Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'direful'

English Word: direful

Key Russian Translations:

• Ужасный [ʊˈʐasnɨj] - [Formal, used for describing something causing fear or distress]
• Страшный [ˈstraʂnɨj] - [Informal, often in everyday contexts for something frightening or ominous]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature and descriptive language, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions; for "ужасный", it's straightforward for learners at this level)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Ужасный: [ʊˈʐasnɨj]

Note on Ужасный: The stress falls on the second syllable ("ʐas-"), which is a common point of difficulty for English speakers due to the retroflex 'ж' sound. Pronounce it with a soft, rolling 'r' like in "measure".

Audio: []

Страшный: [ˈstraʂnɨj]

Note on Страшный: The initial 'c' sound is a voiceless alveolar fricative, similar to 'sh' in "shoe", but ensure the 'r' is trilled if speaking in a standard Russian accent.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Causing fear, distress, or a sense of impending doom

Translation(s) & Context:

• Ужасный - Used in formal or literary contexts, such as describing a tragic event or a frightening situation.
• Страшный - Applied in informal settings, like casual conversations about horror or danger.

Usage Examples:

• Это был ужасный шторм, который разрушил многие дома.

  This was a direful storm that destroyed many homes.

• Её рассказ о привидениях был таким страшным, что все замерли.

  Her story about ghosts was so direful that everyone froze.

• Ужасная новость о катастрофе распространилась по всему городу.

  The direful news about the disaster spread throughout the city.

• Страшная тишина воцарилась в комнате после его слов.

  A direful silence fell over the room after his words.

• В фильме показано ужасное будущее, полное опасностей.

  The film depicts a direful future full of dangers.

Meaning 2: Ominous or foreboding

Translation(s) & Context:

• Ужасный - In contexts implying a sense of dread, often in written or poetic language.
• Страшный - More conversational, for situations with an air of threat.

Usage Examples:

• Ужасное предчувствие не покидало его весь день.

  A direful premonition didn't leave him all day.

• Страшные облака на горизонте предвещали бурю.

  The direful clouds on the horizon foretold a storm.

• Его ужасный взгляд заставил меня замолчать.

  His direful gaze made me fall silent.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "ужасный" and "страшный" are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect for gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern of agreement with nouns. Here is a declension table for "ужасный" in its masculine singular form as an example:

For "страшный", the inflections follow the same pattern: e.g., Nominative Singular: страшный (m), страшная (f), страшное (n), страшные (pl). These adjectives do not have irregular forms, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Жуткий (zhutkiy) - Similar to "страшный", but often implies a more eerie or uncanny feeling.
  • Кошмарный (koshmarnyy) - Emphasizes a nightmarish quality, slightly more intense than "ужасный".
• Antonyms:
  • Приятный (priyatnyy) - Pleasant or agreeable.
  • Безобидный (bezobidnyy) - Harmless or innocuous.

Related Phrases:

• Ужасный сон - A direful dream; refers to a nightmare or frightening vision.
• Страшная тайна - A direful secret; implies a dark or foreboding mystery.
• Ужасная погода - Direful weather; used for extremely bad or stormy conditions.

Usage Notes:

"Ужасный" is a more formal equivalent to "direful" and is often used in written Russian or serious discussions, while "страшный" is better for everyday speech. Choose "ужасный" when emphasizing emotional distress in literary contexts. Be mindful of adjective agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case. For example, if translating "direful experience," use "ужасный опыт" where "ужасный" agrees with the masculine noun "опыт."

• Context tip: In Russian, these words can carry hyperbolic tones, so they might sound more dramatic than their English counterparts.
• Selection guide: If the context is ominous and formal, prefer "ужасный"; for casual fear, use "страшный".

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "ужасный" with "страшный" and use them interchangeably, but this can alter the tone. For instance, saying "страшный фильм" (a scary film) instead of "ужасный фильм" (a direful film) might make it sound more playful. Correct usage: Use "ужасный" for deeper dread. Another error is forgetting adjective declension, e.g., saying "ужасный женщина" instead of "ужасная женщина" (direful woman), which is grammatically incorrect due to gender mismatch.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "ужасный" often appear in literature and folklore, such as in fairy tales by Pushkin, where they evoke a sense of Slavic mysticism and the vast, unforgiving Russian landscape. This reflects a cultural emphasis on enduring hardship, making "direful" themes common in national narratives.

Related Concepts:

• Ужас (uzhas) - Horror or terror.
• Страх (strakh) - Fear.
• Кошмар (koshmar) - Nightmare.