Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pour'

English Word: pour

Key Russian Translations:

• лить [lʲitʲ] - [Informal, General use for pouring liquids]
• наливать [nəlʲɪˈvatʲ] - [Formal, Used when pouring into a container or specific vessel]

Frequency: Medium (This verb is commonly used in everyday contexts but not as basic as core verbs like "to be" or "to go").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of verb aspects and basic conjugation, with "лить" being slightly easier than "наливать").

Pronunciation (Russian):

лить: [lʲitʲ]

Note on лить: The soft 'л' sound (palatalized) can be challenging for English speakers; it's similar to the 'l' in "million" but quicker. Pronounce with a stressed 'и' vowel.

наливать: [nəlʲɪˈvatʲ]

Note on наливать: The prefix 'на-' adds a directional nuance; stress on the second syllable, and the 'в' softens in speech. Common in imperfective aspect.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To cause a liquid to flow from a container

Translation(s) & Context:

• лить - Used in informal settings for general pouring, such as rain or liquids; context: everyday conversation, e.g., pouring water from a jug.
• наливать - Used for pouring into something specific, like a glass; context: more formal or precise actions, e.g., in cooking or serving drinks.

Usage Examples:

• Я лью воду из кувшина в стакан. (Ya lʲyu vodu iz kuvshina v stakan.)

  I am pouring water from the jug into the glass. (Shows imperfective aspect in an informal context.)

• Он наливает чай в чашки для гостей. (On nalivaet chay v chashki dlya gostey.)

  He is pouring tea into cups for the guests. (Illustrates formal pouring with a directional element.)

• Дождь льёт целый день. (Dozhd' lʲot tselyy den'.)

  The rain is pouring all day. (Metaphorical use for continuous action.)

• Она наливает молоко ребенку. (Ona nalivaet moloko rebenku.)

  She is pouring milk for the child. (Context of caregiving, emphasizing care.)

• Мы льём краску на холст. (My lʲyom krasuku na kholst.)

  We are pouring paint onto the canvas. (Creative or artistic context, showing variety in objects poured.)

Secondary Meaning: To flow abundantly (e.g., rain pouring)

Translation(s) & Context:

• лить - Primarily for natural phenomena like rain; context: weather descriptions or metaphorical expressions.

Usage Examples:

• Ливень льёт как из ведра. (Liven' lʲot kak iz vedra.)

  The downpour is pouring like from a bucket. (Idiomatic expression for heavy rain.)

• Слезы льются по щекам. (Slezy lʲutsya po shchekám.)

  Tears are pouring down the cheeks. (Emotional context, metaphorical use.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "лить" and "наливать" are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They follow standard first-conjugation patterns with irregularities in some forms.

For "лить" (to pour, imperfective):

Note: It has an irregular present tense stem change from "лить" to "ль-".

For "наливать" (to pour into, imperfective):

This verb is regular but requires attention to the perfective counterpart "налить" for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • проливать (pralivat') - Similar to лить but implies spilling; used for accidental pouring.
  • выливать (vylivat') - For pouring out; differs by direction (outward).
• Antonyms:
  • собирать (sobirat') - To collect or gather, opposite of dispersing liquid.
  • удерживать (uderzhivat') - To hold back or retain, preventing pouring.

Related Phrases:

• Лить воду (Lit' vodu) - To waste time or talk nonsense; meaning: An idiomatic expression for futile actions.
• Наливать масло в огонь (Nalivat maslo v ogon') - To add fuel to the fire; meaning: To exacerbate a situation.
• Лить слёзы (Lit' slyozy) - To shed tears; meaning: Used in emotional contexts for crying profusely.

Usage Notes:

• Russian verbs like "лить" and "наливать" must be paired with the correct aspect (imperfective for ongoing actions, perfective like "налить" for completed ones), unlike English "pour" which is neutral.
• "Лить" is more casual and versatile, while "наливать" implies intention and direction, so choose based on context—e.g., use "наливать" for serving drinks at a dinner party.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender and case; the object being poured affects sentence structure, e.g., accusative case for direct objects.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspects: English learners often use "лить" for completed actions; Error: "Я лью чай" (incorrect for a finished pour); Correct: "Я налил чай" (using perfective). Explanation: Russian requires aspect to convey completion.
• Overusing "лить" in formal contexts: Error: "Повар льёт суп" (too informal); Correct: "Повар наливает суп". Explanation: "Наливать" is better for precise, professional scenarios to avoid sounding colloquial.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "лить воду" (to pour water) often metaphorically refer to idle chatter or procrastination, reflecting a historical emphasis on efficiency in daily life, such as in rural or Soviet-era contexts where resource management was key.

Related Concepts:

• проливать (pralivat')
• выливать (vylivat')
• собирать (sobirat')