Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'creditable'

English Word: creditable

Key Russian Translations:

• достойный [ˈdostəjnɨj] - [Formal]
• заслуживающий [zəslʊˈʐɨvəʂɨj] - [Formal, often in contexts of achievement]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in written and formal spoken Russian, but not everyday casual conversation).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjectives and their inflections, suitable for learners with basic grammar knowledge).

Pronunciation (Russian):

достойный: [ˈdostəjnɨj] (Stress on the first syllable; the 'ы' sound is a high central vowel, similar to a softened 'i').

Note on достойный: Be cautious with the soft sign 'й' at the end, which affects the preceding vowel; common mispronunciation by learners is stressing the wrong syllable.

Audio: []

заслуживающий: [zəslʊˈʐɨvəʂɨj] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'ш' is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, like 'sh' in 'shoe').

Note on заслуживающий: This word is longer and may have regional variations in speed; practice the rolling 'р' if it's present in your dialect.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Deserving praise or recognition (e.g., for an achievement).

Translation(s) & Context:

• достойный - Used in formal contexts, such as describing someone's accomplishments in professional or academic settings.
• заслуживающий - Applied when emphasizing earned merit, often in evaluative or judgmental scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Его работа была достойной похвалы. (His work was creditable and deserving of praise.)

  English: His work was creditable and deserving of praise.

• Эта победа заслуживала внимания со стороны прессы. (This victory was creditable and warranted media attention.)

  English: This victory was creditable and warranted media attention.

• Достойный ученик всегда стремится к улучшениям. (A creditable student always strives for improvement.)

  English: A creditable student always strives for improvement.

• Заслуживающий уважения лидер должен быть честным. (A creditable leader deserving of respect must be honest.)

  English: A creditable leader deserving of respect must be honest.

• Ее выступление было достойным награды. (Her performance was creditable and worthy of an award.)

  English: Her performance was creditable and worthy of an award.

Meaning 2: Reliable or believable (less common, but possible in contexts like testimonials).

Translation(s) & Context:

• достойный - In contexts implying trustworthiness, such as reviews or endorsements.

Usage Examples:

• Этот источник информации достойный доверия. (This information source is creditable and reliable.)

  English: This information source is creditable and reliable.

• Достойный свидетель дал показания в суде. (A creditable witness provided testimony in court.)

  English: A creditable witness provided testimony in court.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "достойный" and "заслуживающий" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern for most cases, but they can be irregular in certain forms.

For "заслуживающий", it follows a similar adjectival pattern but is less common and may not inflect in fixed phrases. Note: These adjectives do not change in short form usage in some contexts, remaining invariant.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • заслуженный (zasluzhennyy) - Often used for earned recognition, with a nuance of long-term achievement.
  • хороший (khoroshyy) - More general, meaning "good," but less formal than достойный.
• Antonyms:
  • недостойный (nedostoynyy) - Directly opposite, meaning unworthy or disgraceful.
  • незаслуживающий (nezasluzhivayushchiy) - Meaning undeserving, especially in merit-based contexts.

Related Phrases:

• Достойный уважения человек (Dostoynyy uvazheniya chelovek) - A person worthy of respect; used in ethical discussions.
• Заслуживающий доверия источник (Zasluzhivayushchiy doveriya istochnik) - A creditable and trustworthy source; common in journalism.
• Быть достойным звания (Byt' dostoynym zvaniya) - To be creditable for a title; implies earning a position.

Usage Notes:

"Достойный" directly corresponds to "creditable" in formal English contexts, emphasizing moral or achievement-based worth, while "заслуживающий" highlights earned merit. Use "достойный" in written essays or speeches for a more elegant tone, and be mindful of its inflections to match noun gender and case. When choosing between translations, opt for "заслуживающий" in scenarios involving rewards or evaluations to convey a sense of justice.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "достойный" without proper inflection, e.g., saying "достойный женщина" instead of "достойная женщина". Correct: Always adjust for gender (feminine here). Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in gender, number, and case.

• Error: Confusing with "достойно" (an adverb meaning "worthily"). Correct: Use "достойный" as an adjective. Explanation: Learners often mix parts of speech, leading to grammatical errors in sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "достойный" carry a strong connotation of personal honor and collective respect, often linked to historical values from literature (e.g., in works by Tolstoy, where characters' "dostoynost'" defines their social standing). This reflects Russia's emphasis on moral integrity in public life.

Related Concepts:

• уважение (uvazheniye) - Respect
• заслуга (zasluga) - Merit or achievement
• честь (chest') - Honor