Zapolnitev

Zapolnitev is a noun used in Slovenian and other South Slavic languages to denote the act or result of making something full, filling it to capacity, or filling gaps. In English, it is typically translated as filling, filling up, or completion, depending on the context.

Common uses include filling a container or volume (zapolnitev posode), filling spaces or gaps in text or data (zapolnitev praznin, zapolnitev manjkajočih vrednosti), and populating a data store or form field (zapolnitev podatkov, zapolnitev obrazca). In graphics, zapolnitev can refer to filling a shape with color or pattern (barvna zapolnitev). In practice, the term often appears in technical or descriptive prose about capacity, coverage, or content.

In Slovenian, there is overlap with izpolnitev, the more common term for completing a form or task. Izpolnitev obrazca or izpolnjevanje obrazcev is typically used for filling out forms, while zapolnitev emphasizes filling space, volume, or content to a specified level. The choice between these terms can depend on collocation and nuance.

Etymology and related terms: zapolnitev is formed from the verb zapolniti, meaning “to fill up,” with the agentive suffix -itev. The prefix za- often signals completion or thoroughness. Cognate terms exist in other Slavic languages, such as Russian zapolneniye (заполнение) and Polish zapelnienie, which carry similar meanings of filling or completion. Related Slovenian terms include izpolnjevanje and polnjenje, used in broader or more specific contexts.