Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Crucial'

English Word: crucial

Key Russian Translations:

• решающий [rʲɪˈʂajʊɕːɪj] - [Formal, Often used in decisive contexts]
• ключевой [klʲʊˈtɕevəj] - [Neutral, Commonly used for key or pivotal matters]
• критически важный [krʲɪˈtʲiʨɪskʲɪ ˈvaʐnɨj] - [Formal, Emphasizes critical importance]

Frequency: Medium (often used in formal and academic contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

решающий: [rʲɪˈʂajʊɕːɪj]

Note on решающий: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'щ' sound is a soft, hissing sound unique to Russian.

ключевой: [klʲʊˈtɕevəj]

Note on ключевой: Stress on the second syllable. The 'ч' sound is softer than in English 'ch'.

критически важный: [krʲɪˈtʲiʨɪskʲɪ ˈvaʐnɨj]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Decisive or Determining (e.g., a crucial decision)

Translation(s) & Context:

• решающий - Often used for decisions or moments that determine an outcome.

Usage Examples:

• Это был решающий момент в игре.

  This was the crucial moment in the game.

• Его голос стал решающим на собрании.

  His vote was crucial at the meeting.

• Мы приняли решающее решение для будущего компании.

  We made a crucial decision for the company's future.

2. Essential or Key (e.g., a crucial factor)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ключевой - Used for something central or pivotal to a situation.
• критически важный - Used to emphasize extreme importance, often in formal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Образование - ключевой фактор успеха.

  Education is a crucial factor for success.

• Этот документ критически важен для проекта.

  This document is crucially important for the project.

• Ключевые данные были утеряны перед презентацией.

  Crucial data was lost before the presentation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

решающий (adjective): Declines according to gender, number, and case as a standard Russian adjective.

ключевой (adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as above.

критически важный (compound adjective): Both words decline; "критически" remains mostly invariable, while "важный" declines as a standard adjective.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• основной (main, fundamental) - More general, less intense than "ключевой".
• жизненно важный (vitally important) - Stronger emphasis on necessity.

Antonyms:

• незначительный (insignificant)
• второстепенный (secondary)

Related Phrases:

• решающий шаг - A crucial step (a decisive action with significant impact).
• ключевой момент - A crucial moment (a pivotal point in time).
• критически важное решение - A crucially important decision (used in high-stakes contexts).

Usage Notes:

• "Решающий" is best for situations where something directly determines an outcome, such as a final decision or turning point.
• "Ключевой" is more versatile and often refers to central or foundational elements (e.g., "key factor").
• "Критически важный" is formal and emphasizes urgency or indispensability; avoid overusing it in casual speech.
• Choose the translation based on context: "решающий" for decisions, "ключевой" for importance, and "критически важный" for critical necessity.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "решающий" for non-decisive contexts (e.g., saying "решающий фактор" instead of "ключевой фактор").

  Incorrect: Решающий фактор успеха. / Correct: Ключевой фактор успеха.

  Explanation: "Решающий" implies a final decision, not general importance.

• Error: Misusing gender or case agreement with adjectives like "решающий".

  Incorrect: Решающий проблема. / Correct: Решающая проблема.

  Explanation: Adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, emphasizing importance or decisiveness (e.g., with "критически важный") is often reserved for formal or serious contexts. Overusing such terms in casual conversation may sound overly dramatic or bureaucratic to native speakers.

Related Concepts:

• важный (important)
• значительный (significant)
• необходимый (necessary)