Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Costly'

English Word: costly

Key Russian Translations:

• дорогой [dɐˈroɡəj] - [Formal/Informal, Used for expensive items or high cost]
• затратный [zɐˈtratnɨj] - [Formal, Often used for processes or efforts involving high cost]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday and formal contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "дорогой"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "затратный"

Pronunciation (Russian):

дорогой: [dɐˈroɡəj]

Note on дорогой: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "г" is pronounced as a voiced fricative in standard Russian.

затратный: [zɐˈtratnɨj]

Note on затратный: Stress on the second syllable. The final "й" is a soft consonant sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Expensive (in terms of price)

Translation(s) & Context:

• дорогой - Used to describe items or services with a high price tag, applicable in both formal and informal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Этот телефон очень дорогой.

  This phone is very expensive.

• Дорогой подарок не всегда лучший.

  An expensive gift is not always the best.

• Жить в центре города слишком дорого.

  Living in the city center is too expensive.

2. Costly (in terms of effort, resources, or consequences)

Translation(s) & Context:

• затратный - Refers to something requiring significant resources, time, or effort, often used in formal or technical contexts.
• дорогой - Occasionally used metaphorically for something that comes at a high personal or emotional cost.

Usage Examples:

• Этот проект оказался очень затратным.

  This project turned out to be very costly.

• Его ошибка была слишком дорогой ценой.

  His mistake came at too high a cost.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

дорогой (Adjective): This adjective changes according to gender, number, and case, following standard Russian declension rules for adjectives.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	дорогой	дорогая	дорогое	дорогие
Genitive	дорогого	дорогой	дорогого	дорогих
Dative	дорогому	дорогой	дорогому	дорогим

Note: Only key cases are shown for brevity. Full declension includes Accusative, Instrumental, and Prepositional cases.

затратный (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as "дорогой" but is less flexible in usage and primarily appears in formal contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "дорогой":

• ценный (valuable, precious)
• стоящий (worthwhile, in terms of cost)

Note: "ценный" often implies intrinsic value, while "дорогой" focuses on price.

Antonyms for "дорогой":

• дешёвый (cheap)
• недорогой (inexpensive)

Synonyms for "затратный":

• трудоёмкий (labor-intensive)
• ресурсоёмкий (resource-intensive)

Related Phrases:

• дорогой как память - "expensive as a memory" (something emotionally valuable)
• платить дорогую цену - "to pay a high price" (often metaphorical for consequences)
• затратный подход - "costly approach" (used in formal discussions of methods or strategies)

Usage Notes:

• "дорогой" is the most versatile and commonly used translation for "costly," suitable for both literal (price) and figurative (emotional cost) contexts. It can also mean "dear" when addressing someone affectionately.
• "затратный" is more technical and less frequent in casual speech. It is typically used to describe processes or projects rather than objects.
• Be mindful of context when choosing between these translations. For everyday conversations about price, always opt for "дорогой."

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "затратный" to describe the price of an object, e.g., *Этот телефон очень затратный* (incorrect).
• Correction: Use "дорогой" instead: *Этот телефон очень дорогой*. "Затратный" is for abstract costs like effort or resources, not direct price.
• Error: Misusing "дорогой" in formal reports about expenses or budgets where "затратный" would be more appropriate.
• Correction: In formal contexts, prefer "затратный" for processes: *Затратный проект* (costly project).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, describing something as "дорогой" can sometimes carry an emotional connotation beyond price, especially in personal relationships. For example, calling someone "дорогой" (dear) reflects affection or closeness, a nuance not present in the English "costly."

Related Concepts:

• цена (price)
• стоимость (cost, value)
• расходы (expenses)