, or educational contexts rather than casual conversation. When choosing between "опылять" and its perfective counterpart "опылить," opt for "опылять" for processes that are habitual or incomplete. Be mindful of aspect in sentences; for example, pair it with adverbs like "регулярно" (regularly) to convey repetition. English learners should note that Russian verbs often require agreement with subject gender in the past tense, which can affect usage precision.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the infinitive form "опылять" in places where a conjugated form is needed, e.g., saying "Я опылять цветки" instead of "Я опыляю цветки." Correct: Always conjugate based on tense and subject; explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject in person and number, unlike English infinitives.

• Error: Confusing with "запылять," which might imply covering with dust rather than biological pollination, e.g., "Пчёлы запыляют цветки" (incorrect implication). Correct: Use "опылять" for accurate biological context; explanation: These verbs overlap semantically but "запылять" is less precise for pollination.

• Error: Forgetting aspect, e.g., using "опылять" for a completed action like "Я опылять сад вчера" instead of "Я опылел сад вчера." Correct: Switch to perfective "опылить" for finished actions; explanation: Aspect is crucial in Russian to convey whether an action is ongoing or completed.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and language, terms like "опылять" are deeply tied to agriculture, which has historical significance in Russia due to its vast rural landscapes and traditional farming practices. For instance, pollination plays a key role in Russian folklore and proverbs related to nature and harvest, such as references to bees as essential pollinators in stories symbolizing productivity and community effort. This reflects a broader cultural appreciation for environmental processes in Slavic traditions.

Related Concepts:

• пчела (bee)
• цветок (flower)
• опыление (pollination as a noun)
• биоразнообразие (biodiversity)