Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'duff'

English Word: duff

Key Russian Translations:

• брак [brak] - [Informal; commonly used in everyday contexts for defective items]
• хлам [xlam] - [Informal; often applied to junk or worthless objects]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are encountered in casual conversations but not in highly formal or technical settings.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp basic usage, but nuances require contextual understanding. For 'брак', it's B1; for 'хлам', it's A2 due to its simplicity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

брак: [brak] (The 'б' is a voiced bilabial stop, similar to 'b' in 'bat'; stress on the first syllable.)

хлам: [xlam] (The 'х' is a voiceless velar fricative, like the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch'; stress on the first syllable.)

Note on брак: Be cautious with the 'р' sound, which is a trilled alveolar; non-native speakers might soften it to an English 'r'.

Note on хлам: The initial 'х' can be challenging for beginners; practice with native audio for accurate guttural pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Something of poor quality or worthless (e.g., defective items in everyday contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• брак - Used in informal settings to describe faulty goods, such as in shopping or repairs.
• хлам - Applied in casual conversations for useless junk, like old belongings in a garage.

Usage Examples:

• Этот телефон оказался браком; он сломался через неделю. (This phone turned out to be duff; it broke after a week.)

  English Translation: This phone turned out to be duff; it broke after a week.

• Не покупай этот хлам, он совершенно бесполезный. (Don't buy this duff; it's completely useless.)

  English Translation: Don't buy this duff; it's completely useless.

• В гараже накопился старый брак от прошлых ремонтов. (The garage is filled with old duff from previous repairs.)

  English Translation: The garage is filled with old duff from previous repairs.

• Этот хлам валяется в подвале и занимает место. (This duff is lying around in the basement and taking up space.)

  English Translation: This duff is lying around in the basement and taking up space.

• Из-за брака в производстве, все партии пришлось вернуть. (Due to duff in production, all batches had to be returned.)

  English Translation: Due to duff in production, all batches had to be returned.

Meaning 2: In sports contexts, like a bad shot in golf (less common in general English)

Translation(s) & Context:

• брак - Used metaphorically in informal sports talk for a flawed action.

Usage Examples:

• Его удар был полным браком, мяч улетел в кусты. (His shot was total duff; the ball flew into the bushes.)

  English Translation: His shot was total duff; the ball flew into the bushes.

• В гольфе брак может стоить победы. (In golf, a duff can cost you the win.)

  English Translation: In golf, a duff can cost you the win.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'брак' and 'хлам' are masculine nouns in Russian, which follow standard declension patterns for inanimate objects. 'Брак' is a third-declension noun with irregularities, while 'хлам' is more straightforward.

Note: 'Хлам' has a more regular pattern and does not change in some informal uses, making it easier for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • некачественный (nequality; similar to 'duff' but more formal)
  • мусор (musor; everyday synonym for junk, with a slight connotation of waste)
• Antonyms:
  • качество (kachestvo; quality, directly opposite in meaning)
  • новый (novyy; new, implying the opposite of worn-out duff)

Related Phrases:

• Бракованный товар (Brakovannyy tovar) - Defective goods; used in consumer contexts to describe duff products.
• Свалка хлама (Svalka khlama) - Junkyard; a common phrase for a pile of worthless items, akin to a duff collection.
• Полный брак (Polnyy brak) - Total duff; emphasizes complete worthlessness in informal speech.

Usage Notes:

'Duff' in English often implies something substandard or useless, and its Russian equivalents like 'брак' or 'хлам' carry similar connotations but are more context-specific. Use 'брак' for manufacturing defects in formal or semi-formal settings, while 'хлам' is better for everyday casual talk about junk. Be mindful of gender agreement in Russian sentences, as these nouns are masculine. When choosing between translations, opt for 'хлам' if the emphasis is on clutter, and 'брак' for quality issues.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'брак' with its homonym meaning 'marriage'. Correct: In the context of 'duff', always use it as a noun for defects, e.g., say "Этот товар - брак" (This item is duff) instead of mistakenly using it in wedding contexts.

• Error: Forgetting declension, e.g., saying "Я видел хлам" but incorrectly using it in genitive as "хлам" instead of "хлама" in phrases like "куча хлама" (pile of duff). Correct: Always adjust for case, as in "Я избавился от хлама" (I got rid of the duff).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'брак' often reflect historical emphasis on quality control in Soviet-era manufacturing, where defective goods were a common frustration. This can evoke a sense of pragmatism and resourcefulness, as people frequently repurpose 'хлам' rather than discard it outright.

Related Concepts:

• мусор (musor - garbage)
• дефект (defekt - defect)
• старье (starye - old stuff)