Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'heavy'

English Word: heavy

Key Russian Translations:

• тяжёлый [tʲɪˈʐɛlɨj] - [Adjective, Formal/Informal, Singular/Plural depending on context]
• тяжелый [tʲɪˈʐɛlɨj] - [Adjective, Informal, Often used in everyday speech for emphasis]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in daily conversations, literature, and technical contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declension and basic vocabulary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

тяжёлый: [tʲɪˈʐɛlɨj]

Note on тяжёлый: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds like the 's' in "measure." Stress is on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Physically weighty or burdensome (e.g., referring to objects or loads)

Translation(s) & Context:

• тяжёлый - Used in contexts describing physical weight, such as lifting or carrying; common in everyday and formal settings.

Usage Examples:

• Этот рюкзак слишком тяжёлый для ребёнка. (This backpack is too heavy for the child.)

  English: This backpack is too heavy for the child. (Demonstrates basic adjective use with a noun.)

• В горах мы несем тяжёлые грузы. (In the mountains, we carry heavy loads.)

  English: In the mountains, we carry heavy loads. (Shows use in a plural context with action verbs.)

• Её сумка была тяжёлой после покупок. (Her bag was heavy after shopping.)

  English: Her bag was heavy after shopping. (Illustrates everyday scenario with possessive structures.)

• Тяжёлый ящик упал на землю. (The heavy box fell to the ground.)

  English: The heavy box fell to the ground. (Emphasizes adjective placement before the noun.)

• Из-за тяжёлого багажа поездка стала утомительной. (Because of the heavy luggage, the trip became tiring.)

  English: Because of the heavy luggage, the trip became tiring. (Shows use in a causal sentence.)

Meaning 2: Emotionally or metaphorically burdensome (e.g., heavy heart, serious situation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• тяжёлый - Applied metaphorically for emotional weight; more formal in literary or psychological contexts.

Usage Examples:

• У него тяжёлое сердце после потери. (He has a heavy heart after the loss.)

  English: He has a heavy heart after the loss. (Illustrates metaphorical use in emotional contexts.)

• Это был тяжёлый день на работе. (It was a heavy day at work.)

  English: It was a heavy day at work. (Shows application to abstract concepts like stress.)

• Тяжёлая болезнь изменила её жизнь. (A heavy illness changed her life.)

  English: A heavy illness changed her life. (Demonstrates use with nouns implying severity.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Тяжёлый" is an adjective and follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns, which are regular but depend on gender, number, and case. It has short and long forms, with the long form being more common.

For other forms like comparative (тяжёлее) and superlative (самый тяжёлый), they follow standard rules.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • массивный (massivnyy) - Often used for bulkiness rather than weight.
  • весомый (vesomyy) - Implies significance or weight in a metaphorical sense.
• Antonyms:
  • лёгкий (lyogkiy) - Light in weight or ease.
  • невесомый (nevesomyy) - Weightless or insignificant.

Related Phrases:

• тяжёлый груз (tyazhelyy gruz) - Heavy load; used in logistics or physical contexts.
• тяжёлая работа (tyazhelaya rabota) - Heavy work; refers to labor-intensive tasks.
• тяжёлая ноша (tyazhelaya nosha) - Heavy burden; metaphorical for emotional or moral weight.

Usage Notes:

"Тяжёлый" directly corresponds to the English "heavy" in most contexts but is highly inflected in Russian, so always adjust for gender, number, and case. For formal writing, prefer the full form; in informal speech, it can be shortened or used metaphorically. When choosing between translations, use "тяжёлый" for general weight and "массивный" for size emphasis.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "тяжёлый" without proper declension, e.g., saying "Я несу тяжёлый" instead of "Я несу тяжёлый рюкзак" (omitting the noun context).

  Correct: Я несу тяжёлый рюкзак. (I am carrying a heavy backpack.) Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree with the noun they modify.

• Error: Confusing with "heavy" as in music genre; Russians might use "хеви-метал" directly.

  Correct: For music, say "хеви-метал" instead of trying to translate "heavy." Explanation: Some English terms are borrowed as-is in Russian slang.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "тяжёлый" often carries connotations of endurance and resilience, as seen in literature like Tolstoy's works, where heavy burdens symbolize life's struggles. This reflects the historical context of Russia's harsh winters and labor-intensive history.

Related Concepts:

• груз (gruz) - Load or cargo.
• вес (ves) - Weight.
• нагрузка (nagruzka) - Burden or stress.