Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'daft'

English Word: daft

Key Russian Translations:

• глупый [ˈɡlupɨj] - [Informal, Adjective]
• дурацкий [dʊˈratskʲɪj] - [Informal, Adjective, Often derogatory]
• безумный [bʲɪˈzumɨj] - [Neutral, Adjective, Can imply eccentricity]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "глупый" and "дурацкий"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "безумный"

Pronunciation (Russian):

глупый: [ˈɡlupɨj]

Note on глупый: Stress falls on the first syllable. The 'ы' sound is a unique Russian vowel, pronounced as a short, unrounded 'i'.

дурацкий: [dʊˈratskʲɪj]

Note on дурацкий: Stress on the second syllable. The 'ц' is a sharp, unaspirated 'ts' sound.

безумный: [bʲɪˈzumɨj]

Note on безумный: Stress on the second syllable. The 'б' is slightly palatalized due to the following 'е'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Silly or Foolish (General Use)

Translation(s) & Context:

• глупый - Used for general silliness or lack of sense, often in a lighthearted or neutral way.
• дурацкий - Stronger tone, often implies something ridiculous or absurd, can be derogatory.

Usage Examples:

• Это был глупый поступок.

  That was a daft thing to do.

• Зачем ты купил эту дурацкую шляпу?

  Why did you buy that daft hat?

• Он задал такой глупый вопрос на уроке.

  He asked such a daft question in class.

2. Crazy or Eccentric (Less Common)

Translation(s) & Context:

• безумный - Used when "daft" implies eccentricity or behaving in a wild, irrational way.

Usage Examples:

• Его безумная идея всех удивила.

  His daft idea surprised everyone.

• Она выглядит немного безумной, но она очень умная.

  She seems a bit daft, but she’s very smart.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

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

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	глупый	глупая	глупое	глупые
Genitive	глупого	глупой	глупого	глупых

дурацкий (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns to "глупый".

безумный (Adjective): Declines similarly, no irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for глупый:

• неумный
• смешной (in context of silliness)

Note: "неумный" is less common and more formal than "глупый".

Antonyms for глупый:

• умный
• разумный

Related Phrases:

• глупый как пробка - "daft as a brush" (extremely silly).
• дурацкая шутка - "a daft joke" (a ridiculous or silly joke).
• безумная затея - "a daft scheme" (a crazy or eccentric plan).

Usage Notes:

• "глупый" is the most neutral and widely applicable translation for "daft" when referring to silliness or lack of sense. It can be used in both casual and slightly formal contexts.
• "дурацкий" carries a stronger, often negative connotation, so use it when "daft" implies something absurd or annoying.
• "безумный" is better for contexts where "daft" suggests eccentricity or irrational behavior rather than simple foolishness.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "дурацкий" in a neutral or positive context. For example, saying "Это дурацкая идея" might offend someone if the tone of "daft" was meant to be playful. Correct: Use "глупый" for a lighter tone, e.g., "Это глупая идея".

Error 2: Confusing "безумный" with "сумасшедший" (insane). While both can mean "crazy", "безумный" is more appropriate for "daft" in the sense of eccentricity. Incorrect: "Его сумасшедшая идея"; Correct: "Его безумная идея".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, calling someone "глупый" or "дурацкий" can be taken more personally than "daft" might be in English, especially in formal settings. Russians may use humor or indirect language to soften criticism of someone’s actions as "silly".

Related Concepts:

• наивный (naive)
• нелепый (absurd)
• смешной (funny)