Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fine'

English Word: fine

Key Russian Translations:

• хороший [xɐˈroʂɨj] - [Informal, Everyday use]
• отличный [ɐtˈlʲit͡ɕnɨj] - [Formal, Positive emphasis]
• штраф [ʂtraf] - [Used in legal or financial contexts]

Frequency: High (Common in both spoken and written Russian, especially in everyday descriptions and official documents)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate; "хороший" is straightforward for beginners, while "отличный" and "штраф" may require intermediate understanding of adjectives and nouns)

Pronunciation (Russian):

хороший: [xɐˈroʂɨj] (The 'х' is a guttural sound like in 'loch'; stress on the second syllable)

отличный: [ɐtˈlʲit͡ɕnɨj] (The 'лʲ' is a palatalized 'l'; stress on the second syllable)

штраф: [ʂtraf] (The 'ш' is a voiceless retroflex fricative; no stress variation as it's a short word)

Note on хороший: Be cautious with the 'ш' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers; it varies slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Good, excellent, or of high quality (Adjective form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хороший - Used in casual, everyday situations to describe something positive or satisfactory.
• отличный - Applied in more emphatic or formal contexts, such as praising something superior.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фильм хороший, он заставляет задуматься о жизни.

  This film is fine; it makes you think about life.

• Её работа отличная, она всегда выполняет всё вовремя.

  Her work is excellent; she always completes everything on time.

• Погода сегодня хорошая, идеально для прогулки.

  The weather today is fine, perfect for a walk.

• Этот ресторан предлагает отличную кухню по разумным ценам.

  This restaurant offers fine cuisine at reasonable prices.

• Мой день был хороший, несмотря на небольшие проблемы.

  My day was fine, despite some minor issues.

Meaning 2: A penalty or fine (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• штраф - Used in legal, traffic, or financial contexts to refer to a monetary penalty.

Usage Examples:

• Он заплатил штраф за превышение скорости.

  He paid the fine for speeding.

• Штраф за парковку в неположенном месте может быть высоким.

  The fine for parking in an unauthorized area can be high.

• Суд назначил штраф в размере 5000 рублей.

  The court imposed a fine of 5000 rubles.

• Избегайте штрафа, всегда носите с собой документы.

  Avoid the fine by always carrying your documents.

• Штраф за курение в общественных местах строгий.

  The fine for smoking in public places is strict.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For adjectives like "хороший" (good/fine), it follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns, which change based on gender, number, and case. It is an irregular adjective in some forms.

For "отличный", it follows regular adjective patterns:

For the noun "штраф", it is a masculine noun and does not change in the nominative singular but follows standard declension for other cases (e.g., genitive: штрафа). It is invariant in plural forms in some contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • хороший: нормальный (normal, adequate; less emphatic)
  • отличный: великолепный (magnificent; for something exceptional)
  • штраф: пенальти (penalty in sports; more specific context)
• Antonyms:
  • хороший: плохой (bad)
  • отличный: посредственный (mediocre)
  • штраф: награда (reward; opposite in legal contexts)

Related Phrases:

• Хороший день (A fine day) - Refers to pleasant weather or a good overall day.
• Отличная работа (Fine work) - Used to praise high-quality effort or results.
• Заплатить штраф (To pay a fine) - Common in legal or administrative scenarios.
• Всё в хорошем состоянии (Everything in fine condition) - Describes items or situations that are satisfactory.

Usage Notes:

"Fine" as an adjective often translates to "хороший" in informal settings, which is versatile but context-dependent. For example, use "отличный" when emphasizing excellence in formal or professional contexts. As a noun, "штраф" directly corresponds to a monetary penalty and is commonly used in Russian bureaucracy. Be mindful of gender agreement in adjectives; they must match the noun they describe. When choosing between translations, opt for "хороший" for everyday positivity and "штраф" for legal matters to ensure natural expression.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "хороший" without proper gender agreement, e.g., saying "хороший книга" instead of "хорошая книга" (for feminine noun "книга").
  Correct: Ensure the adjective ends with the appropriate form (e.g., "хорошая" for feminine). This error stems from English's lack of gender, leading to confusion.
• Mistake: Confusing "штраф" with "штрафной" (penalized in sports); learners might overuse it in non-legal contexts.
  Correct: Use "штраф" only for fines; for sports, say "штрафной удар". Explanation: "Штрафной" is an adjective form, so context matters to avoid misuse.
• Mistake: Over-translating "fine" as "тонкий" (thin/fine as in delicate texture), which is incorrect for the meaning of "good".
  Correct: Reserve "тонкий" for physical fineness; use "хороший" for quality. This is a common false cognate error.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "хороший" often carry a sense of modesty or understatement, reflecting the cultural value of not overpraising. For instance, saying something is "хороший" might downplay enthusiasm compared to English. Meanwhile, "штраф" is deeply tied to Russia's bureaucratic history, where fines are a common enforcement tool, sometimes evoking frustration in everyday life due to strict regulations.

Related Concepts:

• качество (quality)
• наказание (punishment)
• положительный (positive)
• идеальный (ideal)