Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'awful'

English Word: awful

Key Russian Translations:

• ужасный [uˈʐasnɨj] - [Formal/Informal, Adjective]
• страшный [ˈstraʂnɨj] - [Informal, Adjective, Often used for "scary" or "terrible"]
• отвратительный [ɐtvrɐˈtʲitʲɪlnɨj] - [Informal, Adjective, Strong negative connotation]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

ужасный: [uˈʐasnɨj]

Note on ужасный: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ж' sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

страшный: [ˈstraʂnɨj]

Note on страшный: Stress on the first syllable. The 'ш' sound is a voiceless retroflex fricative.

отвратительный: [ɐtvrɐˈtʲitʲɪlnɨj]

Note on отвратительный: Stress on the third syllable. Pay attention to the soft 'т' sound due to palatalization.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Very Bad or Unpleasant (General Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ужасный - Commonly used for anything very bad, such as weather, behavior, or quality.
• отвратительный - Stronger negative tone, often used for something disgusting or repulsive (e.g., taste, behavior).

Usage Examples:

• Погода сегодня ужасная.

  The weather today is awful.

• Этот фильм был просто ужасным.

  This movie was just awful.

• У него отвратительный характер.

  He has an awful personality.

2. Causing Fear or Terror (Scary)

Translation(s) & Context:

• страшный - Often used when "awful" implies something frightening or terrifying.

Usage Examples:

• Это был страшный сон.

  It was an awful dream.

• На улице страшный ветер.

  There’s an awful wind outside.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

ужасный (Adjective): Declines according to gender, number, and case, following standard Russian adjective declension rules.

Note: Similar declension patterns apply to страшный and отвратительный.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for ужасный:

• плохой (bad)
• кошмарный (nightmarish)
• ужасающий (horrifying)

Note: "плохой" is more neutral, while "кошмарный" and "ужасающий" are stronger.

Antonyms for ужасный:

• прекрасный (wonderful)
• замечательный (marvelous)
• отличный (excellent)

Related Phrases:

• ужасная погода - Awful weather
• страшный рассказ - Awful (scary) story
• отвратительный запах - Awful (disgusting) smell

Usage Notes:

While "awful" in English can be used in both formal and informal contexts, the Russian equivalents vary by tone. Use ужасный for general negative descriptions across contexts. Reserve отвратительный for stronger, more emotional criticism (e.g., something repulsive).

страшный often overlaps with "scary" or "frightening," so context is crucial to avoid misinterpretation.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using страшный for non-fear-related contexts, e.g., "страшная погода" might be understood as "scary weather" rather than just "bad weather."
  Correction: Use ужасная погода for "awful weather."
• Error: Overusing отвратительный in formal contexts, as it can sound overly harsh.
  Correction: Opt for ужасный in formal or neutral settings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressing strong negative emotions or criticism (e.g., using отвратительный) can sometimes be perceived as more direct or harsh compared to English. Russians may soften criticism in polite conversation by using diminutives or less intense adjectives like плохой (bad).

Related Concepts:

• плохой (bad)
• неприятный (unpleasant)
• кошмар (nightmare)