Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'soar'

English Word: soar

Key Russian Translations:

• парить [ˈparʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, commonly used for birds or planes gliding]
• взлетать [vzˈlʲetatʲ] - [Formal, often for rapid ascent or takeoff]

Frequency: Medium (used in contexts like aviation, nature descriptions, or figurative language, but not in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: Intermediate (B1-B2 on CEFR scale; involves basic verb conjugations and contextual nuances; for 'парить', it's straightforward, but 'взлетать' may require more practice with perfective aspects)

Pronunciation (Russian):

парить: [ˈparʲɪtʲ]

взлетать: [vzˈlʲetatʲ]

Note on парить: The 'р' is rolled, and the stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'тʲ' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in casual speech might soften the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To fly or glide high in the air without flapping wings (literal, e.g., birds or planes).

Translation(s) & Context:

• парить - Used in natural or poetic contexts, such as describing birds in flight; informal and vivid.
• взлетать - Used for rapid or powered ascent, like an airplane taking off; more formal and action-oriented.

Usage Examples:

• Птица парит в небе, наслаждаясь восходящими потоками воздуха.

  The bird soars in the sky, enjoying the rising air currents.

• Орёл парит над горами, высматривая добычу.

  The eagle soars over the mountains, scouting for prey.

• Самолёт взлетал над городом, оставляя след в облаках.

  The plane soared above the city, leaving a trail in the clouds.

• Ветер помог планеру парить часами без топлива.

  The wind helped the glider soar for hours without fuel.

• Во время полёта самолёт внезапно взлетел выше, избегая turbulence.

  During the flight, the plane soared higher to avoid turbulence.

2. Figurative meaning: To rise rapidly or excel (e.g., prices, spirits, or performance).

Translation(s) & Context:

• парить - Metaphorical use, often in literary or emotional contexts; implies effortless elevation.
• взлетать - For sudden, dramatic rises, like in business or emotions; more dynamic.

Usage Examples:

• Его карьера начала парить после успешного проекта.

  His career began to soar after the successful project.

• Цены на нефть взлетели из-за глобального кризиса.

  Oil prices soared due to the global crisis.

• Дух команды парит после победы в матче.

  The team's spirits soared after the match victory.

• Акции компании взлетели на бирже за один день.

  The company's stocks soared on the exchange in just one day.

• Её настроение парило, как будто она на крыльях.

  Her mood soared as if she were on wings.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'парить' and 'взлетать' are verbs. Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Парить' is imperfective, indicating ongoing action, while 'взлетать' is imperfective (its perfective counterpart is 'взлететь'). Below is a table for key conjugations:

Note: These verbs follow standard conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs. 'Парить' is regular, while 'взлетать' has a prefix that doesn't alter the base much, but watch for vowel changes in some forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • летать (to fly; more general and less emphatic on gliding)
  • взмывать (to shoot up; used for sudden, forceful soaring, often figuratively)
• Antonyms:
  • падать (to fall; implies descent)
  • спускаться (to descend; for controlled lowering)

Related Phrases:

• Парить в небе - Soaring in the sky; used for birds or poetic descriptions of freedom.
• Взлетать ввысь - To soar upwards; implies aspiration or rapid progress in a figurative sense.
• Дух парит - Spirits soar; common in motivational or emotional contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Парить' is the most direct translation for 'soar' in literal contexts like birds or gliding, and it's often preferred in informal or descriptive writing. 'Взлетать' is better for dynamic or rapid actions, such as in aviation or metaphorical rises (e.g., career growth). Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for completed ones (e.g., 'взлететь' for a single event). In formal writing, pair these with prepositions like 'в небе' for clarity. English learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement in person and number, which can affect sentence structure compared to English.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'парить' interchangeably with 'летать' without context. Correct: 'Парить' implies effortless gliding, while 'летать' is broader; e.g., Incorrect: "Птица летает высоко" (if emphasizing soaring); Correct: "Птица парит высоко". Explanation: This confuses the nuances, making the description less precise.

• Error: Forgetting aspect changes, like using 'взлетать' for a completed action. Correct: Use 'взлететь' for perfective (e.g., "Самолёт взлетел"); Incorrect: "Самолёт взлетал" (implies ongoing). Explanation: Russian aspect is crucial; mixing them can alter the meaning entirely.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'парить' often evokes imagery from literature, such as in works by Tolstoy or Pushkin, where soaring birds symbolize freedom or transcendence. It's also linked to aviation history, like Yuri Gagarin's spaceflight, where 'взлетать' metaphorically represents human achievement and exploration.

Related Concepts:

• полет (flight)
• крылья (wings)
• воздух (air)