Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Capricious'

English Word: capricious

Key Russian Translations:

• капризный [kɐˈprʲiznɨj] - [Informal, Common]
• прихотливый [prʲɪˈxotlʲɪvɨj] - [Formal, Literary]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

капризный: [kɐˈprʲiznɨj]

Note on капризный: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'р' is rolled, typical of Russian phonetics.

прихотливый: [prʲɪˈxotlʲɪvɨj]

Note on прихотливый: Stress on the second syllable. The soft 'л' sound may be challenging for non-native speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Unpredictable or Whimsical Behavior

Translation(s) & Context:

• капризный - Often used to describe a person’s moody or fickle behavior, especially in informal contexts.
• прихотливый - Can refer to whimsical or fanciful tendencies, often with a more poetic or formal tone.

Usage Examples:

• Она такая капризная, никогда не знаешь, чего ожидать.

  She is so capricious; you never know what to expect.

• Его капризное поведение раздражает всех вокруг.

  His capricious behavior annoys everyone around him.

• У неё прихотливый вкус в искусстве.

  She has a capricious taste in art.

• Погода сегодня очень капризная: то солнце, то дождь.

  The weather today is very capricious: one moment sunny, the next rainy.

• Этот прихотливый стиль письма не всем по душе.

  This capricious writing style is not to everyone’s liking.

2. Changeable or Fickle in Nature

Translation(s) & Context:

• капризный - Commonly used for describing changeable conditions like weather or moods.

Usage Examples:

• Весенняя погода часто бывает капризной.

  Spring weather is often capricious.

• Его капризное настроение портит весь день.

  His capricious mood ruins the whole day.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

капризный (Adjective): Follows standard Russian adjective declension rules based on gender, number, and case.

прихотливый (Adjective): Similarly follows standard adjective declension patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for капризный:

• привередливый (picky, choosy)
• изменчивый (changeable, variable)

Antonyms for капризный:

• стабильный (stable)
• постоянный (constant)

Related Phrases:

• капризная погода - Capricious weather, used to describe unpredictable weather conditions.
• капризный ребёнок - Capricious child, referring to a child who often changes their mind or demands.
• прихотливый вкус - Capricious taste, implying whimsical or unusual preferences.

Usage Notes:

• капризный is more commonly used in everyday speech and can describe both people and conditions like weather. It often carries a slightly negative connotation of being difficult or moody.
• прихотливый is more formal and often used in written language or to describe tastes, styles, or desires in a nuanced, sometimes positive light.
• Choose between the two based on tone and context: use капризный for informal or negative contexts, and прихотливый for literary or neutral-to-positive contexts.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up капризный and прихотливый: English learners often use these interchangeably, but капризный is more negative and colloquial, while прихотливый is formal. For example, saying "прихотливый ребёнок" sounds unnatural; use "капризный ребёнок" instead.

2. Incorrect adjective agreement: Learners forget to adjust the adjective endings based on gender, number, or case. For instance, saying "капризный девочка" is wrong; it should be "капризная девочка."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, describing someone as капризный often implies criticism, suggesting they are difficult to please or overly demanding. This term is frequently used in family contexts, especially for children. On the other hand, прихотливый can sometimes carry a sense of sophistication when referring to tastes or preferences.

Related Concepts:

• привередливость (pickiness)
• изменчивость (variability)
• непредсказуемость (unpredictability)