Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'bulky'

English Word: bulky

Key Russian Translations:

• громоздкий [ɡrɐˈmozkʲɪj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• объёмный [ɐbˈjomnɨj] - [Neutral, Adjective]
• неуклюжий [nʲɪʊˈklʲuʐɨj] - [Informal, Often figurative for clumsiness]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts like descriptions of objects or people)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "громоздкий" and "объёмный"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "неуклюжий" due to figurative usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

громоздкий: [ɡrɐˈmozkʲɪj]

Note on громоздкий: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "г" is pronounced with a voiced velar stop, distinct from English "g".

объёмный: [ɐbˈjomnɨj]

Note on объёмный: The soft "ё" sound is crucial; it’s often mispronounced by learners as a regular "e".

неуклюжий: [nʲɪʊˈklʲuʐɨj]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Large and Heavy (Physical Size)

Translation(s) & Context:

• громоздкий - Used for large, unwieldy objects, often implying impracticality.
• объёмный - Refers to something voluminous or taking up a lot of space, more neutral in tone.

Usage Examples:

• Этот шкаф слишком громоздкий для нашей маленькой комнаты.

  This wardrobe is too bulky for our small room.

• У неё объёмная сумка, в которую помещается всё.

  She has a bulky bag that fits everything.

• Громоздкий чемодан тяжело нести.

  The bulky suitcase is hard to carry.

2. Clumsy or Awkward (Figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• неуклюжий - Used for people or movements, implying awkwardness or lack of grace.

Usage Examples:

• Он такой неуклюжий, что постоянно что-то роняет.

  He is so bulky (clumsy) that he keeps dropping things.

• Его неуклюжие движения вызывали смех у всех.

  His bulky (awkward) movements made everyone laugh.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

громоздкий (Adjective): Declines according to gender, number, and case as a standard adjective in Russian.

Note: Similar declension patterns apply to "объёмный" and "неуклюжий".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for громоздкий/объёмный (Physical sense):

• огромный (huge)
• тяжёлый (heavy)

Note: "огромный" emphasizes size, while "тяжёлый" focuses on weight.

Antonyms for громоздкий/объёмный:

• компактный (compact)
• лёгкий (light)

Related Phrases:

• громоздкая мебель - Bulky furniture (often implies impractical for small spaces).
• объёмная работа - Voluminous work (a large amount of work, often figurative).
• неуклюжий танец - Clumsy dance (awkward or ungraceful dancing).

Usage Notes:

• "громоздкий" is the most direct translation for "bulky" when referring to physical objects that are large and cumbersome, often with a negative connotation of being impractical.
• "объёмный" is more neutral and often used for things that are simply large in volume, without the negative implication.
• "неуклюжий" should be used carefully as it often carries a figurative meaning of clumsiness rather than physical bulkiness, typically applied to people or actions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "неуклюжий" to describe inanimate objects. Incorrect: "Этот стол неуклюжий" (This table is clumsy). Correct: Use "громоздкий" instead: "Этот стол громоздкий" (This table is bulky).
• Error: Mispronouncing "объёмный" by ignoring the soft "ё". This changes the meaning or sounds unnatural to native speakers.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, describing something as "громоздкий" often implies criticism of design or practicality, especially in the context of furniture or household items, reflecting a cultural preference for compact and functional designs in smaller living spaces.

Related Concepts:

• размер (size)
• вес (weight)
• неудобство (inconvenience)