Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Barren'

English Word: barren

Key Russian Translations:

• бесплодный [bʲɪsˈplodnɨj] - [Formal, Used for land or people]
• пустынный [pʊˈstɨnnɨj] - [Formal/Neutral, Often for landscapes]
• неплодородный [nʲɪplədɐˈrodnɨj] - [Formal, Specifically for soil or land]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts like agriculture or literature)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бесплодный: [bʲɪsˈplodnɨj]

Note on бесплодный: Stress falls on the second syllable; the 'ы' sound is a distinct Russian vowel, pronounced like a short 'i' with the tongue pulled back.

пустынный: [pʊˈstɨnnɨj]

Note on пустынный: Stress on the second syllable; double 'н' is pronounced with a slight lengthening.

неплодородный: [nʲɪplədɐˈrodnɨj]

Note on неплодородный: Stress on the fourth syllable; a longer word, often challenging for beginners due to multiple syllables.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Unable to produce offspring or fruit (literal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бесплодный - Used for both land that cannot grow crops and people/animals unable to reproduce.
• неплодородный - Specifically refers to infertile soil or land, not used for people.

Usage Examples:

• Эта земля бесплодна из-за многолетней засухи.

  This land is barren due to years of drought.

• У них бесплодный брак, и они думают об усыновлении.

  They have a barren marriage and are considering adoption.

• Неплодородная почва не подходит для сельского хозяйства.

  The barren soil is unsuitable for farming.

2. Empty, desolate, or devoid of life (figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пустынный - Used for desolate or deserted places, often landscapes.
• бесплодный - Can be used metaphorically for ideas or efforts that yield no results.

Usage Examples:

• Перед нами простиралась пустынная равнина без единого дерева.

  Before us stretched a barren plain without a single tree.

• Его попытки найти компромисс оказались бесплодными.

  His attempts to find a compromise proved barren.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бесплодный (Adjective): Declines according to standard Russian adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	бесплодный	бесплодная	бесплодное	бесплодные
Genitive	бесплодного	бесплодной	бесплодного	бесплодных

Note: Similar declension patterns apply to пустынный and неплодородный.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бесплодный (infertile):

• бесполезный (useless, in figurative contexts)
• неплодотворный (unfruitful)

Note: бесполезный is more figurative, often for efforts, while неплодотворный overlaps but is less common.

Antonyms for бесплодный (infertile):

• плодородный (fertile)
• плодовитый (prolific, often for people/animals)

Related Phrases:

• бесплодная земля - Barren land (refers to infertile soil).
• пустынная местность - Barren terrain (desolate area, often visually empty).
• бесплодные усилия - Barren efforts (efforts yielding no results).

Usage Notes:

• While "бесплодный" can apply to both people and land, it is more formal and less common in casual speech for infertility in humans; instead, medical terms are often used.
• "пустынный" is primarily visual or spatial and should not be used for infertility in a biological sense.
• "неплодородный" is strictly for land or soil and carries a technical tone, often used in agricultural contexts.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "пустынный" to describe infertile land in a biological sense.

Incorrect: Эта земля пустынна для выращивания пшеницы. (This land is barren for growing wheat.)

Correct: Эта земля бесплодна для выращивания пшеницы. (This land is barren for growing wheat.)

Explanation: "пустынный" refers to visual desolation, not biological infertility.

Error 2: Misusing "бесплодный" in informal contexts for people.

Incorrect: Она бесплодна, поэтому у них нет детей. (She is barren, so they have no children.)

Correct: У неё проблемы с зачатием, поэтому у них нет детей. (She has conception issues, so they have no children.)

Explanation: "бесплодный" sounds overly formal or literary when applied to people; more neutral or medical phrasing is preferred in conversation.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "бесплодный" when applied to people can carry a heavy emotional or historical weight, often tied to traditional views on family and fertility. It’s advisable to use such terms with sensitivity, especially in personal contexts, and opt for neutral or medical language instead.

Related Concepts:

• засуха (drought)
• пустыня (desert)
• бесполезность (uselessness)