Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'wring'

English Word: wring

Key Russian Translations:

• выжимать [vɨʐɨˈmatʲ] - [Informal, commonly used for squeezing out liquid]
• выкручивать [vɨkruˈʧʲɪvatʲ] - [Formal, used for twisting or forcing]

Frequency: Medium (The verb is encountered in everyday contexts but not as common as basic verbs like 'to take' or 'to go').

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage, per CEFR standards).

Pronunciation (Russian):

выжимать: [vɨʐɨˈmatʲ]

Note on выжимать: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the 'ж' sound, which is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'.

выкручивать: [vɨkruˈʧʲɪvatʲ]

Note on выкручивать: The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative; pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech, but maintain the stress on the third syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To twist and squeeze something to remove liquid (e.g., wringing out clothes)

Translation(s) & Context:

• выжимать - Used in everyday, informal contexts like laundry or cooking.
• выкручивать - Used in more formal or mechanical contexts, implying force.

Usage Examples:

• Я выжимаю мокрую рубашку, чтобы удалить лишнюю воду.

  I am wringing out the wet shirt to remove the excess water.

• После стирки всегда выжимай одежду перед сушкой.

  After washing, always wring out the clothes before drying them.

• В походе мы выкручивали полотенца над ручьем.

  On the hike, we wrung out the towels over the stream.

• Не выжимай слишком сильно, иначе ткань порвется.

  Don't wring it too hard, or the fabric will tear.

Meaning 2: To twist something forcibly or to cause emotional distress (e.g., wringing hands in anxiety)

Translation(s) & Context:

• выкручивать - Applied in contexts involving force or manipulation, including metaphorical uses.
• выжимать (less common) - Sometimes used metaphorically for emotional pressure.

Usage Examples:

• Он выкручивал руки в отчаянии, ожидая новостей.

  He was wringing his hands in despair, waiting for news.

• В переговорах она выкручивала ситуацию в свою пользу.

  In the negotiations, she wrung the situation to her advantage.

• Выжимать эмоции из людей неэтично в таких беседах.

  Wringing emotions out of people is unethical in such conversations.

• Доктор выкручивал повязку, чтобы остановить кровотечение.

  The doctor wrung the bandage to stop the bleeding.

• В фильме герой выкручивал правду из свидетеля.

  In the movie, the hero wrung the truth out of the witness.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs. выжимать and выкручивать are imperfective, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They undergo regular conjugation based on person, number, tense, and aspect.

Note: These verbs have perfective counterparts (e.g., выжать for выжимать), which indicate completed actions. They are invariant in terms of gender but change with number and case in nominal forms if derived.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отжимать (otzhimat') - Similar to выжимать, but more specific to pressing out liquid.
  • скручивать (skručivat') - For twisting, with a slight nuance of coiling.
• Antonyms:
  • разжимать (razzhimat') - To loosen or release from a twist.
  • ослаблять (oslabljat') - To weaken or reduce pressure.

Related Phrases:

• Выжимать сок из фруктов - Wringing juice from fruits; used in cooking contexts.
• Выкручивать руки - Wringing hands; a metaphorical phrase for expressing anxiety or desperation.
• Выжимать максимум - Wringing out the maximum; means getting the most out of something, like resources.

Usage Notes:

'Wring' corresponds closely to выжимать in physical contexts and выкручивать in forceful or emotional ones. Choose выжимать for informal, everyday scenarios like household chores, as it feels more natural. выкручивать is better for formal or metaphorical uses, such as in literature or negotiations. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use imperfective forms for ongoing actions and perfective (e.g., выжать) for completed ones. In spoken Russian, these verbs often appear in imperative forms for instructions.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspect: English learners might use the imperfective form where a perfective is needed, e.g., saying "Я выжимаю рубашку" instead of "Я выжал рубашку" for a completed action. Correct: Use выжал (perfective) for "I wrung the shirt out."
• Mispronouncing consonants: Learners often soften the 'ж' in выжимать too much, making it sound like 'sh'. Error example: Pronouncing it as [vɨʃɨˈmatʲ]; Correct: [vɨʐɨˈmatʲ], with a clear voiced fricative.
• Overusing in metaphors: Beginners might translate "wring the truth" directly as выжимать правду, which sounds awkward. Correct: Use выкручивать правду for a more idiomatic expression.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "выкручивать руки" (wringing hands) often appear in literature and film to depict emotional turmoil, reflecting a broader Slavic tradition of expressive body language in storytelling. This isn't unique to Russia but ties into themes of endurance and passion in Russian arts.

Related Concepts:

• отжимать
• скручивать
• разжимать