Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sneak'

English Word: sneak

Key Russian Translations:

• красться [ˈkra.stʲs.jə] - [Informal, often used in everyday contexts for stealthy movement]
• подкрадываться [pɐd.krɐˈdɨ.və.t͡sə] - [Formal, used in more deliberate or narrative contexts, such as approaching quietly]

Frequency: Medium - This word and its translations are not extremely common in daily conversation but appear frequently in literature, thrillers, or descriptive narratives.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Learners at this level can grasp the basic usage, but the reflexive forms and verb conjugations may require practice. For 'красться', it's B1; for 'подкрадываться', it's B2 due to its compound nature.

Pronunciation (Russian):

красться: [ˈkra.stʲs.jə]

Note on красться: This is a reflexive verb with stress on the first syllable; the 'т' sound is palatalized, which can be tricky for English speakers. Practice the soft 'тʲ' for accuracy.

подкрадываться: [pɐd.krɐˈdɨ.və.t͡sə]

Note on подкрадываться: The verb has a prefix 'под-', which alters the stress; focus on the rolling 'r' and the soft 'д' for natural pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

As a verb: To move quietly and secretly, often to avoid detection

Translation(s) & Context:

• красться - Used in informal or everyday scenarios, such as sneaking into a room; common in personal narratives or spy stories.
• подкрадываться - Applied in more formal or intentional contexts, like approaching someone stealthily; often in literature or professional descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Он крадётся по тёмному коридору, чтобы не разбудить семью.

  He is sneaking down the dark hallway to not wake the family.

• Дети крадутся в сад, чтобы сорвать яблоки без разрешения.

  The children are sneaking into the garden to pick apples without permission.

• Подкрадываясь к двери, она услышала секретный разговор.

  Sneaking up to the door, she overheard the secret conversation.

• Воры крадутся ночью, избегая камер наблюдения.

  Thieves are sneaking at night, avoiding surveillance cameras.

As a noun: A person who sneaks or acts stealthily, or the act of sneaking

Translation(s) & Context:

• крадущийся - Informal term for a sneaky person, often in playful or derogatory contexts.
• подкрадывание - Formal term for the act of sneaking, used in analytical or descriptive writing.

Usage Examples:

• Этот крадущийся тип всегда появляется неожиданно.

  This sneaky guy always shows up unexpectedly.

• Его подкрадывание к машине было частью плана ограбления.

  His sneaking up to the car was part of the robbery plan.

• В фильме главный герой — мастер крадущийся в тени.

  In the movie, the main character is a master of sneaking in the shadows.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Красться' is a reflexive imperfective verb, while 'Подкрадываться' is also reflexive and imperfective. Russian verbs often have imperfective and perfective pairs; for these, the perfective forms are 'украсться' and 'подкрасться' respectively.

Note: These verbs are invariant in terms of gender but change with number and person. They are not regular due to their reflexive endings (-ся), which must be included in all forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Таиться [tɐˈi.t͡sə] - To hide or lurk, similar but often implies staying still rather than moving.
  • Прятаться [prʲɪˈta.t͡sə] - To hide oneself, with a connotation of concealment in a fixed spot.
• Antonyms:
  • Идти открыто [ˈid.tʲi ɐtˈkrɨ.tə] - To walk openly, directly opposing stealth.
  • Шуметь [ˈʂu.mʲetʲ] - To make noise, contrasting with quiet movement.

Related Phrases:

• Красться за кем-то - Sneaking up on someone; used in contexts of surprise or pursuit.
• Подкрадываться незаметно - Sneaking unnoticed; common in espionage or thrillers.
• Крадущийся тигр - Sneaking tiger; a phrase inspired by cultural references like the film title, implying stealth in nature.

Usage Notes:

'Sneak' corresponds closely to 'красться' in informal English-Russian contexts, but 'подкрадываться' is preferred for more precise, action-oriented scenarios. Be mindful of the reflexive '-ся' ending, which indicates the action is directed at oneself. In formal writing, choose based on the aspect: imperfective for ongoing actions. English learners should note that Russian verbs like these often require context to distinguish from simple walking or hiding.

• Avoid overusing in casual speech; it's more common in narratives.
• When translating, select 'красться' for everyday sneaking and 'подкрадываться' for intentional stealth to match nuance.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget the reflexive ending, saying "красть" instead of "красться," which changes the meaning to "to steal" rather than "to sneak." Correct: Use "красться" for sneaking. Error example: "Он красть по дому" (incorrect) vs. "Он крадётся по дому" (correct) – the latter includes the proper reflexive form and conjugation.

Another mistake is confusing it with "красть" (to steal), leading to misuse in contexts. Explanation: Always add '-ся' for reflexive actions to avoid semantic errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'красться' often appear in folklore and literature, such as in fairy tales where characters sneak through forests, reflecting themes of cunning and survival. This evokes a sense of mystery, as seen in works by authors like Pushkin, where stealth is tied to adventure and deception.

Related Concepts:

• Таиться
• Прятаться
• Шпионаж (espionage)