Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'spoilage'

English Word: spoilage

Key Russian Translations:

• порча [ˈporʨə] - [Formal, commonly used in contexts involving damage or decay]
• испорченность [ɪˈspɔrt͡ɕɪnnəstʲ] - [Formal, Informal; often implies a state of being spoiled]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly encountered in everyday Russian, especially in discussions about food, materials, or quality control, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary like "еда" (food).)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; learners at this level should grasp basic noun inflections, though the nuances of "порча" may require practice. For "испорченность," it remains B1 due to its abstract nature.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

порча: [ˈporʨə]

испорченность: [ɪˈspɔrt͡ɕɪnnəstʲ]

Note on порча: The 'ч' sound is a palatalized affricate, similar to the 'ch' in "church," but softer; be careful with stress on the first syllable to avoid confusion with similar words.

Note on испорченность: This word has a longer form with emphasis on the second syllable; common in formal speech, and the 'щ' sound can be tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The process or state of something becoming damaged or decayed, especially food or materials.

Translation(s) & Context:

• порча - Used in formal contexts like quality control or legal descriptions, e.g., in reports about food safety.
• испорченность - Applied in more abstract or descriptive scenarios, such as discussing product defects in everyday conversation.

Usage Examples:

• Продукты подвержены порче в жаркую погоду, если их не хранить в холодильнике.

  Products are subject to spoilage in hot weather if they are not stored in the refrigerator.

• Из-за плохой герметичности упаковки произошла испорченность овощей.

  Due to poor packaging sealing, the spoilage of vegetables occurred.

• Порча мяса может привести к серьезным проблемам со здоровьем.

  Spoilage of meat can lead to serious health issues.

• В лаборатории изучают факторы, вызывающие испорченность материалов.

  In the laboratory, they study factors causing the spoilage of materials.

• Чтобы избежать порчи, всегда проверяйте срок годности продуктов.

  To avoid spoilage, always check the expiration date of products.

Meaning 2: Waste or loss due to damage, often in a broader economic or industrial context.

Translation(s) & Context:

• порча - Common in business or manufacturing, emphasizing financial loss from deterioration.
• испорченность - Less frequent, used when describing the inherent flawed state of items in reports.

Usage Examples:

• Порча товаров на складе привела к значительным убыткам компании.

  Spoilage of goods in the warehouse led to significant losses for the company.

• Из-за порчи урожая фермеры понесли большие финансовые потери.

  Due to spoilage of the harvest, farmers incurred major financial losses.

• Испорченность оборудования замедлила производство.

  The spoilage of equipment slowed down production.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns. "Порча" is a feminine noun of the first declension, which follows regular patterns in Russian grammar. "Испорченность" is also feminine and follows similar rules but is less commonly inflected in casual speech.

For "испорченность," it follows a similar first declension pattern but is invariant in plural forms in many contexts due to its abstract nature: e.g., Nominative singular: испорченность; Genitive singular: испорченности.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • гниение (gnieniye) - Specifically for decay, often biological.
  • разрушение (razrusheniye) - Implies destruction, with a broader scope than just spoilage.
• Antonyms:
  • сохранение (soxraneniye) - Preservation or conservation.
  • целостность (tselostnost') - Integrity or wholeness, contrasting with damage.

Related Phrases:

• Пищевая порча - Food spoilage; refers to the deterioration of edible items due to microbial action.
• Предотвращение порчи - Prevention of spoilage; commonly used in storage and logistics contexts.
• Гниение и порча продуктов - Decay and spoilage of products; a phrase highlighting multiple forms of deterioration.

Usage Notes:

"Порча" directly corresponds to "spoilage" in English, particularly for tangible items like food, and is preferred in formal or technical writing. "Испорченность" is more about the resulting state and can be used interchangeably in descriptive contexts, but choose based on nuance: use "порча" for processes and "испорченность" for conditions. Be mindful of Russian's grammatical gender and case requirements; for example, it must agree with adjectives and verbs. In informal speech, these words are common in everyday scenarios like shopping or health discussions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "порча" with "порок" (a flaw or vice), leading to misuse in sentences. Correct: Use "порча" for physical spoilage, e.g., Incorrect: "Порок еды" (meaning "flaw of food"), Correct: "Порча еды" (spoilage of food). Explanation: "Порок" implies a moral or inherent defect, not temporary damage.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect for case, e.g., saying "из-за порча" instead of "из-за порчи." Correct: Always adjust for genitive case in prepositional phrases. Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case, which English learners often overlook, leading to grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "порча" often carries connotations beyond simple spoilage, sometimes linking to folklore where it means a curse or bad omen causing decay. This historical tie to superstition, as in traditional stories about "порча" as a form of witchcraft, adds a layer of cultural depth, reminding users that the word can evoke not just physical but metaphysical ideas in literature and daily life.

Related Concepts:

• консервация (conservation)
• гниение (decay)
• ущерб (damage)