Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'superabound'

English Word: superabound

Key Russian Translations:

• изобиловать /ɪzɐˈbʲiləvətʲ/ - [Verb, Formal]
• преизобиловать /prʲɪzɐˈbʲiləvətʲ/ - [Verb, Formal, Used in literary or archaic contexts]

Frequency: Low (This word and its equivalents are not commonly used in everyday conversation but appear in formal, literary, or scientific texts.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate learners may grasp the basic concept, but mastering verb conjugations and contextual usage requires familiarity with Russian aspect and verb forms.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

изобиловать: /ɪzɐˈbʲiləvətʲ/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'bʲ' represents a palatalized 'b' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.)

Note on изобиловать: Be careful with the palatalization; it sounds like "ee-zuh-BEE-luh-vaht" with a soft 'b'. Pronunciation may vary slightly in different dialects.

преизобиловать: /prʲɪzɐˈbʲiləvətʲ/ (Similar to the above, with an additional prefix; stress remains on the third syllable.)

Note on преизобиловать: This is a less common variant; the prefix 'pre-' adds emphasis, pronounced as "pree-ee-zuh-BEE-luh-vaht".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To exist in great abundance or to overflow excessively

Translation(s) & Context:

• изобиловать - Used in formal descriptions of abundance, such as in nature or resources (e.g., in scientific or literary contexts).
• преизобиловать - Employed for emphasizing excess, often in poetic or historical texts to denote surplus beyond normal abundance.

Usage Examples:

• В лесу изобилует дикая живность. (In the forest, wildlife superabounds.)

  English: "The forest superabounds with wildlife." (This example shows the verb in a natural, descriptive context.)

• После дождя преизобилует вода в реке. (After the rain, the river superabounds with water.)

  English: "After the rain, the river overflows excessively with water." (Illustrates use in a weather-related scenario, emphasizing excess.)

• В этом регионе изобилует полезными ископаемыми. (In this region, useful minerals superabound.)

  English: "In this region, useful minerals are in superabundance." (Demonstrates application in geographical or economic contexts.)

• Преизобилование пищи в пиру удивило гостей. (The superabundance of food at the feast surprised the guests.)

  English: "The excessive abundance of food at the feast surprised the guests." (Shows the noun form derived from the verb in a social setting.)

• Изобилуя талантами, команда преизобиловала успехами. (Abounding in talents, the team superabounded with successes.)

  English: "Abounding in talents, the team overflowed with successes." (Combines both translations to show comparative usage in motivational contexts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "изобиловать" and "преизобиловать" are imperfective verbs in Russian, following standard conjugation patterns for verbs of motion and state. They are irregular in some aspects due to their roots but conjugate predictably based on person, number, tense, and aspect.

Note: These verbs do not change in the infinitive form and have perfective counterparts like "изобилить" for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • процветать (protsvetat') - To flourish; often used for growth in a positive sense.
  • богатеть (bogatet') - To become rich; implies abundance of resources.
• Antonyms:
  • сокращаться (sokrashchatsya) - To diminish; opposite in the context of quantity.
  • иссякать (issyakhat') - To run out; indicates depletion.

Related Phrases:

• Изобиловать ресурсами - Abounding in resources; used in economic discussions.
• Преизобилие природы - Superabundance of nature; a phrase for describing lush environments.
• В изобилии - In abundance; a common adverbial phrase for general excess.

Usage Notes:

"Superabound" is a somewhat archaic or formal English word, and its Russian equivalents like "изобиловать" are similarly used in elevated language. Choose "изобиловать" for standard descriptions of abundance and "преизобиловать" for emphasizing excess. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use the imperfective for ongoing states and perfective for completed actions. In casual speech, simpler alternatives like "много" (a lot) are preferred over these verbs.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse the aspect, using "изобиловать" for completed actions. Error: "Я изобиловал едой вчера." (Incorrect: implies ongoing abundance.) Correct: "Я изобиловал едой вчера" should be "Я изобиловал едой" in past, but better as "Еды было в изобилии вчера." Explanation: Use perfective "изобилить" for finished events.
• Mixing with synonyms: Learners might overuse "процветать" thinking it means the same, but it implies positive growth, not just quantity. Error: "Река процветает водой." Correct: "Река изобилует водой." Explanation: "Процветать" is for flourishing, not mere abundance.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian literature, such as in works by Tolstoy or Dostoevsky, words like "изобиловать" evoke themes of natural wealth and human excess, reflecting Russia's vast landscapes. This can symbolize the country's historical abundance of resources, contrasting with periods of scarcity in cultural narratives.

Related Concepts:

• богатство (wealth)
• избыток (surplus)
• процветание (prosperity)