Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sully'

English Word: sully

Key Russian Translations:

• Осквернить [ɐskvʲɪrʲɪˈnʲitʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in contexts involving moral or sacred defilement]
• Запачкать [zəpɐˈt͡ɕkətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for physical staining or tarnishing]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literary and formal discussions but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level, as it involves understanding verb conjugations and contextual nuances; 'Осквернить' may be more challenging at C1 due to its formal connotations, while 'Запачкать' is closer to B2)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Осквернить: [ɐskvʲɪrʲɪˈnʲitʲ]

Note on Осквернить: The stress falls on the third syllable; be cautious with the palatalized 'р' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may soften the consonants.

Запачкать: [zəpɐˈt͡ɕkətʲ]

Note on Запачкать: The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative; practice with similar words like 'чашка' for accuracy. Informal speech might reduce the final 'тʲ' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To defile or tarnish something morally or sacredly (e.g., reputation, honor)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Осквернить - Used in formal, literary, or historical contexts, such as describing the desecration of a monument or reputation.
• Запачкать - Less formal, applied metaphorically for minor tarnishing, but not ideal for sacred contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его ложь осквернила репутацию семьи. (His lie sullied the family's reputation.)

  English Translation: His lie desecrated the family's reputation. (This example shows the verb in a formal, accusative context involving abstract concepts.)

• Война осквернила священные места. (The war sullied sacred places.)

  English Translation: The war desecrated sacred places. (Illustrates use in historical or emotional contexts with direct objects.)

• Не запачкай свою репутацию глупыми действиями. (Don't sully your reputation with foolish actions.)

  English Translation: Don't tarnish your reputation with foolish actions. (Demonstrates informal imperative form in everyday advice.)

• Скандал осквернил память о герое. (The scandal sullied the memory of the hero.)

  English Translation: The scandal desecrated the memory of the hero. (Shows application to intangible concepts like memory.)

Meaning 2: To physically soil or stain something

Translation(s) & Context:

• Запачкать - Preferred for literal, everyday staining of objects or surfaces.
• Осквернить - Rarely used for physical dirt; reserved for metaphorical or severe cases.

Usage Examples:

• Дождь запачкал мою новую куртку. (The rain sullied my new jacket.)

  English Translation: The rain stained my new jacket. (This highlights the verb in a simple, physical context with direct objects.)

• Он не хотел запачкать руки грязью. (He didn't want to sully his hands with dirt.)

  English Translation: He didn't want to dirty his hands with mud. (Shows idiomatic use in reflexive or personal contexts.)

• Мальчик запачкал одежду в парке. (The boy sullied his clothes in the park.)

  English Translation: The boy stained his clothes in the park. (Illustrates past tense in narrative descriptions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. 'Осквернить' and 'Запачкать' are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a conjugation table for the present tense as an example:

Note: These verbs have perfective counterparts ('Осквернить' pairs with 'Осквернить' in perfective form, but 'Запачкать' often uses 'Запятнать' for perfective). They do not change for gender but follow standard aspect rules in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Осквернить: Порочить (porochit' - to discredit, with a focus on moral damage)
  • Запачкать: Загрязнить (zagryaznit' - to pollute, for physical contexts) or Пачкать (pachkat' - a more general synonym for soiling)
• Antonyms:
  • Очистить (ochistit' - to cleanse)
  • Очищать (ochishchat' - to purify, especially in moral contexts)

Related Phrases:

• Осквернить могилу - To desecrate a grave (Used in contexts of vandalism or disrespect to the deceased.)
• Запачкать честь - To sully one's honor (A metaphorical phrase for damaging reputation in social or legal settings.)
• Не запачкать руки - Not to get one's hands dirty (Idiomatic for avoiding involvement in unethical activities.)

Usage Notes:

'Sully' in English often carries a connotation of moral tarnishing, which aligns closely with 'Осквернить' in Russian. Choose 'Осквернить' for formal or literary translations to maintain that nuance, while 'Запачкать' is better for literal, everyday physical staining. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use the imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for completed ones. In formal writing, 'Осквернить' might be preferred, but in spoken language, 'Запачкать' is more natural. Avoid direct word-for-word translation; consider the context to select the appropriate verb.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'Осквернить' for simple physical dirt, e.g., saying "Осквернить одежду" for "sully clothes" when it implies moral defilement. Correct: Use 'Запачкать одежду'. Explanation: This misapplies the word's formal tone, leading to awkwardness; always match the context's severity.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying "Осквернит" instead of "Оскверняет" in present tense for third person. Correct: "Он оскверняет". Explanation: Russian verbs require precise endings based on person and number; practice with conjugation tables to avoid this.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'Осквернить' often evoke historical sensitivities, such as the desecration of religious sites during wars or revolutions. This can carry emotional weight in discussions of national heritage, so using it carelessly in conversation might be seen as insensitive. Unlike English, Russian emphasizes the aspect of verbs, reflecting a cultural focus on the process versus the result.

Related Concepts:

• Порочить
• Загрязнение
• Очистить