Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'brute'

English Word: brute

Key Russian Translations:

• грубиян [ɡrʊˈbʲijan] - [Informal, Masculine]
• зверь [zvʲerʲ] - [Neutral, Often Metaphorical for Cruelty]
• скотина [skɐˈtʲinə] - [Informal, Derogatory]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts, often informal or literary)

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

Pronunciation (Russian):

грубиян: [ɡrʊˈbʲijan]

Note on грубиян: Stress on the second syllable; the 'я' sound is a distinct vowel in Russian, often challenging for non-native speakers.

зверь: [zvʲerʲ]

Note on зверь: The soft 'р' sound at the end requires palatalization, a common difficulty for learners.

скотина: [skɐˈtʲinə]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A rude or insensitive person:

Translation(s) & Context:

• грубиян - Used to describe someone who is rude or boorish in behavior, often in social settings.
• скотина - Stronger insult, implying not just rudeness but a lack of humanity or decency.

Usage Examples:

• Он такой грубиян, что никто не хочет с ним общаться.

  He's such a brute that no one wants to talk to him.

• Не будь грубияном, извинись перед ней!

  Don't be a brute, apologize to her!

• Эта скотина оскорбил всех на вечеринке.

  That brute insulted everyone at the party.

2. A cruel or savage person/animal:

Translation(s) & Context:

• зверь - Often metaphorical, used for someone acting with extreme cruelty or savagery; can also mean 'beast' literally.

Usage Examples:

• Он вёл себя как настоящий зверь на войне.

  He behaved like a real brute during the war.

• Этот зверь напугал всех в деревне.

  This brute scared everyone in the village.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

грубиян (Masculine Noun):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	грубиян	грубияны
Genitive	грубияна	грубиянов
Dative	грубияну	грубиянам

зверь (Masculine Noun): Follows regular masculine declension patterns; stress remains on the stem.

скотина (Feminine Noun, Invariable in this sense): Used as a singular insult; does not typically change form in this derogatory context.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for грубиян:

• хам
• невежа

Note: хам is more colloquial and implies insolence; невежа is slightly more formal and focuses on lack of manners.

Synonyms for зверь:

• животное
• монстр

Antonyms for грубиян:

• джентльмен
• вежливый человек

Related Phrases:

• вести себя как зверь - To behave like a brute (savagely or cruelly).
• грубиян по натуре - A brute by nature (inherently rude).
• скотина бесчувственная - An insensitive brute (strong insult).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between грубиян, зверь, and скотина depends heavily on context and tone. грубиян is the safest for describing rudeness without extreme insult.
• зверь often carries a metaphorical or literary tone and is less common in casual speech unless describing extreme cruelty.
• скотина is highly derogatory and should be used with caution, as it can be deeply offensive.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using зверь to describe a rude person in a casual context. Incorrect: Он зверь на работе (implying rudeness). Correct: Он грубиян на работе (He’s a brute at work, meaning rude).
• Error: Misusing скотина in formal contexts. Incorrect: Уважаемый, вы скотина. Correct: Avoid скотина in formal or polite speech entirely.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, direct insults like скотина are often reserved for serious confrontations and can escalate a situation quickly. Using зверь metaphorically to describe cruelty ties into historical and literary depictions of savagery, often seen in classic Russian literature.

Related Concepts:

• хамство (rudeness)
• жестокость (cruelty)
• невоспитанность (lack of manners)