Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dangerous'

English Word: dangerous

Key Russian Translations:

• опасный [ɐˈpasnɨj] - [Formal/Informal, Adjective]
• опасно [ɐˈpasnə] - [Adverb, Often used in warnings]

Frequency: High

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for both translations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

опасный: [ɐˈpasnɨj]

Note on опасный: Stress falls on the second syllable. The final 'й' sound is a soft consonant, often challenging for English speakers.

опасно: [ɐˈpasnə]

Note on опасно: Stress on the second syllable. The ending 'о' is pronounced as a neutral vowel sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Posing a threat or risk (Physical or Abstract)

Translation(s) & Context:

• опасный - Used for describing a dangerous person, place, or situation (e.g., a dangerous road or criminal).
• опасно - Used as an adverb to describe a dangerous action or state (e.g., driving dangerously).

Usage Examples:

• Этот район очень опасный ночью.

  This area is very dangerous at night.

• Он опасный человек, держись от него подальше.

  He is a dangerous person, stay away from him.

• Ездить на высокой скорости опасно.

  Driving at high speed is dangerous.

• Здесь опасно переходить дорогу без светофора.

  It’s dangerous to cross the road here without a traffic light.

• Опасно оставлять детей без присмотра у воды.

  It’s dangerous to leave children unsupervised near water.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

опасный (Adjective): This adjective declines according to gender, number, and case, following standard Russian adjective patterns.

опасно (Adverb): This is an invariable form and does not change regardless of context or sentence structure.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for опасный:

• рискованный (risky, often used for ventures or decisions)
• угрожающий (threatening, often for imminent danger)

Antonyms for опасный:

• безопасный (safe)
• надёжный (reliable, secure)

Related Phrases:

• опасный для жизни - Dangerous to life (used in serious warnings).
• опасный поворот - Dangerous turn (common in road signs or warnings).
• опасно для здоровья - Dangerous to health (used in medical or safety contexts).

Usage Notes:

• опасный is an adjective and must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies. It is the primary translation for "dangerous" when describing a noun.
• опасно is an adverb used to describe actions or situations in a general sense, often in warnings or statements of risk.
• Be mindful of context: опасный often implies a specific source of danger, while опасно describes the nature of an action or situation.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using опасно as an adjective to describe a noun. Incorrect: "Этот человек опасно." Correct: "Этот человек опасный." Explanation: опасно is an adverb and cannot modify a noun.
• Error: Failing to decline опасный according to the noun it modifies. Incorrect: "Я вижу опасный женщина." Correct: "Я вижу опасную женщину." Explanation: Adjectives must match the gender and case of the noun.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, warnings about danger (using опасно or опасный) are often taken very seriously, especially in formal or public contexts like road signs or safety instructions. Russians may use these terms more frequently in everyday speech compared to English speakers, reflecting a cultural emphasis on caution.

Related Concepts:

• безопасность (safety)
• риск (risk)
• угроза (threat)