Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'spread'

English Word: spread

Key Russian Translations:

• распространять [rəsprɐˈstranʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used for spreading ideas or information]
• намазывать [nəmɐˈzɨvətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for spreading substances like butter]
• спред [sprʲɛt] - [Neutral, Noun, Used in modern contexts for food spreads]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday language, especially in media and cooking contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and noun declensions, varying by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

распространять: [rəsprɐˈstranʲɪtʲ]

Note on распространять: The stress falls on the third syllable; be cautious with the palatalized 'н' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

намазывать: [nəmɐˈzɨvətʲ]

Note on намазывать: This verb has a soft 'з' sound; practice the imperfective aspect for ongoing actions.

спред: [sprʲɛt]

Note on спред: Borrowed from English, so pronunciation is relatively straightforward with a soft 'р'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To spread information or ideas (verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• распространять - Used in formal or professional contexts, such as news dissemination or viral marketing.

Usage Examples:

• Информация быстро распространяется по сети.

  Information spreads quickly through the network.

• Правительство стремится распространять позитивные новости.

  The government strives to spread positive news.

• В интернете распространяется вирусный контент.

  Viral content spreads on the internet.

• Активисты распространяют листовки на улицах.

  Activists spread leaflets on the streets.

Meaning 2: To spread a substance (verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• намазывать - Common in everyday, informal settings like cooking or applying creams.

Usage Examples:

• Я намазываю масло на хлеб каждое утро.

  I spread butter on bread every morning.

• Дети любят намазывать джем на тосты.

  Children love to spread jam on toast.

• Она намазывает крем на лицо перед сном.

  She spreads cream on her face before bed.

• В ресторане шеф-повар намазывает пасту на блюдо.

  In the restaurant, the chef spreads paste on the dish.

Meaning 3: A spread (noun, e.g., food)

Translation(s) & Context:

• спред - Used in contemporary contexts, often for Western-style food items.

Usage Examples:

• Этот спред идеально подходит для бутербродов.

  This spread is perfect for sandwiches.

• В магазине есть разные виды спреда.

  There are various types of spread in the store.

• Я предпочитаю овощной спред к хлебу.

  I prefer vegetable spread on bread.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For распространять (verb, imperfective): This is an imperfective verb that follows standard first conjugation patterns. It changes based on tense, aspect, and person.

Form	Present	Past	Future
I (я)	распространяю	распространял	буду распространять
You (ты)	распространяешь	распространял	будешь распространять
He/She (он/она)	распространяет	распространял	будет распространять

For намазывать (verb, imperfective): Similar to above, it is a first conjugation verb with regular inflections.

Form	Present	Past	Future
I (я)	намазываю	намазывал	буду намазывать

For спред (noun, masculine): This is an indeclinable noun borrowed from English, so it does not change in cases or numbers (e.g., спред, спреда, etc., remains mostly unchanged).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • распространять: распространять (no direct synonyms, but близко = close)
  • намазывать: смазывать (smazывать - to lubricate or spread thinly)
  • спред: паста (pasta - paste)
• Antonyms:
  • распространять: скрывать (skryvat' - to hide)
  • намазывать: снимать (snimat' - to remove)
  • спред: (no direct antonym, as it's a specific noun)

Related Phrases:

• Распространять информацию - Spreading information; used in media contexts to indicate dissemination of news.
• Намазывать на хлеб - Spreading on bread; a common phrase in culinary settings for applying spreads.
• Вирусный спред - Viral spread; refers to the rapid sharing of content online.

Usage Notes:

Choose распространять for abstract concepts like ideas or rumors, as it aligns closely with the English 'spread' in informational contexts. It is more formal and often used in writing or official speech. For physical actions like applying substances, намазывать is preferred in informal, daily conversations. Note that спред is a direct borrowing and is gender-neutral in usage, but always treat it as masculine in Russian grammar. Be mindful of aspect: use imperfective forms for ongoing actions and perfective (e.g., распространить) for completed ones.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing распространять with распределять (raspredelyat', to distribute).

  Incorrect: "Я распространяю еду" (implying spreading out food unevenly). Correct: "Я распределяю еду" for even distribution. Explanation: 'Spread' in English can overlap, but in Russian, use the precise verb to avoid implying viral or wide dissemination.

• Error: Overusing спред for non-food items.

  Incorrect: "Распространение спреда информации" (mixing metaphors). Correct: Stick to "распространение информации". Explanation: 'Spread' as a noun is specific; don't force it into abstract uses.

Cultural Notes:

The verb распространять often carries connotations of propaganda in Russian culture, especially in historical contexts like Soviet-era information control, where spreading ideas was a tool of state influence. This can add a layer of nuance when discussing media or politics.

Related Concepts:

• информация (information)
• вирус (virus, as in viral spread)
• паста (paste, related to food spreads)