Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sweat'

English Word: sweat

Key Russian Translations:

• пот [pɐt] - [Noun, Singular, Informal]
• потеть [pɐˈtʲetʲ] - [Verb, Imperfective, Informal, Used in contexts of physical activity]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday conversations about health, exercise, or weather)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; involves basic vocabulary but requires understanding of noun cases and verb conjugations for accurate usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пот: [pɐt]

Note on пот: The 'о' is pronounced as a short, unstressed vowel, similar to the 'o' in "pot" in English. Be mindful of the soft final consonant.

потеть: [pɐˈtʲetʲ]

Note on потеть: Stress falls on the second syllable; the 'тʲ' indicates a palatalized 't', which can be tricky for English speakers. Practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

As a noun: The liquid secreted by sweat glands, often from exertion or heat

Translation(s) & Context:

• пот - Used in everyday contexts like sports, weather, or health discussions; informal and neutral in most settings.

Usage Examples:

• После интенсивной тренировки на его лбу выступил пот.

  After the intense workout, sweat appeared on his forehead.

• Летняя жара вызывает обильный пот у людей.

  The summer heat causes profuse sweat in people.

• В поте лица он работал весь день на поле.

  By the sweat of his brow, he worked in the field all day. (Idiomatic expression for hard labor)

• Ее одежда пропиталась потом от долгой прогулки.

  Her clothes were soaked with sweat from the long walk.

As a verb: To excrete moisture through the skin, often due to heat or effort

Translation(s) & Context:

• потеть - Used for ongoing or habitual actions; common in descriptions of physical states, and can be informal or neutral depending on context.

Usage Examples:

• Он начал потеть, когда увидел, как быстро приближается шторм.

  He started to sweat when he saw how quickly the storm was approaching.

• В сауне все потеют, чтобы вывести токсины из организма.

  In the sauna, everyone sweats to remove toxins from the body.

• Дети потеют во время активных игр на улице.

  Children sweat during active games outside.

• Она потела от волнения перед важным выступлением.

  She was sweating from nervousness before the important performance.

• После еды некоторые люди потеют, если блюдо было слишком острым.

  After eating, some people sweat if the dish was too spicy.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'пот' (a masculine noun), it follows the standard third declension pattern with regular inflections based on case and number. It does not have irregularities but changes with grammatical context.

For 'потеть' (an imperfective verb), it is conjugated regularly for imperfective aspects. It changes based on tense, person, and number. Note: It has no perfective counterpart in this context, but related verbs like 'пропотеть' exist for emphasis.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • влага (moisture) - Often used interchangeably in medical contexts, but less specific to sweat.
  • испарина (perspiration) - A more poetic or formal synonym for 'пот'.
• Antonyms:
  • сухость (dryness) - Refers to the absence of sweat or moisture.
  • не потеть (not to sweat) - Implied antonym for the verb, though not a direct word.

Related Phrases:

• В поте лица - Meaning: By the sweat of one's brow (refers to hard work; used in idiomatic expressions about labor).
• Пропитаться потом - Meaning: To become soaked with sweat (common in descriptions of physical exhaustion).
• Пот на лбу - Meaning: Sweat on the forehead (indicates nervousness or effort in casual conversation).

Usage Notes:

'Пот' directly corresponds to the English noun 'sweat' in physical contexts, while 'потеть' aligns with the verb form. Use 'пот' in singular for general references and be aware of case changes in Russian sentences. For the verb, 'потеть' is imperfective, implying ongoing action, so it's ideal for descriptions rather than completed events. In formal writing, opt for more precise terms like 'испарина' if needed. English learners should note that Russian often requires specifying the body part (e.g., 'пот на лице') for clarity, unlike English.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'пот' in the wrong case, e.g., saying "Я вижу пот" instead of "Я вижу пота" in genitive contexts. Correct: Я вижу пота на его рубашке. (Explanation: Russian requires proper case agreement; this error stems from English's lack of cases.)
• Mistake: Conjugating 'потеть' incorrectly, e.g., saying "Я потет" instead of "Я потею". Correct: Я потею во время бега. (Explanation: Verbs must match person and tense; beginners often omit the ending vowels.)
• Mistake: Confusing 'пот' with 'вода' (water), leading to literal translations. Correct: Use 'пот' specifically for sweat, not general liquids. (Explanation: This can make descriptions less accurate in health or fitness contexts.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions like 'в поте лица' draw from biblical origins, emphasizing hard work and perseverance, similar to English idioms. Sweat is often associated with resilience in literature and folklore, symbolizing the toil of everyday life in Russia's harsh climate, which can help English speakers appreciate the cultural depth beyond literal meanings.

Related Concepts:

• влага
• утомление
• жара