Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dutiful'

English Word: dutiful

Key Russian Translations:

• исполнительный [ˌɪspɐlʲ.nʲɪˈtʲe.lʲ.nɨj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• послушный [pɐˈsluʂ.nɨj] - [Informal, Adjective, Used in family or everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in professional and educational discussions, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjectives and their inflections)

Pronunciation (Russian):

исполнительный: [ˌɪspɐlʲ.nʲɪˈtʲe.lʲ.nɨj]

послушный: [pɐˈsluʂ.nɨj]

Note on исполнительный: The stress is on the fourth syllable; be careful with the soft consonants, which are common in Russian and can be tricky for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Obedient and respectful, especially towards authority or parents

Translation(s) & Context:

• послушный - Used in informal or familial settings, such as describing a child's behavior.

Usage Examples:

• Мой сын всегда послушный и выполняет все домашние задания.

  My son is always dutiful and completes all his homework.

• Она была послушной дочерью, заботящейся о своих престарелых родителях.

  She was a dutiful daughter, caring for her elderly parents.

Meaning 2: Conscientious in performing duties, often in a professional context

Translation(s) & Context:

• исполнительный - Used in formal or work-related contexts, emphasizing efficiency and reliability.

Usage Examples:

• Этот сотрудник очень исполнительный и всегда соблюдает сроки.

  This employee is very dutiful and always meets deadlines.

• В армии солдаты должны быть исполнительными, чтобы обеспечить безопасность.

  In the army, soldiers must be dutiful to ensure safety.

• Исполнительный менеджер организовал встречу без единой задержки.

  The dutiful manager organized the meeting without any delays.

• Её исполнительность в работе привела к быстрому продвижению по карьерной лестнице.

  Her dutifulness in work led to rapid career advancement.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives generally follow the noun they modify and agree with it in gender, number, and case. Here are the inflections for each:

Note: These are standard adjective inflections. Irregularities are rare for these words, but always check context for proper agreement.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • верный (vernyy) - More about loyalty; subtle difference in emphasizing faithfulness over duty.
  • ответственный (otvetstvennyy) - Used in professional contexts, implying responsibility.
• Antonyms:
  • непослушный (neposlushnyy) - Directly opposite, meaning disobedient.
  • ленивый (lenivyy) - Meaning lazy, contrasting with conscientious behavior.

Related Phrases:

• Быть исполнительным в работе - To be dutiful in work; used to describe professional reliability.
• Послушный ребенок - A dutiful child; common in parenting discussions.
• Исполнительный директор - Dutiful executive; a phrase for business contexts, implying effective leadership.

Usage Notes:

"Исполнительный" is a more formal equivalent to "dutiful" in English, often used in professional or official settings, while "послушный" is better for informal, personal contexts like family. Choose based on the situation: for example, use "исполнительный" when discussing work ethics, as it aligns closely with conscientiousness. Be mindful of adjective agreement in Russian sentences, which must match the noun's gender, number, and case. This vocabulary doesn't have significant regional variations but is more prevalent in educated speech.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "исполнительный" in informal family contexts, e.g., saying "Мой ребенок исполнительный" instead of "послушный". Correct: "Послушный" fits better for children. Explanation: This mismatch can sound overly formal or unnatural in casual speech.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying "Он исполнительный человек" but incorrectly using the wrong case in a sentence like "Я видел исполнительный" (should be "исполнительного" for accusative). Correct: Always ensure agreement, e.g., "Я видел исполнительного человека". Explanation: Russian requires strict grammatical harmony, which English speakers often overlook.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, being "dutiful" (e.g., исполнительный or послушный) is highly valued, especially in family and professional life, reflecting traditions of collectivism and respect for authority. For instance, filial piety is a strong cultural norm, similar to East Asian societies, where children are expected to be послушные to their parents, influencing social dynamics and literature like in Tolstoy's works.

Related Concepts:

• ответственность (otvetstvennost') - Responsibility
• лояльность (loyal'nost') - Loyalty
• дисциплина (distsiplina) - Discipline