Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'quench'

English Word: quench

Key Russian Translations:

• утолить [u.tɐ.ˈlʲitʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for satisfying thirst or desires]
• погасить [pɐ.ˈɡa.sʲitʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used for extinguishing fire or lights]
• подавить [pə.da.ˈvʲitʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Used for suppressing emotions or forces]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are commonly encountered in everyday Russian conversation and literature, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb aspects and conjugations, suitable for learners with basic grammar knowledge.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

утолить: [u.tɐ.ˈlʲitʲ]

погасить: [pɐ.ˈɡa.sʲitʲ]

подавить: [pə.da.ˈvʲitʲ]

Note on утолить: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

Note on погасить: Pronounce the 'г' as a voiced fricative; it's a perfective verb, often used in completed actions.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To satisfy thirst or desires

Translation(s) & Context:

• утолить - Used in informal contexts for quenching physical thirst or metaphorical desires, such as in daily conversations or literature.

Usage Examples:

• Я выпил воды, чтобы утолить жажду после пробежки.

  I drank water to quench my thirst after the run.

• Эта книга утолила мою жажду знаний о русской истории.

  This book quenched my thirst for knowledge about Russian history.

• Он утолил голод, съев целую пиццу.

  He quenched his hunger by eating an entire pizza.

To extinguish fire or lights

Translation(s) & Context:

• погасить - Typically used in formal or emergency contexts for putting out fires, lights, or similar, emphasizing completion.

Usage Examples:

• Пожарные быстро погасили огонь в здании.

  The firefighters quickly quenched the fire in the building.

• Она погасила свечи, чтобы создать романтическую атмосферу.

  She quenched the candles to create a romantic atmosphere.

• Ветер погасил костёр на пляже.

  The wind quenched the bonfire on the beach.

• Мы погасили лампу, так как электричество отключилось.

  We quenched the lamp because the electricity went out.

To suppress or inhibit

Translation(s) & Context:

• подавить - Applied in contexts involving emotions, rebellions, or forces, often in more serious or abstract scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Он пытался подавить гнев во время спора.

  He tried to quench his anger during the argument.

• Правительство подавило восстание в регионе.

  The government quenched the rebellion in the region.

• Музыка помогла подавить чувство тревоги.

  Music helped quench the feeling of anxiety.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (утолить, погасить, подавить) are verbs, primarily perfective aspects in Russian. They follow standard conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs, with irregularities in certain forms. Below is a table for infinitive and key conjugated forms:

Note: These verbs are aspectual pairs; for imperfective forms, use утолять, гасить, and подавлять respectively. They do not change for gender in the infinitive but inflect based on tense, person, and number.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Утолить: напоить (napoit') - More specific to liquids.
  • Погасить: затушить (zatushit') - Often used for fires.
  • Подавить: заглушить (zaglushit') - For suppressing sounds or feelings, with a nuance of muffling.
• Antonyms:
  • Утолить: вызвать жажду (vyzvat' zhadu) - To provoke thirst.
  • Погасить: зажечь (zazhech') - To ignite or light up.
  • Подавить: разжечь (razzhech') - To stir up or intensify.

Related Phrases:

• Утолить жажду - To quench thirst; a common idiom for satisfying basic needs.
• Погасить свет - To quench the light; used in everyday contexts for turning off lights.
• Подавить протест - To quench a protest; implies suppressing dissent in social or political scenarios.

Usage Notes:

The English word "quench" often corresponds to perfective verbs in Russian, emphasizing completion (e.g., утолить for a finished action). Choose the translation based on context: утолить for physical needs, погасить for literal extinguishing, and подавить for abstract suppression. Be mindful of aspect in Russian; these verbs pair with imperfective forms for ongoing actions. In formal writing, погасить is preferred over informal alternatives.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using the imperfective form (e.g., утолять) when a perfective is needed for completed actions. Incorrect: Я утоляю жажду сейчас. (implies ongoing) Correct: Я утолил жажду. (for a finished action) Explanation: English "quench" often implies completion, so match with perfective verbs in Russian to avoid tense mismatches.
• Mistake: Confusing утолить with погасить in metaphorical contexts. Incorrect: Он погасил голод. (sounds odd for hunger) Correct: Он утолил голод. Explanation: Погасить is for extinguishing, not satisfying needs.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "утолить жажду" often appear in literature (e.g., in works by Tolstoy), symbolizing deeper existential satisfaction. Historically, "погасить" might evoke images of fire suppression in rural or wartime contexts, reflecting Russia's vast landscapes and historical events.

Related Concepts:

• Жажда (zhazhda) - Thirst
• Огонь (ogon') - Fire
• Эмоции (emotsii) - Emotions