Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'completely'

English Word: completely

Key Russian Translations:

• полностью [ˈpolnəstʲu] - [Formal, Informal]
• совсем [sɐˈvsʲem] - [Informal, Often used for emphasis]
• абсолютно [ɐpsɐˈlutnə] - [Formal, Often in abstract or emphatic contexts]

Frequency: High

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "полностью" and "совсем"; B1 (Intermediate) for "абсолютно"

Pronunciation (Russian):

полностью: [ˈpolnəstʲu]

Note on полностью: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "л" is soft, pronounced with the tongue touching the palate.

совсем: [sɐˈvsʲem]

Note on совсем: Stress on the second syllable. The "с" is unaspirated, and "е" sounds like "ye".

абсолютно: [ɐpsɐˈlutnə]

Note on абсолютно: Stress on the third syllable. The "о" in the unstressed position is reduced to a schwa sound [ə].

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To the fullest extent or degree (Totally)

Translation(s) & Context:

• полностью - Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to indicate entirety or fullness.
• абсолютно - Used for emphasis, often in formal or abstract discussions (e.g., "absolutely correct").

Usage Examples:

• Я полностью согласен с вами.

  I completely agree with you.

• Этот проект полностью завершен.

  This project is completely finished.

• Это абсолютно верно.

  This is absolutely true.

2. Used for emphasis (Utterly, Quite)

Translation(s) & Context:

• совсем - Often used informally to emphasize a statement or feeling.
• абсолютно - Used in formal or strong assertions for emphasis.

Usage Examples:

• Я совсем не понимаю, о чем вы говорите.

  I completely don’t understand what you’re talking about.

• Это совсем другой вопрос.

  That’s a completely different question.

• Я абсолютно уверен в этом.

  I’m completely sure about this.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

полностью, совсем, абсолютно are adverbs in Russian and do not inflect. They remain unchanged regardless of the grammatical context (gender, number, case, tense, etc.).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• целиком (wholly)
• всецело (entirely)
• напрочь (utterly, informal)

Note: "целиком" often implies physical entirety, while "всецело" is more abstract. "напрочь" is highly informal and emphatic.

Antonyms:

• частично (partially)
• немного (slightly)

Related Phrases:

• полностью согласен - "completely agree"
• совсем не так - "not at all like that"
• абсолютно точно - "absolutely certain"

Usage Notes:

• "полностью" is the most neutral and versatile translation of "completely," suitable for most contexts, formal or informal.
• "совсем" often carries an emotional or emphatic tone and is more common in spoken, informal Russian, especially with negatives (e.g., "совсем не").
• "абсолютно" is typically used in formal contexts or to emphasize certainty or abstraction (e.g., "absolutely impossible").
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as they are not always interchangeable.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "совсем" in formal writing or contexts where "полностью" or "абсолютно" would be more appropriate. For example, "Я совсем согласен" sounds overly casual in a formal discussion.

  Correct Usage: Use "Я полностью согласен" or "Я абсолютно согласен" in formal settings.

• Error: Overusing "абсолютно" in casual speech, making it sound unnatural or pretentious. For instance, "Я абсолютно устал" is less natural than "Я совсем устал."

  Correct Usage: Reserve "абсолютно" for strong assertions or formal contexts.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the choice of adverb like "совсем" often reflects emotional expressiveness, which is a key feature of spoken Russian. Russians may use "совсем" to exaggerate or emphasize feelings in casual conversation, even if the situation is not "complete" in a literal sense.

Related Concepts:

• целиком (wholly)
• всецело (entirely)
• окончательно (finally, definitively)