Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'atrocious'

English Word: atrocious

Key Russian Translations:

• ужасный [ˈuʐəsnɨj] - [Formal/Informal, General Use]
• отвратительный [ɐtˈvratʲɪtʲɪlnɨj] - [Informal, Strong Negative Connotation]
• кошмарный [kɐʂˈmarnɨj] - [Informal, Often Used for Situations or Events]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for all translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

ужасный: [ˈuʐəsnɨj]

Note on ужасный: Stress falls on the first syllable; the 'ж' sounds like the 's' in 'measure'.

отвратительный: [ɐtˈvratʲɪtʲɪlnɨj]

Note on отвратительный: Stress on the second syllable; ensure soft pronunciation of 'т' due to palatalization.

кошмарный: [kɐʂˈmarnɨj]

Note on кошмарный: Stress on the second syllable; often used metaphorically.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Extremely Bad or Unpleasant (General)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ужасный - Commonly used for describing something very bad, like weather or behavior.
• отвратительный - Used for something disgusting or repulsive, often with a stronger emotional tone.

Usage Examples:

• Погода сегодня ужасная, я не хочу выходить.

  The weather today is atrocious; I don’t want to go out.

• Его поведение было просто отвратительным на вечеринке.

  His behavior was simply atrocious at the party.

• Этот фильм ужасный, я выключил его через пять минут.

  This movie is atrocious; I turned it off after five minutes.

2. Shockingly Bad or Horrifying (Events/Situations)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кошмарный - Often used for describing situations or events that are nightmarish or dreadful.
• ужасный - Can also apply to horrifying events or conditions.

Usage Examples:

• Это был кошмарный день на работе, всё пошло не так.

  It was an atrocious day at work; everything went wrong.

• Ужасная авария произошла на этой дороге вчера.

  An atrocious accident happened on this road yesterday.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All translations are adjectives and follow standard Russian adjective declension rules based on gender, number, and case.

ужасный (Masculine Singular Nominative):

Note: Similar declension patterns apply to отвратительный and кошмарный.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for ужасный:

• страшный
• жуткий
• плохой

Note: "страшный" can imply fear, while "плохой" is more general and less intense.

Antonyms for ужасный:

• прекрасный
• замечательный
• отличный

Related Phrases:

• ужасная ошибка - An atrocious mistake.
• отвратительный вкус - An atrocious taste (as in food or style).
• кошмарная ситуация - An atrocious situation.

Usage Notes:

• "ужасный" is the most neutral and widely applicable translation for "atrocious," suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
• "отвратительный" carries a stronger emotional weight, often implying disgust, and is best used in informal settings.
• "кошмарный" is typically used for situations or events and often conveys a sense of nightmare-like dread.
• Be mindful of adjective agreement with the noun’s gender, number, and case in Russian sentences.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "отвратительный" in formal contexts. For example, saying "отвратительное решение" in a business meeting.

  Correction: Use "ужасное решение" instead for a more neutral tone.

• Error: Incorrect adjective agreement, e.g., "ужасный погода" (wrong gender).

  Correction: It should be "ужасная погода" since "погода" is feminine.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressing strong negative emotions about something as "atrocious" (e.g., using "отвратительный") can be perceived as more personal or emotional compared to English. Russians might soften criticism in formal settings by using "ужасный" or other less intense terms to avoid sounding overly harsh.

Related Concepts:

• страшный (scary, terrible)
• жуткий (creepy, dreadful)
• неприятный (unpleasant)