Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ransack'

English Word: ransack

Key Russian Translations:

• обшарить /ɐbˈʂarʲɪtʲ/ - [Informal, used for thorough searching in everyday contexts]
• разграбить /rəzɡrɐˈbʲitʲ/ - [Formal, often implies looting or plundering in historical or criminal contexts]
• перерыть /pʲɪrʲeˈrɨtʲ/ - [Informal, emphasizes digging through or disrupting while searching]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in narratives, crime stories, or daily conversations about searching, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "искать")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances; for "обшарить" it's straightforward, but "разграбить" may vary by formality)

Pronunciation (Russian):

обшарить: /ɐbˈʂarʲɪtʲ/ (The "ш" sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to "sh" in "sheep", but ensure to stress the second syllable.)

разграбить: /rəzɡrɐˈbʲitʲ/ (Note the soft "б" sound, which is palatalized; stress on the third syllable.)

перерыть: /pʲɪrʲeˈrɨtʲ/ (The initial "п" is palatalized; focus on the rolled "р" for accurate pronunciation.)

Note on обшарить: This verb often has a rapid pronunciation in casual speech, so practice the consonant clusters to avoid blending sounds.

Note on разграбить: In formal contexts, the pronunciation may vary slightly with emphasis on the prefix for dramatic effect.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary meaning: To search a place thoroughly, often causing disorder or disruption.

Translation(s) & Context:

• обшарить - Used in informal, everyday situations where someone is rummaging through items, such as in a home or office search.
• разграбить - Applied in more serious contexts like historical events, theft, or invasions, implying destruction or theft.
• перерыть - Common in scenarios involving excavation or deep searching, like digging through piles of objects.

Usage Examples:

• Воры обшарили дом, но ничего не нашли.

  The thieves ransacked the house but found nothing. (This shows the verb in a criminal context, illustrating thorough but fruitless searching.)

• Мы перерыли весь сад в поисках потерянного кольца.

  We ransacked the entire garden looking for the lost ring. (Demonstrates use in a casual, non-criminal search with a focus on disruption.)

• Во время войны враги разграбили деревню, оставив её в руинах.

  During the war, the enemies ransacked the village, leaving it in ruins. (Highlights the verb in a historical or destructive context.)

• Она обшарила кухню, чтобы найти ингредиенты для ужина.

  She ransacked the kitchen to find ingredients for dinner. (Shows everyday domestic use, emphasizing haste and disorder.)

• Детективы перерыли офис, собирая улики для расследования.

  The detectives ransacked the office, gathering clues for the investigation. (Illustrates professional or investigative use.)

Secondary meaning: To plunder or loot, especially in a broader sense (e.g., metaphorical use in discussions of resources).

Translation(s) & Context:

• разграбить - Best for contexts involving theft or devastation, such as in war or economic discussions.
• обшарить - Less common here, but can be used metaphorically for exhaustive extraction.

Usage Examples:

• Корпорация разграбила природные ресурсы региона.

  The corporation ransacked the region's natural resources. (Metaphorical use in environmental contexts.)

• Они обшарили рынок, выкупив все редкие товары.

  They ransacked the market, buying up all the rare goods. (Shows a commercial or acquisitive context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which follow Russian conjugation patterns. "Обшарить", "разграбить", and "перерыть" are imperfective verbs that conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. They are first-conjugation verbs with some irregularities in prefixes.

For invariable aspects: In some fixed phrases, these verbs may not inflect if used in nominalized forms, but generally, they follow standard patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: обыскать (to search carefully; more neutral than обшарить), перевернуть (to turn over; implies physical disruption)
• Antonyms: оставить в покое (to leave alone; no searching involved), игнорировать (to ignore; completely opposite action)

Related Phrases:

• обшарить комнату - To ransack a room; A common phrase for thoroughly searching a space in daily life.
• разграбить город - To ransack a city; Often used in historical or fictional contexts involving invasion or pillage.
• перерыть вещи - To ransack belongings; Refers to going through personal items, with a connotation of disorder.

Usage Notes:

"Ransack" directly corresponds to "обшарить" in most informal English-to-Russian translations, but choose "разграбить" for contexts involving violence or theft to match the intensity. Be mindful of formality: "обшарить" is suitable for casual speech, while "разграбить" fits formal or literary use. Grammatically, these verbs require agreement with subject gender and number in past tense. When translating, consider the aspect—use perfective forms for completed actions, e.g., "обшарю" for future plans.

• Avoid overusing in polite contexts, as it implies chaos.
• For multiple translations, select based on context: economic discussions favor "разграбить".

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "обшарить" with "искать" (to look for), but "обшарить" implies a more invasive search. Error: Saying "Я ищу дом" instead of "Я обшарил дом" for "I ransacked the house". Correct: "Я обшарал дом" (past tense for masculine subject). Another mistake is misapplying prefixes; e.g., using "прообшарить" incorrectly, which isn't standard—stick to base forms. Explanation: Russian verbs have specific prefixes that alter meaning, so always check context to avoid unnatural phrasing.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like "разграбить" often evoke historical events such as invasions during World War II or the Mongol period, carrying connotations of loss and resilience. This can add emotional depth in literature or discussions, reminding users of Russia's turbulent history and the importance of context in language use.

Related Concepts:

• обыск (search, as in a police raid)
• грабёж (plunder or robbery)
• поиск (general search or quest)