Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'desperate'

English Word: desperate

Key Russian Translations:

• отчаянный [ɐˈt͡ɕajənːɨj] - [Informal, Often Emotional]
• безнадёжный [bʲɪznɐˈdʲɵʐnɨj] - [Formal, Often Negative Connotation]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

отчаянный: [ɐˈt͡ɕajənːɨj]

Note on отчаянный: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ч' sound is similar to 'ch' in 'church'.

безнадёжный: [bʲɪznɐˈdʲɵʐnɨj]

Note on безнадёжный: Stress on the third syllable. The 'ё' is always stressed and pronounced as 'yo'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Feeling or showing despair (Emotional desperation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• отчаянный - Used to describe a person or action driven by despair or extreme need, often with an emotional tone.

Usage Examples:

• Он сделал отчаянный шаг, чтобы спасти семью.

  He took a desperate step to save his family.

• Её отчаянный крик разбудил соседей.

  Her desperate cry woke up the neighbors.

• Они были в отчаянном положении после наводнения.

  They were in a desperate situation after the flood.

2. Without hope or very serious (Hopeless situation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• безнадёжный - Used to describe situations or conditions that seem hopeless or irreparable, often formal or literary.

Usage Examples:

• Его состояние было безнадёжным, но врачи не сдавались.

  His condition was desperate, but the doctors didn’t give up.

• Это была безнадёжная попытка исправить ошибку.

  It was a desperate attempt to fix the mistake.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

отчаянный (Adjective): Declines like a regular adjective in Russian, agreeing in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies.

безнадёжный (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as a regular adjective.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for отчаянный:

• смелый (brave, daring - less emotional)
• безрассудный (reckless - more negative)

Synonyms for безнадёжный:

• безвыходный (hopeless - similar tone)
• неизлечимый (incurable - often medical)

Antonyms:

• надежный (reliable, hopeful)
• спокойный (calm, composed)

Related Phrases:

• отчаянный поступок - A desperate act (used for risky or extreme actions).
• безнадёжное положение - A desperate situation (used for hopeless or critical circumstances).
• отчаянная борьба - A desperate struggle (often in emotional or life-threatening contexts).

Usage Notes:

• Choosing between translations: Use "отчаянный" when referring to emotional desperation or extreme actions driven by despair. Use "безнадёжный" for situations or conditions that seem hopeless, often with a more formal or serious tone.

• Register: "отчаянный" can be used in both informal and formal contexts, while "безнадёжный" is more common in written or formal speech.

• Collocation: Both words often pair with nouns like "положение" (situation) or "попытка" (attempt), but check context for natural usage.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up translations: English speakers often use "отчаянный" for hopeless situations, but "безнадёжный" is more appropriate. For example, saying "отчаянный больной" (desperate patient) is incorrect; use "безнадёжный больной" (hopeless patient).

• Stress errors: Misplacing stress in "безнадёжный" (correct stress on "дё") can lead to misunderstandings or unnatural pronunciation.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing desperation (especially with "отчаянный") often carries a dramatic or emotional connotation, reflecting the cultural value placed on resilience in the face of hardship. The word "безнадёжный" may evoke a sense of fatalism, which is sometimes associated with Russian literary and historical narratives.

Related Concepts:

• отчаяние (despair)
• безнадёжность (hopelessness)
• страх (fear)