Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Annoyance'

English Word: Annoyance

Key Russian Translations:

• раздражение [rəzdrʲɪˈʐɛnʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• досада [dɐˈsadə] - [Informal, Emotional]
• неприятность [nʲɪprʲɪˈjatnəsʲtʲ] - [Formal, Often Used for Minor Issues]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "раздражение" and "досада"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "неприятность"

Pronunciation (Russian):

раздражение: [rəzdrʲɪˈʐɛnʲɪjə]

Note on раздражение: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "ж" sound is a voiced fricative, similar to the 's' in "measure".

досада: [dɐˈsadə]

Note on досада: Stress on the second syllable; the "о" is reduced to a schwa sound in unstressed position.

неприятность: [nʲɪprʲɪˈjatnəsʲtʲ]

Note on неприятность: Stress on the third syllable; pay attention to the soft consonants marked by "ʲ".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Feeling of Being Annoyed (Emotional State)

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражение - Used to express irritation or frustration, often in personal or emotional contexts.
• досада - More informal, conveys a sense of vexation or mild anger, often with a personal tone.

Usage Examples:

• Его постоянные опоздания вызывают у меня раздражение.

  His constant lateness causes me annoyance.

• Она с досадой бросила книгу на стол.

  She threw the book on the table in annoyance.

• Я чувствую раздражение, когда меня перебивают.

  I feel annoyance when I’m interrupted.

2. Something Causing Annoyance (Situation or Object)

Translation(s) & Context:

• неприятность - Refers to a minor trouble or inconvenience, often used in formal or neutral contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Эта мелкая неприятность испортила мне день.

  This small annoyance ruined my day.

• Поломка машины стала для нас большой неприятностью.

  The car breakdown was a big annoyance for us.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

раздражение (noun, neuter): Follows the standard neuter noun declension pattern.

досада (noun, feminine): Follows the standard feminine noun declension pattern (first declension).

неприятность (noun, feminine): Follows the standard feminine noun declension pattern with a soft stem.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for раздражение:

• нервозность (nervousness, slight irritation)
• злость (anger, stronger emotion)

Antonyms for раздражение:

• спокойствие (calmness)
• удовольствие (pleasure)

Related Phrases:

• вызывать раздражение - To cause annoyance
• к досаде - To someone’s annoyance
• мелкая неприятность - A minor annoyance

Usage Notes:

• "раздражение" is the most neutral and widely used term for the emotional state of annoyance and can be applied in both formal and informal contexts.
• "досада" carries a more personal or emotional tone and is often used in informal speech to express frustration or vexation.
• "неприятность" typically refers to an external source of annoyance (a situation or event) rather than the emotional state itself, and it is more formal.
• Be cautious when choosing between these terms, as they are not always interchangeable due to differences in tone and context.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "досада" in formal writing or contexts. Explanation: "досада" is informal and should be replaced with "раздражение" or "неприятность" in formal settings. For example, saying "Это вызывает у меня досаду" in a business email is inappropriate; use "Это вызывает у меня раздражение" instead.
• Error: Misusing "неприятность" to describe an emotional state. Explanation: "неприятность" refers to a situation, not a feeling. Incorrect: "Я чувствую неприятность"; Correct: "Я чувствую раздражение".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing annoyance directly (e.g., using "раздражение") might be considered less polite in certain social contexts compared to English-speaking cultures. Russians may use euphemisms or indirect language to soften the tone, especially in formal or unfamiliar settings. For instance, instead of saying "Это меня раздражает" (This annoys me), one might say "Это немного неудобно" (This is a bit inconvenient).

Related Concepts:

• злость (anger)
• фрустрация (frustration)
• неудобство (inconvenience)