Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'greedy'

English Word: greedy

Key Russian Translations:

• жадный [ʐɐdˈnɨj] - [Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• алчный [ɐlʲʧˈnɨj] - [Formal, Literary or legal contexts]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly used in conversations about personal traits, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "хороший" – good.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of Russian adjective inflections. For "жадный", it's straightforward, but "алчный" may be more challenging due to its formal usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

жадный: [ʐɐdˈnɨj]

Note on жадный: The initial "ж" sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the "s" in "measure" in English. Stress falls on the second syllable, which is common in Russian adjectives.

алчный: [ɐlʲʧˈnɨj]

Note on алчный: The "ч" is a voiceless palatal fricative, like "ch" in "church". This word is less frequently pronounced in casual speech due to its formal nature.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Eagerly desiring more than one's share, especially of wealth or food (Primary meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• жадный - Used in informal settings to describe someone who is selfishly greedy, e.g., in personal relationships or everyday observations.
• алчный - Applied in more formal or professional contexts, such as business or legal discussions, emphasizing materialistic greed.

Usage Examples:

• Он такой жадный, что не делится даже с друзьями. (He is so greedy that he doesn't share even with friends.)

  Translation: He is so greedy that he doesn't share even with friends. (This example shows the adjective in a nominative case, describing a person's character.)

• Её алчный взгляд на чужие деньги настораживает. (Her greedy gaze at others' money is alarming.)

  Translation: Her greedy gaze at others' money is alarming. (Here, it illustrates a formal context, possibly in a narrative or psychological description.)

• Жадный ребёнок не хотел отдавать игрушку. (The greedy child didn't want to give up the toy.)

  Translation: The greedy child didn't want to give up the toy. (Demonstrates use with nouns in various cases, highlighting everyday scenarios.)

• Алчный бизнесмен обманул партнёров ради прибыли. (The greedy businessman deceived his partners for profit.)

  Translation: The greedy businessman deceived his partners for profit. (Shows application in professional contexts with verbs.)

• Не будь жадным, разделись едой с другими. (Don't be greedy; share the food with others.)

  Translation: Don't be greedy; share the food with others. (Illustrates imperative use in advice or moral discussions.)

2. Excessively eager or keen (Secondary meaning, e.g., greedy for knowledge)

Translation(s) & Context:

• жадный - In positive or neutral contexts, like intellectual pursuits, though it often carries a negative connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Она жадная до знаний и всегда читает книги. (She is greedy for knowledge and always reads books.)

  Translation: She is greedy for knowledge and always reads books. (This shows the adjective with prepositional phrases, in a somewhat positive context.)

• Его жадность к успеху иногда граничит с одержимостью. (His greed for success sometimes borders on obsession.)

  Translation: His greed for success sometimes borders on obsession. (Demonstrates metaphorical use with abstract nouns.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "жадный" and "алчный" are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Russian adjectives follow regular patterns for most cases, but they must agree with the nouns they modify.

These adjectives are regular and do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively easy to learn once basic adjective rules are understood.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • скупой (skupoy) - More focused on stinginess with money; subtle difference from general greed.
  • корыстный (korystnyy) - Implies self-interest, often in a calculated way.
• Antonyms:
  • щедрый (shchedryy)
  • благородный (blagorodnyy) - In contexts emphasizing generosity and nobility.

Related Phrases:

• Жадный до денег (zhadnyy do deneg) - Greedy for money; used to describe financial avarice.
• Алчный интерес (alchnyy interes) - Greedy interest; refers to self-serving motivations in business or politics.
• Не будь жадным (ne bud' zhadnym) - Don't be greedy; a common phrase in moral advice.

Usage Notes:

"Жадный" is the most direct translation for "greedy" in informal contexts and aligns closely with everyday English usage, while "алчный" is better for formal or written language. Be cautious with context: in Russian, these words often carry a strong negative connotation, unlike some neutral uses in English. For example, choose "жадный" for personal traits and "алчный" for professional scenarios. Grammatically, always ensure the adjective agrees in gender, number, and case with its noun.

• When translating idioms, "greedy" might map to phrases like "жадный как волк" (greedy as a wolf), which adds cultural flavor.
• In spoken Russian, "жадный" is more versatile, but overuse can sound judgmental.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "жадный" with "скупой" and using them interchangeably. Incorrect: Он скупой до еды (He is greedy with food – implies stinginess, not greed). Correct: Он жадный до еды (He is greedy for food). Explanation: "Скупой" emphasizes reluctance to spend, while "жадный" focuses on excessive desire.
• Error: Failing to inflect the adjective properly, e.g., using "жадный" in all cases. Incorrect: Я видел жадный женщина (I saw the greedy woman). Correct: Я видел жадную женщину. Explanation: Adjectives must agree with the noun's gender and case to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "жадный" often reflect themes from literature, such as in Dostoevsky's works, where greed is portrayed as a moral flaw linked to societal issues. This can stem from historical contexts like the Soviet era, where excessive personal accumulation was frowned upon, emphasizing communal values instead.

Related Concepts:

• аварicia (avaricia) - Though not a direct Russian word, related to concepts of avarice.
• корысть (koryst') - Self-interest.
• жадность (zhadnost') - The noun form of greediness.