Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'boring'

English Word: boring

Key Russian Translations:

• скучный [ˈskutʃnɨj] - [Informal, Common]
• нудный [ˈnudnɨj] - [Informal, Slightly Negative]
• однообразный [ˌodnɐɐˈbraznɨj] - [Formal, Neutral]

Frequency: High (especially "скучный")

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "скучный" and "нудный"); B1 (Intermediate for "однообразный")

Pronunciation (Russian):

скучный: [ˈskutʃnɨj]

Note on скучный: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "ч" sound is similar to English "ch" in "church."

нудный: [ˈnudnɨj]

Note on нудный: Stress on the first syllable. The "у" is pronounced like "oo" in "food."

однообразный: [ˌodnɐɐˈbraznɨj]

Note on однообразный: Stress on the third syllable ("раз"). This is a longer word, often tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Lacking Interest or Excitement (General Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• скучный - Commonly used for people, events, or activities that lack excitement (most versatile translation).
• нудный - Often implies tediousness or irritation, used for repetitive or overly long situations.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фильм такой скучный, я чуть не уснул.

  This movie is so boring, I almost fell asleep.

• Лекция была нудной, никто не слушал.

  The lecture was boring (tedious), no one was listening.

• Он скучный человек, с ним не о чем говорить.

  He is a boring person, there’s nothing to talk about with him.

2. Monotonous or Repetitive (Specific Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• однообразный - Used for things lacking variety, often in formal or written contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Моя работа очень однообразная, каждый день одно и то же.

  My job is very boring (monotonous), it’s the same thing every day.

• Пейзаж здесь однообразный, только поля и поля.

  The landscape here is boring (monotonous), just fields and more fields.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

скучный (Adjective): Follows standard adjective declension in Russian, changing by gender, number, and case.

нудный (Adjective): Similar declension pattern to "скучный."

однообразный (Adjective): Also follows standard adjective declension, though less commonly used in spoken language.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• тоскливый (implies sadness alongside boredom)
• унылый (implies gloominess)

Antonyms:

• интересный (interesting)
• увлекательный (engaging)

Related Phrases:

• скучать по кому-то/чему-то - To miss someone/something (related verb form of "скучный").
• нудная работа - Tedious job (common collocation with "нудный").
• однообразная жизнь - Monotonous life (common collocation with "однообразный").

Usage Notes:

• "скучный" is the most neutral and widely applicable translation for "boring." It can describe people, events, or things.
• "нудный" often carries a stronger negative connotation, suggesting irritation or frustration with the tediousness.
• "однообразный" is more specific to monotony and lack of variety, often used in formal or descriptive contexts rather than casual speech.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "нудный" when a neutral tone is needed. Example: Saying "Этот фильм нудный" might sound overly critical if you just mean it’s uninteresting. Correct: Use "скучный" instead for a neutral tone.
• Error: Misusing "однообразный" for people. Example: Saying "Он однообразный" is incorrect. Correct: Use "скучный" for people.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, describing something or someone as "скучный" can sometimes be taken as a mild insult, especially when talking about a person. Russians may value engaging conversation or lively company, so labeling someone as boring might imply a lack of social charm. Use with caution in direct interactions.

Related Concepts:

• тоска (melancholy or longing, related to boredom)
• скука (boredom as a noun)