Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'great'

English Word: great

Key Russian Translations:

• великий [vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj] - [Formal, often used for historical or monumental significance]
• отличный [ɐtˈlʲitɕnɨj] - [Informal, everyday positive emphasis]

Frequency: High (commonly used in both spoken and written Russian across various contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective inflections, but basic forms are straightforward for learners at this level)

Pronunciation (Russian):

великий: [vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj]

Note on великий: The stress falls on the second syllable ("lʲikʲ"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized consonants; practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

отличный: [ɐtˈlʲitɕnɨj]

Note on отличный: The "ch" sound is a soft palatal fricative; it's similar to the "ch" in "loch" but softer, and the word is often stressed on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Excellent, outstanding, or very good (positive quality)

Translation(s) & Context:

• отличный - Used in casual conversations for praising something of high quality, such as food, events, or experiences.

Usage Examples:

• Этот ресторан предлагает отличную кухню.

  This restaurant offers great cuisine. (Context: Recommending a place to eat, showing everyday positive endorsement.)

• Её отличная идея помогла нам решить проблему.

  Her great idea helped us solve the problem. (Context: Highlighting creativity in a professional or problem-solving scenario.)

• Отличный день для прогулки в парке!

  It's a great day for a walk in the park! (Context: Expressing enthusiasm about weather or leisure activities.)

• Этот фильм был отличным развлечением для всей семьи.

  This movie was great entertainment for the whole family. (Context: Family-oriented media discussion.)

• Отличный результат после стольких усилий!

  Great result after all that effort! (Context: Acknowledging achievement in personal or academic settings.)

Meaning 2: Grand, important, or magnificent (often historical or large-scale)

Translation(s) & Context:

• великий - Used in formal, literary, or historical contexts to denote something monumental, like a leader or an era.

Usage Examples:

• Великий писатель Лев Толстой повлиял на мировую литературу.

  The great writer Leo Tolstoy influenced world literature. (Context: Discussing historical figures in an educational or cultural setting.)

• Великий поход изменил историю России.

  The great campaign changed Russian history. (Context: Referring to significant events, such as wars or expeditions.)

• Великий океан полон тайн.

  The great ocean is full of mysteries. (Context: Poetic or descriptive language in nature or exploration topics.)

• Великий лидер вдохновил народ на перемены.

  The great leader inspired the people to change. (Context: Political or motivational discourse.)

• Великий архитектор спроектировал этот собор.

  The great architect designed this cathedral. (Context: Art and architecture discussions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "великий" and "отличный" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns for first-declension adjectives.

For великий (a first-declension adjective):

For отличный (also first-declension), it follows a similar pattern but is more commonly used in informal contexts and does not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • хороший (horoshiy) - More neutral, meaning "good"; less emphatic than отличный.
  • замечательный (zamechatel'nyy) - Similar to отличный, but often implies something noteworthy or remarkable.
• Antonyms:
  • плохой (plokhoy) - Meaning "bad" or "poor".
  • незначительный (neznachitel'nyy) - Meaning "insignificant" or "minor", contrasting with великий.

Related Phrases:

• Великий человек - A great person (used to describe influential individuals in history or society).
• Отличный выбор - Great choice (common in decision-making or shopping contexts).
• Великий успех - Great success (often in professional or personal achievements).

Usage Notes:

"Great" in English often corresponds to "великий" in formal or historical Russian contexts, but "отличный" is more appropriate for everyday positive expressions. Be mindful of the adjective's agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case. For informal speech, "отличный" is preferred in modern Russian, while "великий" carries a more elevated or archaic tone. When choosing between translations, consider the context: use "великий" for grandeur and "отличный" for casual praise. Avoid direct word-for-word translation; instead, adapt based on the sentence structure.

Common Errors:

• Common mistake: Using "великий" in everyday situations where "отличный" is more natural. For example, English learners might say "Это великий фильм" (This is a great movie) instead of "Это отличный фильм". Correct usage: "отличный" for informal contexts to avoid sounding overly formal or outdated. Explanation: Russian speakers reserve "великий" for significant or historical references, so this error can make speech sound unnatural.

• Another error: Forgetting adjective inflections, e.g., saying "великий женщина" instead of "великая женщина" (great woman). Correct: Always match the adjective to the noun's gender and case. Explanation: This is a common grammatical slip for beginners due to English's lack of inflections.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "великий" is often associated with national heroes or historical events, such as "Великий Новгород" (Great Novgorod), reflecting Russia's emphasis on its imperial and literary heritage. This word evokes a sense of pride and grandeur, commonly used in literature by authors like Pushkin, helping to convey the cultural value placed on legacy and achievement.

Related Concepts:

• хороший
• замечательный
• успех