Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'urinate'

English Word: urinate

Key Russian Translations:

• мочиться [mɐˈt͡ɕit͡ɕɪsʲə] - [Informal, Reflexive Verb]
• испускать мочу [ɪˈspuskətʲ ˈmoʧʊ] - [Formal, Medical Context]

Frequency: Low (Not commonly used in everyday conversation; more prevalent in medical, biological, or informal discussions.)

Difficulty: Intermediate (B2 level per CEFR; Requires understanding of reflexive verbs and basic verb conjugations. For 'мочиться', it's straightforward for intermediates; 'испускать мочу' may be more challenging due to its compound nature.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мочиться: [mɐˈt͡ɕit͡ɕɪsʲə]

испускать мочу: [ɪˈspuskətʲ ˈmoʧʊ]

Note on мочиться: The reflexive suffix '-ся' (-sya) can be tricky for beginners; stress on the second syllable. Pronunciation varies slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The act of passing urine from the body

Translation(s) & Context:

• мочиться - Used in informal or everyday contexts, such as health discussions or casual references; avoid in polite conversation.
• испускать мочу - Employed in formal, medical, or scientific settings for precision; often seen in healthcare literature.

Usage Examples:

• Он мочится каждые полчаса, что может указывать на проблему. (On mochitsya kazhdyye polchasa, chto mozhet ukazyvat' na problemu.)

  He urinates every half hour, which might indicate a problem.

• Врачи советуют не сдерживать, когда хочется мочиться. (Vrachi sovetuyut ne sderzhivat', kogda khochetsya mochit'sya.)

  Doctors advise not to hold it in when you need to urinate.

• Пациент отказывается испускать мочу для анализа. (Patsient otkazyvayetsya ispuskat' mochyu dlya analiza.)

  The patient refuses to urinate for the analysis.

• Дети часто мочатся в постели, если они нервничают. (Deti chasto moch'yatsya v posteli, yesli oni nervnichayut.)

  Children often urinate in bed if they are nervous.

• Во время осмотра врач попросил пациента испускать мочу в специальный контейнер. (Vo vremya osmotra vrach poprosil patsienta ispuskat' mochyu v spetsial'nyy kontayner.)

  During the examination, the doctor asked the patient to urinate into a special container.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'мочиться' is a reflexive verb (from 'мочить', meaning 'to wet'), which follows imperfective aspect patterns. It conjugates irregularly due to its reflexive nature. 'испускать мочу' is a phrase where 'испускать' is a verb that conjugates regularly.

For 'мочиться' (imperfective):

'испускать' conjugates as a regular verb: e.g., Present: испускаю (ispuskayu), Past: испускал (ispuskal). The phrase 'испускать мочу' does not inflect as a single unit; 'мочу' changes by case if needed (e.g., accusative).

Note: These verbs do not change in gender or number in all forms, but context dictates agreement.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • писать - Informal, often for children or very casual use; less vulgar than in English.
  • опорожнять мочевой пузырь - Very formal, literal translation meaning 'to empty the bladder'.
• Antonyms:
  • удерживать мочу - Meaning 'to hold urine', used in contexts of self-control.

Related Phrases:

• Идти в туалет - Literally 'to go to the toilet'; used for the general act of urinating or defecating in everyday contexts. (Common in polite conversation.)
• Сдерживать мочу - 'To hold urine'; refers to delaying urination, often in medical or endurance scenarios.
• Мочеиспускание - 'Urination' as a noun; a formal term for the process, e.g., in health discussions.

Usage Notes:

While 'urinate' is a neutral verb in English, Russian equivalents like 'мочиться' carry a more informal or vulgar connotation, so use it cautiously in social settings. 'Испускать мочу' is preferred in formal or professional contexts for precision. English learners should note that Russian often employs euphemisms like 'идти в туалет' to avoid directness. When choosing between translations, opt for 'мочиться' in casual speech and 'испускать мочу' in writing or medical dialogues. Grammatically, reflexive verbs like 'мочиться' require the '-ся' suffix, which doesn't translate directly.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'мочиться' in formal settings, e.g., saying "Пациент мочится часто" instead of "Пациент часто испускает мочу". Correct: The latter is more appropriate for medical reports. Explanation: 'Мочиться' sounds too casual and may offend in professional contexts.

• Error: Forgetting the reflexive suffix, e.g., saying "Я мочу" instead of "Я мочусь". Correct: "Я мочусь" (I urinate). Explanation: Without '-ся', the verb loses its reflexive meaning and becomes incorrect.

• Error: Overusing 'писать' in adult contexts, which is fine for children but can be seen as childish or inappropriate otherwise. Correct: Use 'мочиться' for informal adult talk. Explanation: Context matters; 'писать' might confuse or amuse native speakers if misused.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussions about bodily functions like urination are often avoided in polite company, similar to English-speaking cultures. However, in medical or educational contexts, terms like 'испускать мочу' are straightforward. There's a cultural emphasis on hygiene and privacy, so euphemisms are common in daily life, reflecting broader Slavic traditions of modesty.

Related Concepts:

• туалет (toilet)
• моча (urine)
• мочевой пузырь (bladder)
• гигиена (hygiene)