Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'forgetful'

English Word: forgetful

Key Russian Translations:

• забывчивый /zəˈbɨft͡ɕɪvɨj/ - [Informal, Adjective used to describe someone who frequently forgets]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversation but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "good" or "bad")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions and common personality descriptors)

Pronunciation (Russian):

забывчивый: /zəˈbɨft͡ɕɪvɨj/

Note on забывчивый: The stress is on the third syllable ("bɨf"), and the "ч" sound is a voiceless palatal fricative, which may be challenging for English speakers. Practice with native audio for accurate intonation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Tending to forget or have a poor memory

Translation(s) & Context:

• забывчивый - Used in informal contexts to describe a person who is absent-minded or unreliable due to forgetfulness, such as in daily life or personal anecdotes.

Usage Examples:

• Мой дедушка такой забывчивый, что забывает, где положил ключи.

  My grandfather is so forgetful that he forgets where he put his keys.

• Она всегда забывчивая, особенно когда дело касается дат и встреч.

  She is always forgetful, especially when it comes to dates and meetings.

• В школьные годы я был очень забывчивым и часто оставлял учебники дома.

  In my school years, I was very forgetful and often left my textbooks at home.

• Забывчивый коллега снова забыл о нашей встрече, что вызвало задержку.

  The forgetful colleague forgot about our meeting again, which caused a delay.

• С возрастом люди становятся более забывчивыми, но это не всегда проблема.

  As people age, they become more forgetful, but it's not always a problem.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

забывчивый is an adjective in Russian, which means it inflects based on gender, number, and case. It follows the standard pattern for adjectives ending in -ый. Below is a table outlining its key forms:

Note: This adjective does not have irregular forms, making it straightforward once the basic rules are learned.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • рассеянный (rasseyannyy) - More emphasis on being distracted; often used interchangeably but implies a broader absent-mindedness.
  • невнимательный (nevnimatel'nyy) - Focuses on lack of attention, which can lead to forgetfulness.
• Antonyms:
  • внимательный (vnimatel'nyy) - Careful and attentive, the opposite of forgetful behavior.
  • тщательный (tshchatel'nyy) - Thorough and meticulous, implying no forgetfulness.

Related Phrases:

• забывчивый человек - A forgetful person; Used in casual descriptions of someone's personality.
• стать забывчивым с возрастом - To become forgetful with age; Common in discussions about aging and memory.
• из-за забывчивости - Due to forgetfulness; Often used to explain mistakes or oversights.

Usage Notes:

• забывчивый directly corresponds to "forgetful" in English but is more commonly used in informal settings. It should agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies, e.g., "забывчивый мужчина" for a forgetful man.
• In formal contexts, consider using more neutral phrases like "слабая память" (weak memory) to avoid sounding judgmental.
• When choosing between synonyms, use рассеянный if the forgetfulness stems from distraction, but забывчивый for pure memory lapses.
• Grammar note: Always decline the adjective correctly to maintain sentence flow in Russian.

Common Errors:

• English learners often misuse the gender agreement, e.g., saying "забывчивый женщина" instead of "забывчивая женщина." Correct: Ensure the adjective ends in -ая for feminine nouns.
• Confusing with рассеянный: Learners might use рассеянный when забывчивый is more appropriate, e.g., "Он рассеянный" for simple forgetfulness. Error example: "Он рассеянный с ключами" (incorrect implication). Correct: "Он забывчивый с ключами." Explanation: рассеянный implies broader inattention, while забывчивый is specific to memory.
• Overusing in formal writing: Avoid in official documents; opt for descriptive phrases to prevent sounding casual.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, forgetfulness (as in забывчивый) is often portrayed humorously in literature and folklore, such as in stories about absent-minded characters like those in Chekhov's works. It can carry a light-hearted connotation in everyday speech, reflecting a tolerant attitude toward human imperfections, but in professional settings, it might be seen as a flaw.

Related Concepts:

• память (memory)
• внимание (attention)
• рассеянность (absent-mindedness)