Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Badly'

English Word: badly

Key Russian Translations:

• плохо [ˈploxə] - [Neutral, Common Usage]
• дурно [ˈdurnə] - [Formal, Slightly Archaic]
• скверно [ˈskvʲernə] - [Informal, Expressive]

Frequency: High (especially for "плохо")

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "плохо"); B2 (Intermediate for "дурно" and "скверно")

Pronunciation (Russian):

плохо: [ˈploxə]

Note on плохо: The stress is on the first syllable. The "х" sound is a voiceless fricative, similar to the Scottish "loch".

дурно: [ˈdurnə]

Note on дурно: Stress on the first syllable. The "р" is rolled slightly.

скверно: [ˈskvʲernə]

Note on скверно: Stress on the first syllable. The "в" is softened due to the following "е".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Poorly (in terms of quality or performance)

Translation(s) & Context:

• плохо - Used for describing poor performance or low quality (e.g., work, behavior).
• скверно - Often used expressively to emphasize dissatisfaction with quality.

Usage Examples:

• Он плохо выполнил задание.

  He did the task badly.

• Эта машина работает плохо.

  This machine works badly.

• Всё скверно сделано!

  Everything is done badly!

2. Unpleasantly or in a negative way (emotionally or physically)

Translation(s) & Context:

• плохо - Used for feeling ill or emotionally unwell.
• дурно - Often used for feeling sick or faint, or in a moral sense (formal).

Usage Examples:

• Мне плохо после еды.

  I feel badly after eating.

• Ей стало дурно в толпе.

  She felt badly (faint) in the crowd.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

плохо, дурно, скверно: These are adverbs derived from adjectives ("плохой", "дурной", "скверный"). As adverbs, they are invariable and do not change form based on gender, number, or case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "плохо":

• нехорошо
• плачевно

Note: "нехорошо" can also imply moral judgment, unlike "плохо".

Antonyms for "плохо":

• хорошо
• отлично

Related Phrases:

• плохо себя чувствовать - to feel badly (ill or upset)
• дурно пахнуть - to smell badly
• скверно выглядеть - to look badly (in poor condition)

Usage Notes:

• "плохо" is the most versatile and commonly used translation for "badly", suitable for both physical and emotional contexts, as well as performance.
• "дурно" is more formal and often relates to physical discomfort (e.g., feeling faint) or moral judgment. It is less common in modern conversational Russian.
• "скверно" carries an emotional or expressive tone, often used to criticize quality or appearance.
• Be mindful of context when choosing between these translations, as they are not always interchangeable.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "дурно" in casual contexts to mean "poorly" in terms of performance.
  Incorrect: Он дурно написал тест.
  Correct: Он плохо написал тест.
  Explanation: "дурно" is inappropriate for performance contexts; use "плохо" instead.
• Error: Overusing "скверно" in neutral contexts.
  Incorrect: Мне скверно сегодня.
  Correct: Мне плохо сегодня.
  Explanation: "скверно" has a stronger, more negative tone and is less common for personal feelings; "плохо" is more neutral.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressing that something is done "badly" (especially with "плохо" or "скверно") can sometimes come across as more direct or critical than in English. Russians may soften criticism in polite conversation by using phrases like "не очень хорошо" (not very well) instead of a direct "плохо".

Related Concepts:

• хорошо (well)
• неудовлетворительно (unsatisfactorily)
• ужасно (terribly)