Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'cocksure'

English Word: cocksure

Key Russian Translations:

• самоуверенный [səmuˈvʲerʲɪnɨj] - [Informal, Adjective]
• уверенный [uˈvʲerʲɪnɨj] - [Formal, but implies general confidence; use cautiously as it may not capture the negative connotation of 'cocksure']

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday Russian conversations, especially in psychological or character descriptions, but not as frequent as basic adjectives.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective inflections and nuances in expressing overconfidence. For 'уверенный', it's A2 if used in simpler contexts.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

самоуверенный: [səmuˈvʲerʲɪnɨj]

уверенный: [uˈvʲerʲɪnɨj]

Note on самоуверенный: The stress is on the third syllable ('vʲerʲ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft 'vʲ' sound. Pronounce it with a quick, palatalized 'v' as in 'view'.

Note on уверенный: Stress on the second syllable ('vʲerʲ'); avoid overemphasizing the first syllable to sound natural.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Overly confident or self-assured in an arrogant way

Translation(s) & Context:

• самоуверенный - Used in informal settings to describe someone who is excessively self-confident, often negatively, such as in personal critiques or storytelling.
• уверенный - Used in more formal or neutral contexts, but can imply 'cocksure' if paired with negative modifiers; common in professional or motivational language.

Usage Examples:

• Он был слишком самоуверенный, чтобы прислушаться к чужому совету.

  He was too cocksure to listen to anyone else's advice.

• Её самоуверенный тон раздражал всех на собрании.

  Her cocksure tone annoyed everyone at the meeting.

• Самоуверенный водитель не заметил опасность на дороге.

  The cocksure driver didn't notice the danger on the road.

• В молодости он был уверенен в своих силах, но это переросло в самоуверенность.

  In his youth, he was confident in his abilities, but it turned into cocksureness.

• Не будь таким самоуверенным; иногда ошибки полезны.

  Don't be so cocksure; mistakes can be useful sometimes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'самоуверенный' and 'уверенный' are adjectives in Russian, which follow standard adjective inflection patterns. Russian adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify. They have short and long forms, but the long form is more common in modern usage.

These adjectives are regular and follow the first declension pattern. There are no irregular forms, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • наглый (naglyj) - More intense, implying rudeness or boldness.
  • самонадеянный (samonadeyannyj) - Similar to 'cocksure' but with a focus on over-optimism.
• Antonyms:
  • скромный (skromnyj)
  • неуверенный (neuverennyj)

Related Phrases:

• Быть самоуверенным до глупости - To be cocksure to the point of foolishness; used to criticize excessive confidence.
• Уверенный в себе человек - A self-assured person; can imply 'cocksure' in negative contexts.
• Самоуверенность - граница между смелостью и глупостью - Cocksureness as the boundary between bravery and stupidity; a common idiomatic expression in self-reflection.

Usage Notes:

'Cocksure' often carries a negative connotation in English, which aligns closely with 'самоуверенный' in Russian. Use 'самоуверенный' for informal, everyday situations, such as describing personality traits in conversations or literature. 'Уверенный' is more neutral and better for formal contexts, like business or education, but may not fully capture the arrogance implied in 'cocksure'. Always consider the sentence's tone: pair it with adverbs like 'слишком' (too) to emphasize excess. Grammatically, ensure adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case to avoid errors.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'уверенный' without qualifiers when 'cocksure' implies negativity. Incorrect: Он уверенный. (This sounds neutral.) Correct: Он слишком уверенный или самоуверенный. (Adds the negative shade.) Explanation: English learners often overlook the nuance, leading to a milder translation; always assess context to choose the right word.
• Mistake: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying 'самоуверенный женщина' instead of 'самоуверенная женщина'. Incorrect: самоуверенный женщина. Correct: самоуверенная женщина. Explanation: Russian requires gender agreement, which can confuse speakers from non-inflected languages.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'самоуверенный' often appear in literature and proverbs to warn against overconfidence, reflecting a cultural value of modesty and collective wisdom. For instance, Russian folklore frequently portrays characters whose cocksureness leads to downfall, emphasizing humility in social interactions.

Related Concepts:

• гордый (proud)
• надменный (arrogant)
• скромность (modesty)