задержи дыхание
zaderzhi dykhanie
To hold your breath in Russian is задержи дыхание (zaderzhi dykhanie).
The phrase is used to instruct someone to stop breathing for a short period of time.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun дыхание means breath or the act of breathing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form задержи дыхание is in the singular imperative mood, which is used when addressing one person informally. To address a group or use a polite form, you use задержите дыхание.
How do you pronounce it?
zaderzhi dykhanie
Did you know?
- The root of дыхание is related to the Old Church Slavonic word for 'spirit' or 'soul', linking the physical act of breathing to the essence of life.
- The verb used in задержи дыхание is the same one used to mean 'to delay' or 'to postpone' something, such as a meeting or a decision.
- While 'hold your breath' is a physical command, the Russian noun дыхание is also used in the term дыхательная гимнастика, which translates to 'breathing gymnastics' for exercise.
Examples in context
- Задержи дыхание.Hold your breath.This sentence is useful for a standard command to hold your breath.Tatoeba #5335887 by marafon, translation #2245586 by CK
- Задержи дыхание!Hold your breath!This sentence is useful for an emphatic command to hold your breath.Tatoeba #9974421 by Ivanovb, translation #9974422 by ddnktr
- Задержи дыхание, пожалуйста.Hold your breath, please.This sentence is useful for making the command to hold your breath more polite.Tatoeba #3068007 by marafon, translation #274362 by CK
- Смотри, теперь задержи дыхание и ныряй!Look, now hold your breath and dive!
- Я не умею долго задерживать дыхание!I don't know how to hold my breath for a long time!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Olga is teaching Dmitry how to scuba dive in a pool.
- Ольга OlgaДмитрий, задержи дыхание перед погружением.Dmitriy, zaderzhi dykhaniye pered pogruzheniyem.Dmitry, hold your breath before the dive.
- Дмитрий DmitryХорошо, я готов.Khorosho, ya gotov.Okay, I am ready.
- Ольга OlgaТеперь задержи дыхание и ныряй.Teper' zaderzhi dykhaniye i nyryay.Now hold your breath and dive.
- Дмитрий DmitryЭто было несложно.Eto bylo neslozhno.That was not difficult.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
