Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'biographical'

English Word: biographical

Key Russian Translations:

• биографический /bʲɪ.ɐ.ɡrɐ.fʲɪˈt͡ɕɪskʲɪj/ - [Formal, Adjective]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly used in academic, literary, and historical contexts, but not in everyday casual conversation.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of Russian adjectives and their inflections, suitable for learners with a solid grasp of basic grammar.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

биографический: /bʲɪ.ɐ.ɡrɐ.fʲɪˈt͡ɕɪskʲɪj/

Note on биографический: The stress falls on the fourth syllable ("t͡ɕɪskʲɪj"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized consonants. Pronounce it with a soft 'b' and 'f' sounds.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Relating to or characteristic of a biography, which is a written account of a person's life.

Translation(s) & Context:

• биографический - Used in formal contexts like literature, history, or education to describe something related to a life story. (e.g., In academic writing or book reviews.)

Usage Examples:

• Эта книга представляет собой биографический очерк известного писателя.

  This book is a biographical sketch of a famous writer. (Demonstrates use in a literary context.)

• В музее есть биографическая выставка, посвященная жизни ученого.

  In the museum, there is a biographical exhibition dedicated to the scientist's life. (Shows use in a historical or cultural setting.)

• Его биографический роман основан на реальных событиях.

  His biographical novel is based on real events. (Illustrates use in discussing genres of literature.)

• Биографический фильм помог понять мотивации исторической фигуры.

  The biographical film helped understand the motivations of the historical figure. (Applies to media like films.)

• В университете изучают биографический метод в исследованиях.

  At the university, they study the biographical method in research. (Used in academic or scholarly contexts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

биографический is an adjective in Russian, which follows the standard pattern for adjectives ending in -ический. It inflects based on gender, number, and case, as Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify. This is a regular adjective, so it changes predictably.

Note: Always ensure the adjective agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case for grammatical accuracy.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: жизнеописательный (lifelike or biographical in a narrative sense) - Often used interchangeably but implies a more storytelling approach.
• биографичный (less common, similar to biographical) - Slight nuance for shorter accounts.
• Antonyms: вымышленный (fictional) - Used for invented stories as opposed to real-life accounts.
• нелитературный (non-literary) - In contexts where biographical implies literary style.

Related Phrases:

• биографическая справка - A biographical note or summary; used in articles or profiles to provide quick background information.
• биографический портрет - A biographical portrait; refers to a detailed description or depiction of a person's life in art or writing.
• биографический очерк - A biographical sketch; a short, informal life story, often in journalistic contexts.

Usage Notes:

биографический directly corresponds to the English "biographical" as an adjective, emphasizing factual accounts of lives. It is typically formal and appears in written contexts like books, articles, or academic discussions. When choosing between translations, use биографический for standard biographical content; avoid it in casual speech. Grammatically, always inflect it to match the noun it describes, which is a common point of error for English learners.

• Restriction: Not commonly used in spoken language; opt for more general terms in everyday conversation.
• Guidance: If the context involves fiction, consider synonyms like вымышленный to differentiate.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget to inflect биографический correctly, such as using the masculine form with a feminine noun. For example:

• Error: *Эта биографический книга (Incorrect: Adjective doesn't agree with feminine noun "книга").
• Correct: Эта биографическая книга (Proper inflection for feminine nominative).
• Explanation: Russian requires adjective-noun agreement; always check the noun's gender, number, and case to avoid this mistake.

Another common error is confusing it with similar words like исторический (historical), leading to misuse in contexts that overlap but aren't identical.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, biographical works often hold significant value, especially in literature and history, due to Russia's rich tradition of memoirs and life stories from figures like Tolstoy or Pushkin. The term биографический can evoke a sense of national pride when discussing iconic biographies, reflecting the cultural emphasis on personal narratives in understanding history.

Related Concepts:

• биография (biography)
• жизнеописание (life description)
• автобиография (autobiography)