Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'barely'

English Word: barely

Key Russian Translations:

• едва [ˈjɛdva] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• чуть-чуть [ˈtɕutʲ tɕutʲ] - [Informal, Often Used for Small Amounts]
• с трудом [s ˈtrudəm] - [Neutral, Used for Difficulty or Effort]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, depending on context and translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

едва: [ˈjɛdva]

Note on едва: Stress falls on the first syllable. The 'в' is pronounced softly.

чуть-чуть: [ˈtɕutʲ tɕutʲ]

Note on чуть-чуть: Repeated for emphasis, with a soft 'ч' sound and stress on the first syllable of each part.

с трудом: [s ˈtrudəm]

Note on с трудом: Stress on 'тру' in 'трудом'. The preposition 'с' is unstressed.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Just or Only Just (Minimal Degree or Amount)

Translation(s) & Context:

• едва - Used to indicate something happened or was achieved with great difficulty or just in time.
• чуть-чуть - Often used colloquially to describe a very small quantity or degree.

Usage Examples:

• Я едва успел на поезд.

  I barely made it to the train.

• У меня едва хватило денег на билет.

  I barely had enough money for the ticket.

• Добавь чуть-чуть соли в суп.

  Add just a tiny bit of salt to the soup.

2. With Difficulty (Effort or Struggle)

Translation(s) & Context:

• с трудом - Used to emphasize the effort or struggle involved in achieving something.

Usage Examples:

• Он с трудом поднялся по лестнице.

  He barely managed to climb the stairs.

• Я с трудом понимаю этот текст.

  I can barely understand this text.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

едва: An adverb, does not inflect or change form regardless of context.

чуть-чуть: An adverb, does not inflect. It is often used in informal speech and can be repeated for emphasis.

с трудом: A fixed phrase. 'Трудом' is the instrumental case of 'труд' (difficulty), but the phrase as a whole does not change.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for едва:

• чуть
• еле-еле

Note: 'Чуть' is shorter and often interchangeable with 'едва', while 'еле-еле' implies even greater difficulty.

Antonyms for едва:

• легко
• свободно

Related Phrases:

• едва ли - Unlikely, hardly (used to express doubt or improbability).
• чуть-чуть позже - Just a little later (common in casual speech).
• с большим трудом - With great difficulty (emphasizes the struggle).

Usage Notes:

• 'Едва' is the most neutral and widely applicable translation of 'barely', suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It often implies something was just achieved or narrowly avoided.
• 'Чуть-чуть' is more colloquial and is typically used when referring to small quantities or degrees rather than difficulty.
• 'С трудом' specifically highlights the effort or struggle involved and is often paired with verbs like 'понимать' (to understand) or physical actions like 'подняться' (to climb).
• Be cautious when choosing between these translations, as the context (degree vs. difficulty) significantly impacts the correct choice.

Common Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'чуть-чуть' in formal writing or serious contexts. Example (Incorrect): Он чуть-чуть выжил после аварии. Correct: Он едва выжил после аварии. Explanation: 'Чуть-чуть' is too informal and trivializes the context of survival or serious events.
• Error: Using 'с трудом' for small quantities. Example (Incorrect): Добавь с трудом соли. Correct: Добавь чуть-чуть соли. Explanation: 'С трудом' implies difficulty, not quantity.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressions like 'едва' and 'с трудом' often carry a subtle emotional weight, reflecting perseverance or struggle, which is a valued cultural trait. Using these terms can convey not just the literal meaning of 'barely', but also an underlying sense of effort or resilience, which might resonate deeply in Russian conversations.

Related Concepts:

• еле
• почти
• трудность