Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'subside'

English Word: subside

Key Russian Translations:

• успокаиваться [ʊspɐˈkajɪt͡sə] - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday contexts for emotional or natural calming]
• стихать [ˈstʲixətʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Often used in literary or descriptive contexts]
• оседать [ɐˈsʲedətʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Specifically for physical sinking or settling]

Frequency: Medium (This verb and its variants appear regularly in Russian literature, news, and conversation, but not as commonly as basic daily verbs like "идти" – to go.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For "успокаиваться", it may be slightly easier at B1 due to its reflexive form, while "стихать" could approach B2 for its imperfective aspect.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

успокаиваться: [ʊspɐˈkajɪt͡sə] (Stress on the third syllable; the "к" is a hard consonant, and the reflexive "-ся" ending softens the pronunciation.)

Note on успокаиваться: This word involves a palatalized "к" sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Practice the "ʊ" sound as in "book".

стихать: [ˈstʲixətʲ] (Stress on the first syllable; the "тʲ" is palatalized, making it sound softer.)

Note on стихать: The initial "с" is pronounced as a soft "s" with a slight whistle, common in Slavic languages. Avoid confusing it with "стих" (poem).

оседать: [ɐˈsʲedətʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; the "сʲ" is palatalized.)

Note on оседать: The "е" sound is like the "e" in "bed", and the verb often appears in perfective-imperfective pairs.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To become less intense or calm down (e.g., a storm or emotions subsiding)

Translation(s) & Context:

• успокаиваться - Used in informal settings, such as describing personal feelings or weather changes.
• стихать - Applied in more formal or narrative contexts, like in literature or reports.

Usage Examples:

• Шторм постепенно успокаивается, и волны становятся меньше.

  The storm is gradually subsiding, and the waves are getting smaller.

• После долгого спора, эмоции начали стихать, и все успокоились.

  After a long argument, the emotions began to subside, and everyone calmed down.

• Вечером ветер успокаивается, делая прогулку приятной.

  In the evening, the wind subsides, making the walk enjoyable.

• Гнев стихает со временем, если не подогревать его.

  Anger subsides over time if it's not fueled.

Meaning 2: To sink down or settle (e.g., ground or a structure)

Translation(s) & Context:

• оседать - Common in technical or geological contexts, emphasizing physical movement.

Usage Examples:

• Грунт под домом начал оседать из-за дождей, вызывая трещины в фундаменте.

  The ground under the house is starting to subside due to the rains, causing cracks in the foundation.

• После землетрясения почва осела, и дороги оказались повреждены.

  After the earthquake, the soil subsided, and the roads were damaged.

• В старых зданиях стены иногда оседают, требуя ремонта.

  In old buildings, walls sometimes subside, requiring repairs.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. They are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing actions. Below is a table for "успокаиваться" as an example; similar patterns apply to others with slight variations.

For "стихать" and "оседать", the conjugation follows regular imperfective patterns but may vary slightly in perfective forms (e.g., "успокоиться" for completion). These verbs do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • утихать (utikhát') - Similar to стихать, but more abrupt.
  • уходить (ukhódit') - For subsiding in a fading away sense, with a connotation of disappearance.
• Antonyms:
  • нарастать (narastát') - To intensify or grow stronger.
  • вздуваться (vzdúvat'sya) - To swell or rise up, opposite of sinking.

Related Phrases:

• Шторм успокаивается - The storm is subsiding (Used in weather reports to indicate calming conditions).
• Эмоции стихают - Emotions are subsiding (Common in psychological or interpersonal contexts).
• Почва осела после дождя - The soil subsided after the rain (Technical phrase in construction or geology).

Usage Notes:

"Subside" corresponds most closely to "успокаиваться" for non-physical contexts and "оседать" for physical ones. In Russian, always consider the aspect: use imperfective forms like these for ongoing actions. For formal writing, prefer "стихать" over "успокаиваться" due to its literary nuance. Be cautious with reflexive verbs like "успокаиваться" (-ся ending), which imply self-action. When choosing among translations, select based on context: emotional for "успокаиваться", natural phenomena for "стихать".

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "успокаивать" (to calm something else) instead of "успокаиваться" (to calm oneself). Correct: "Я успокаиваюсь" means "I am subsiding/calming down", not "I am calming someone". Explanation: English speakers often overlook the reflexive particle "-ся", which changes the meaning.

• Error: Confusing "стихать" with "стих" (poem). Correct: In context, say "Буря стихает" for "The storm is subsiding". Explanation: This mix-up can lead to nonsensical sentences; always pair with appropriate subjects like weather or emotions.

• Error: Omitting conjugation in sentences, e.g., saying "Шторм успокаиваться" instead of "Шторм успокаивается". Correct: Always conjugate for third person singular. Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject, unlike English where "subside" remains unchanged.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "стихать" often appear in poetry and folk tales, reflecting the nation's literary heritage (e.g., in works by Pushkin). "Успокаиваться" can carry a philosophical undertone, emphasizing resilience in the face of adversity, as seen in Russian proverbs about enduring hardships until they subside.

Related Concepts:

• успокоение (uspokoéniye) - Calmness or soothing.
• оседание (osédaniye) - Settling or sedimentation.
• стихия (stikhíya) - Natural forces or elements, often related to subsiding phenomena.