Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'shred'

English Word: shred

Key Russian Translations:

• обрывок [ɐˈbrɨfək] - [Noun, Informal, Singular]
• разорвать [rɐzɐˈrvatʲ] - [Verb, Formal]
• клочок [ˈklot͡ɕək] - [Noun, Informal, Plural form possible]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations and literature, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate for 'обрывок' and 'клочок'; A2 for 'разорвать' as it's a regular verb)

Pronunciation (Russian):

обрывок: [ɐˈbrɨfək]

Note on обрывок: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'р' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.

разорвать: [rɐzɐˈrvatʲ]

Note on разорвать: The verb ends with a palatalized 'тʲ', which softens the pronunciation; practice with native audio for accuracy.

клочок: [ˈklot͡ɕək]

Note on клочок: The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative; it may sound similar to English 'ch' in "church", but more guttural.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

As a noun: A small strip or piece torn from something (e.g., paper, fabric)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обрывок - Used in informal contexts for literal torn pieces, such as in daily life or descriptions.
• клочок - Applied in similar contexts but often implies a slightly larger or more irregular piece, in casual or narrative settings.

Usage Examples:

• Я нашел обрывок бумаги в кармане куртки.

  I found a shred of paper in my jacket pocket. (This example shows the noun in a simple declarative sentence.)

• Этот клочок ткани может быть частью старой одежды.

  This shred of fabric might be part of an old garment. (Illustrates usage in a speculative context.)

• Обрывок письма лежал на земле, разорванный ветром.

  The shred of a letter lay on the ground, torn by the wind. (Demonstrates combination with other elements in a narrative.)

• Собери все обрывки и склей их вместе.

  Gather all the shreds and glue them together. (Shows plural usage in an imperative sentence.)

As a verb: To tear or cut into small pieces

Translation(s) & Context:

• разорвать - Used in formal or literary contexts for tearing something apart, often with force.

Usage Examples:

• Он разорвал документ на мелкие обрывки.

  He shredded the document into small pieces. (This highlights the verb in an action-oriented sentence.)

• Не разрывай письмо; давай обсудим это.

  Don't shred the letter; let's discuss this. (Shows the verb in a prohibitive context with emotional nuance.)

• Ветер разорвал флаг на клочки во время бури.

  The wind shredded the flag into shreds during the storm. (Illustrates usage in a metaphorical or descriptive scenario.)

• Она разорвала фотографию, чтобы забыть прошлое.

  She shredded the photo to forget the past. (Demonstrates emotional or symbolic usage.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'обрывок' (a masculine noun), it follows the standard second declension pattern with regular inflections based on case and number.

For 'разорвать' (a verb), it is a perfective verb conjugated regularly in the present tense (as 'разрывать' for imperfective). Example conjugation:

'клочок' follows a similar inflection pattern to 'обрывок' as another masculine noun.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: клочок (similar but often for fabric), лоскут (specifically for cloth pieces; used in sewing contexts)
• Antonyms: целый (whole; implies the opposite of being torn)

Related Phrases:

• обрывок бумаги - A shred of paper; used in contexts like recycling or detective stories.
• разорвать на клочки - To shred into pieces; a common idiom for completely destroying something emotionally or physically.
• клочок ткани - A shred of fabric; often in crafting or historical narratives.

Usage Notes:

'Обрывок' and 'клочок' are precise translations for the noun form of 'shred', but choose based on context: 'обрывок' for paper or documents, and 'клочок' for fabric. For the verb, 'разорвать' corresponds to 'to shred' in a forceful sense and is often used in formal writing. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system—use perfective 'разорвать' for completed actions. In informal speech, these words are common but avoid in highly formal settings where more precise terms might be preferred.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse 'обрывок' with 'лоскут', using the latter incorrectly for paper. Error: "Я нашел лоскут бумаги" (incorrect for a paper shred). Correct: "Я нашел обрывок бумаги". Explanation: 'Лоскут' specifically means a patch of fabric, not paper.

• Misconjugating 'разорвать' in past tense, e.g., saying "Я разорвалс" instead of "Я разорвал". Error: "Я разорвалс документ". Correct: "Я разорвал документ". Explanation: Ensure proper verb endings based on gender and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian literature, such as in works by Dostoevsky, phrases like 'разорвать на клочки' symbolize emotional turmoil or destruction, reflecting cultural themes of resilience and fragmentation in history, like during revolutions.

Related Concepts:

• ткань (fabric)
• бумага (paper)
• порвать (to tear generally)