Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fatty'

English Word: fatty

Key Russian Translations:

• жирный [ʐɨr.nɨj] - [Informal; used for describing something with a high fat content, e.g., food or substances]
• толстый [ˈtol.stɨj] - [Informal; often used for people to mean overweight or obese, but can apply to objects]

Frequency: Medium - The word "fatty" and its translations are commonly used in everyday contexts like cooking, health discussions, or casual descriptions, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Learners at this level should grasp basic adjective forms, though nuances in usage (e.g., potential offensiveness) may require cultural awareness. For "жирный," it's B1; for "толстый," it's also B1 due to similar inflection patterns.

Pronunciation (Russian):

жирный: [ʐɨr.nɨj] - The "ж" sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the "s" in "measure." Stress on the first syllable.

толстый: [ˈtol.stɨj] - The "т" is aspirated; stress on the first syllable. Note the soft sign "ь" affecting the preceding consonant.

Note on жирный: Be cautious with the "ы" vowel, which is a back unrounded vowel; it's a common challenge for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may soften the "р."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Describing something that contains a lot of fat (e.g., food or substances)

Translation(s) & Context:

• жирный - Used in informal or everyday contexts for culinary descriptions, such as in recipes or health advice.

Usage Examples:

• Этот стейк слишком жирный для диеты. (This steak is too fatty for a diet.)

  English: This steak is too fatty for a diet. (Shows adjective use in a nutritional context.)

• Масло в этом блюде делает его жирным и вкусным. (The oil in this dish makes it fatty and tasty.)

  English: The oil in this dish makes it fatty and tasty. (Illustrates combination with other adjectives.)

• Жирные продукты могут привести к проблемам со здоровьем. (Fatty products can lead to health problems.)

  English: Fatty products can lead to health problems. (Demonstrates use in a general statement.)

• В ресторане подают жирные салаты с майонезом. (The restaurant serves fatty salads with mayonnaise.)

  English: The restaurant serves fatty salads with mayonnaise. (Context: casual dining.)

Meaning 2: Describing a person who is overweight or obese (potentially derogatory)

Translation(s) & Context:

• толстый - Informal and can be offensive; used in casual conversations, but avoid in formal settings due to sensitivity around body image.

Usage Examples:

• Он стал толстым после переезда в город. (He became fatty after moving to the city.)

  English: He became fatty after moving to the city. (Note: In Russian, this is more direct and informal.)

• Толстый мужчина не смог влезть в лифт. (The fatty man couldn't fit into the elevator.)

  English: The fatty man couldn't fit into the elevator. (Highlights potential insensitivity; use cautiously.)

• В кино показывают толстых персонажей для комедии. (In movies, they show fatty characters for comedy.)

  English: In movies, they show fatty characters for comedy. (Context: entertainment, but with cultural stereotypes.)

• Она не любит, когда её называют толстой. (She doesn't like being called fatty.)

  English: She doesn't like being called fatty. (Emphasizes the derogatory connotation.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "жирный" and "толстый" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow regular patterns for most forms.

Note: These are regular first-declension adjectives. They do not have irregular forms, making them straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • маслянистый (maslyanisty) - Similar to "жирный" for oily or greasy contexts; often used for food.
  • пухлый (puhlyy) - A softer synonym for "толстый," implying plumpness rather than obesity.
• Antonyms:
  • тощий (toshyy) - Thin or skinny, directly opposite to "жирный" or "толстый."
  • стройный (stroynyy) - Slim or well-proportioned, especially for people.

Related Phrases:

• Жирная пища (Zhirnaya pishcha) - Fatty food; refers to high-fat meals, often in dietary contexts.
• Толстый слой (Tolstyy sloy) - Thick layer; used metaphorically for something fatty or excessive, like fat on meat.
• Стать жирным (Stat' zhirnym) - To become fatty; a phrase for gaining weight, with a brief explanation: Often used informally to describe weight gain.

Usage Notes:

"Fatty" in English corresponds closely to "жирный" for non-human contexts and "толстый" for people, but Russian usage is more inflection-dependent. Always consider formality: "жирный" is neutral in food discussions but can be rude for people. Choose based on context—opt for "жирный" in culinary settings and avoid "толстый" in sensitive conversations. Grammatically, ensure adjectives agree with nouns in gender, number, and case, as shown in the inflections table.

Common Errors:

• Using "жирный" interchangeably with "толстый" without context: Error example - Saying "Он жирный человек" when describing obesity (correct is "толстый" for people); correct usage: "Он толстый." Explanation: "Жирный" is better for substances, not people, to avoid awkwardness.
• Forgetting adjective agreement: Error example - "Я ем жирный пища" (incorrect); correct: "Я ем жирную пищу." Explanation: Adjectives must match the noun's gender (feminine in this case) and case.
• Overusing in formal writing: Error: Using "толстый" in professional health reports; correct: Use neutral terms like "избыточный вес" (excess weight). Explanation: These words can be pejorative, so opt for euphemisms in formal English-Russian translations.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "жирный" and "толстый" can carry stereotypes related to body image, influenced by historical contexts such as Soviet-era food shortages. They might be used more freely in casual speech but are increasingly sensitive in modern discussions due to global body positivity movements, similar to English.

Related Concepts:

• ожирение (ozhireniye) - Obesity
• диета (dieta) - Diet
• калорийный (kaloriynyy) - Caloric