Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Clumsy'

English Word: clumsy

Key Russian Translations:

• неуклюжий [nʲɪʊˈklʲuʐɨj] - [Informal, General Use]
• неловкий [nʲɪˈlofskʲɪj] - [General Use, Slightly Formal]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

неуклюжий: [nʲɪʊˈklʲuʐɨj]

Note on неуклюжий: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced fricative, similar to the "s" in "measure".

неловкий: [nʲɪˈlofskʲɪj]

Note on неловкий: Stress on the second syllable. The "л" is soft, pronounced with the tongue touching the palate.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Physically Awkward or Uncoordinated

Translation(s) & Context:

• неуклюжий - Used to describe someone who often drops things or moves awkwardly.

Usage Examples:

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

  He is so clumsy that he constantly drops things.

• Её неуклюжие движения вызывали смех у всех.

  Her clumsy movements made everyone laugh.

• Неуклюжий медведь пытался залезть на дерево.

  The clumsy bear tried to climb the tree.

2. Socially Awkward or Inept

Translation(s) & Context:

• неловкий - Often used for awkwardness in social situations or tactless behavior.

Usage Examples:

• Его неловкий комплимент смутил её.

  His clumsy compliment embarrassed her.

• В этой ситуации он чувствовал себя очень неловко.

  He felt very clumsy in this situation.

• Она неловко попыталась извиниться.

  She clumsily tried to apologize.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

неуклюжий (Adjective): Declines according to standard Russian adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	неуклюжий	неуклюжая	неуклюжее	неуклюжие
Genitive	неуклюжего	неуклюжей	неуклюжего	неуклюжих

Note: Other cases follow similar patterns. Comparative form: неуклюжее; Superlative: самый неуклюжий.

неловкий (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as неуклюжий.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	неловкий	неловкая	неловкое	неловкие
Genitive	неловкого	неловкой	неловкого	неловких

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for неуклюжий:

• неповоротливый
• нескладный

Note: "неповоротливый" often implies slowness, while "нескладный" can refer to physical awkwardness or disproportion.

Synonyms for неловкий:

• смущённый
• неумелый

Antonyms for both:

• ловкий
• грациозный

Related Phrases:

• неуклюжий как слон в посудной лавке - "Clumsy as an elephant in a china shop" (used for extreme clumsiness).
• неловкое молчание - "Awkward silence" (common in social contexts).
• неловкое положение - "Awkward position/situation" (used for uncomfortable social scenarios).

Usage Notes:

• "неуклюжий" is more often used for physical clumsiness, such as awkward movements or lack of coordination.
• "неловкий" is broader and can refer to both physical and social awkwardness, often implying embarrassment or discomfort.
• Choose "неловкий" when describing tactless behavior or uneasy social interactions.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "неуклюжий" for social awkwardness. Incorrect: "Он был неуклюжий на вечеринке." Correct: "Он был неловкий на вечеринке." (He was awkward at the party.) Explanation: "неуклюжий" refers to physical clumsiness, not social behavior.

Error 2: Misplacing stress in pronunciation. For example, stressing the first syllable in "неуклюжий" instead of the second. Correct pronunciation is [nʲɪʊˈklʲuʐɨj].

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, describing someone as "неловкий" in a social context can sometimes imply a lack of tact or social grace, which may be considered more critical than physical clumsiness ("неуклюжий"). Russians often value social harmony, so pointing out social awkwardness might carry a stronger negative connotation.

Related Concepts:

• ловкость (dexterity)
• грация (grace)
• смущение (embarrassment)