Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fairly'

English Word: fairly

Key Russian Translations:

• довольно [dɐˈvolʲnə] - [Adverb, Informal, used for moderation or degree]
• справедливо [sprɐˈfʲedlʲivə] - [Adverb, Formal, used in contexts of justice or fairness]

Frequency: High (particularly for "довольно", commonly used in everyday spoken and written Russian; "справедливо" is medium in formal contexts).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; "довольно" is straightforward for basic adverb usage, while "справедливо" may require understanding of ethical contexts; learners should practice sentence integration for both).

Pronunciation (Russian):

довольно: [dɐˈvolʲnə]

справедливо: [sprɐˈfʲedlʲivə]

Note on довольно: The stress falls on the second syllable; be cautious with the soft 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers. Variations in fast speech may soften vowels.

Note on справедливо: Pronounce the 'ф' as a voiceless labiodental fricative; the word often has a formal tone, and regional accents might alter vowel length.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Moderately or quite (indicating a degree, as in "fairly good")

Translation(s) & Context:

• довольно - Used in informal or neutral contexts to express something is to a moderate extent, e.g., in everyday descriptions or opinions.

Usage Examples:

• Это довольно интересно, но не потрясающе.

  This is fairly interesting, but not amazing. (Shows "довольно" modifying an adjective in a casual opinion.)

• Она довольно быстро учится новому языку.

  She learns a new language fairly quickly. (Illustrates use in a positive context with an adverb.)

• В этом фильме довольно много юмора.

  This film has fairly a lot of humor. (Demonstrates with a quantifier in a descriptive sentence.)

• Дом довольно далеко от центра города.

  The house is fairly far from the city center. (Used in spatial contexts.)

Meaning 2: Fairly as in justly or equitably (indicating fairness or impartiality)

Translation(s) & Context:

• справедливо - Applied in formal or ethical discussions, such as legal, moral, or social justice scenarios, to convey impartial treatment.

Usage Examples:

• Судья поступил справедливо, рассмотрев все доказательства.

  The judge acted fairly, considering all the evidence. (Highlights use in a legal context.)

• В этой компании зарплаты распределяются справедливо.

  In this company, salaries are distributed fairly. (Shows application in workplace equity.)

• Справедливо ли наказывать ребёнка за такую мелочь?

  Is it fair to punish the child for such a minor thing? (Used in a rhetorical question about justice.)

• Он всегда судит других справедливо.

  He always judges others fairly. (Demonstrates in interpersonal relations.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "довольно" and "справедливо" are adverbs derived from adjectives, and they generally do not inflect for case, number, or gender in standard usage, as Russian adverbs typically remain invariant.

For "довольно" (from adjective "довольный"): It is an invariable adverb. No changes occur based on context.

For "справедливо" (from adjective "справедливый"): Also invariable as an adverb, but the base adjective "справедливый" inflects as follows:

Note: As an adverb, "справедливо" does not change and is used directly in sentences.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for довольно: вполне (quite, fully; less emphatic), довольно-таки (fairly indeed; more intensive), предостаточно (sufficiently)
• Synonyms for справедливо: беспристрастно (impartially; emphasizes neutrality), честно (honestly; with a moral connotation)
• Antonyms for довольно: недостаточно (insufficiently)
• Antonyms for справедливо: несправедливо (unfairly), пристрастно (biasedly)

Related Phrases:

• довольно хорошо - Fairly well (used to describe moderate success or quality; e.g., in performance reviews).
• довольно часто - Fairly often (indicates frequency in routines).
• справедливое решение - A fair decision (common in legal or ethical contexts).
• справедливое общество - A fair society (refers to social equity and justice themes).

Usage Notes:

"Довольно" best corresponds to the English "fairly" when emphasizing degree or moderation, making it ideal for casual conversations, while "справедливо" aligns with senses of justice, suitable for formal writing or debates. Choose "довольно" for everyday modifiers (e.g., "fairly tired" = "довольно усталый") and "справедливо" for ethical contexts. Note the grammatical flexibility: both can precede adjectives or adverbs but avoid overuse in formal Russian to prevent redundancy. English learners should practice integrating these into full sentences to grasp their neutral to positive connotations.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "довольно" with "достаточно" (sufficiently), leading to misuse like saying "довольно денег" when meaning "enough money" – incorrectly implies moderation rather than sufficiency. Correct: Use "достаточно" for "enough".

• Error: Overusing "справедливо" in informal speech, e.g., saying "Я сделал это справедливо" instead of "Я сделал это честно" for a less formal tone. Correct: Opt for synonyms like "честно" in casual contexts to match register.

• Error: Incorrect word order, such as placing "довольно" after the adjective (e.g., "интересно довольно"), which sounds unnatural. Correct: Always place it before, as in "довольно интересно". Explanation: Russian adverbs typically precede the words they modify for clarity.

Cultural Notes:

"Справедливо" often carries deeper cultural connotations in Russian society, rooted in historical contexts like Soviet-era emphasis on social justice and equality. It reflects values from Russian literature (e.g., in Dostoevsky's works) where fairness is tied to moral integrity, helping English speakers understand its frequent use in discussions of equity versus the more pragmatic "довольно".

Related Concepts:

• вполне
• честно
• справедливость
• достаточно