Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fertile'

English Word: fertile

Key Russian Translations:

• плодородный [plɐdɐˈrodnɨj] - [Formal, commonly used in agricultural contexts]
• фертильный [fʲɛrˈtʲilʲnɨj] - [Formal, Scientific, often in biological or medical discussions]
• плодовитый [plɐdɐˈvʲitɨj] - [Informal, Plural forms may apply in broader contexts like describing prolific output]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in contexts like agriculture, biology, and everyday discussions about productivity, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective forms and contexts; for 'плодородный', it's straightforward, but 'фертильный' may be more challenging due to its borrowed origin)

Pronunciation (Russian):

плодородный: [plɐdɐˈrodnɨj]

Note on плодородный: The stress falls on the third syllable ('ro'), which is a common point of difficulty for English speakers. Ensure to emphasize it for natural pronunciation.

фертильный: [fʲɛrˈtʲilʲnɨj]

Note on фертильный: This word has a soft 'т' sound, influenced by its Latin root, which might vary slightly in fast speech.

плодовитый: [plɐdɐˈvʲitɨj]

Note on плодовитый: The 'в' is pronounced softly, and the word often softens in informal speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Able to produce abundant vegetation, crops, or offspring (e.g., referring to soil or land)

Translation(s) & Context:

• плодородный - Used in formal agricultural or environmental discussions, often describing soil quality.
• фертильный - Applied in scientific contexts, such as biology or medicine, when discussing fertility in living organisms.

Usage Examples:

• Эта почва очень плодородная и идеально подходит для выращивания зерновых культур.

  This soil is very fertile and ideal for growing grain crops.

• В регионе много плодородных земель, что делает его привлекательным для фермеров.

  The region has many fertile lands, making it attractive for farmers.

• Фертильный грунт необходим для успешного садоводства в этом климате.

  Fertile soil is necessary for successful gardening in this climate.

• Благодаря плодородной почве, урожай был обильным в прошлом году.

  Thanks to the fertile soil, the harvest was abundant last year.

Meaning 2: Capable of producing offspring or being productive (e.g., in a biological or metaphorical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• плодовитый - Informal contexts, such as describing a person's creativity or an animal's reproductive capability.
• фертильный - Formal, scientific contexts, like human or animal fertility.

Usage Examples:

• Этот автор плодовитый; он выпускает по книге каждый год.

  This author is fertile; he releases a book every year.

• В медицинских тестах подтверждено, что пациентка фертильная и может завести детей.

  Medical tests confirm that the patient is fertile and can have children.

• Плодовитый сад принес множество фруктов этим летом.

  The fertile garden yielded plenty of fruits this summer.

• Фертильный период у животных обычно приходится на весну.

  The fertile period for animals usually occurs in spring.

• Ее плодовитый ум генерирует множество идей для проектов.

  Her fertile mind generates many ideas for projects.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. 'Плодородный' and 'фертильный' follow standard first-declension adjective patterns, while 'плодовитый' is similar but may vary slightly in usage.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular inflections; they change predictably with gender and case, which is standard for Russian adjectives.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • плодовитый (similar to 'fertile' in productivity, but with a nuance of abundance)
  • богатый (rich, often used for soil fertility, implying wealth in resources)
• Antonyms:
  • бесплодный (infertile, sterile; used for land or biological contexts)
  • неплодородный (unproductive, specifically for soil)

Related Phrases:

• плодородные земли - Fertile lands; refers to areas with rich soil for agriculture.
• фертильный период - Fertile period; commonly used in biology to describe reproductive cycles.
• плодовитый урожай - Prolific harvest; an idiomatic phrase for a bountiful yield in farming.

Usage Notes:

'Плодородный' is the most direct translation for 'fertile' in the context of land or soil and is preferred in everyday Russian. 'Фертильный' is a borrowed term, often reserved for scientific or medical discussions, making it less common in casual speech. When choosing between translations, consider the context: use 'плодовитый' for metaphorical productivity. Be mindful of gender agreement in sentences, as Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender, number, and case. For example, English speakers might overlook this and use the wrong form.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'фертильный' in everyday contexts instead of 'плодородный'. Correct: In agricultural talks, say "плодородная почва" instead of "фертильная почва" to sound natural. Explanation: 'Фертильный' sounds overly technical and may confuse listeners in informal settings.

• Error: Forgetting adjective inflections, e.g., saying "плодородный земля" (wrong gender agreement). Correct: "плодородная земля" (feminine noun). Explanation: Russian requires adjectives to agree with nouns, which is a common pitfall for English learners used to invariant adjectives.

• Error: Confusing with 'бесплодный' (meaning infertile). Correct: Use 'плодородный' for positive fertility. Explanation: This mix-up can lead to opposite meanings, so context is key.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts of fertility are deeply tied to agriculture and history, given Russia's vast rural landscapes. Words like 'плодородный' evoke images of the fertile black earth regions (chernozem), which have historically been crucial for Russia's economy and identity, symbolizing abundance and national pride.

Related Concepts:

• урожайный (productive, relating to harvests)
• благодатный (bountiful, with a positive connotation)
• пахотный (arable, specifically for land suitable for plowing)