Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'quaff'

English Word: quaff

Key Russian Translations:

• выпить [vɨˈpʲitʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday contexts like social gatherings]
• осушить [ɐˈsuʂɨtʲ] - [Formal, often in literary or poetic descriptions of drinking]
• хлебнуть [xlʲɪbˈnutʲ] - [Informal, for taking a quick swig, especially of a beverage]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are encountered in conversational Russian, particularly in contexts involving food and drink, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "eat".)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; involves understanding verb conjugations and contextual usage, which may vary slightly between translations like "выпить" for general learners and "осушить" for more advanced users.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

выпить: [vɨˈpʲitʲ]

осушить: [ɐˈsuʂɨtʲ]

хлебнуть: [xlʲɪbˈnutʲ]

Note on выпить: The stress is on the second syllable, and the "ы" sound can be challenging for English speakers as it's a centralized vowel; practice with native audio for accuracy.

Note on осушить: The "ш" sound is a voiceless retroflex fricative, similar to the "sh" in "shoe" but more guttural; common in formal Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To drink something, especially alcohol, quickly and heartily

Translation(s) & Context:

• выпить - Used in informal, everyday situations, such as at parties or casual meals, to imply drinking in large gulps.
• осушить - Applied in more formal or literary contexts, like describing toasting or finishing a drink ceremonially.
• хлебнуть - Informal for a quick, informal sip, often in adventurous or spontaneous scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Он выпил пиво залпом после долгого дня работы.

  He quaffed the beer in one go after a long day at work.

• Друзья осушили стаканы шампанского на новогоднем празднике.

  The friends quaffed their glasses of champagne at the New Year's celebration.

• Она хлебнула кофе из термоса во время похода в горах.

  She quaffed coffee from the thermos during the mountain hike.

• В ресторане он выпил вино, не отрываясь от разговора.

  At the restaurant, he quaffed the wine without pausing the conversation.

• Гости осушили бокалы за здоровье хозяина на банкете.

  The guests quaffed their glasses to the host's health at the banquet.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. "Выпить" and "хлебнуть" are imperfective verbs, while "осушить" can be used in perfective forms. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for "выпить" as an example; similar patterns apply to others with variations.

Note: "Осушить" follows a similar pattern but is less common in imperfective forms. "Хлебнуть" is irregular in some aspects and does not change as extensively in casual speech.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • проглотить (more literal, for swallowing quickly)
  • впить (less common, emphasizing deep drinking)
  • Note: "Хлебнуть" is a milder synonym, often used for smaller quantities.
• Antonyms:
  • sipнуть (to sip slowly, the opposite of quaffing)
  • попробовать (to taste or sample delicately)

Related Phrases:

• Выпить залпом - To drink in one gulp; used for quick, hearty consumption in social settings.
• Осушить стакан - To drain a glass; often in formal toasts or celebrations.
• Хлебнуть из бутылки - To take a swig from the bottle; informal, implying spontaneity or adventure.

Usage Notes:

"Quaff" corresponds most directly to "выпить" in informal Russian, capturing the idea of enthusiastic drinking, but "осушить" is preferred in formal or literary contexts for a more elegant connotation. Be mindful of the aspect: Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms, so "выпить" (perfective) implies completion, while its imperfective counterpart "пить" means ongoing drinking. In social scenarios, these words often appear with beverages like пиво (beer) or вино (wine). Choose the translation based on context—use "хлебнуть" for casual, everyday actions and "осушить" for ceremonial ones to avoid sounding unnatural.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "выпить" interchangeably with "пить" without considering aspect. For example, learners might say "Я пью вино залпом" instead of "Я выпью вино залпом" for a completed action.
  Correct: "Я выпил вино залпом" (I quaffed the wine in one go). Explanation: "Выпить" is perfective, indicating the action is finished, whereas "пить" is imperfective for ongoing actions.
• Mistake: Overusing "осушить" in casual speech, which can sound overly formal or archaic.
  Correct: In everyday talk, opt for "выпить" instead of "осушить бокал" when describing a simple drink. Explanation: Reserve "осушить" for toasts or literary descriptions to match natural Russian usage.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "выпить" are often tied to social traditions, such as toasts at gatherings or celebrations (e.g., during holidays like New Year's). Drinking quickly might evoke images of communal feasts or historical practices in literature, but it's important to note that excessive drinking has cultural connotations of hospitality in some contexts, while modern attitudes promote moderation.

Related Concepts:

• пить (to drink, general verb)
• бокал (glass)
• тост (toast, as in a drinking salute)
• алкоголь (alcohol)