Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'horrific'

English Word: horrific

Key Russian Translations:

• ужасный /ʊˈʒasnɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal/Informal, Used in descriptive contexts for something causing fear or terror]
• страшный /ˈstraʃnɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal, Often used in everyday speech for something frightening, but slightly less intense than ужасный]

Frequency: Medium (ужасный is commonly used in literature, media, and daily conversations, while страшный is more frequent in casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 for ужасный (Intermediate, as it involves basic adjective inflections); B2 for страшный (Upper-Intermediate, due to subtle contextual nuances)

Pronunciation (Russian):

ужасный: /ʊˈʒasnɨj/ (The stress is on the second syllable; note the soft 'ж' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers as it's similar to 'zh' in 'measure')

страшный: /ˈstraʃnɨj/ (Stress on the first syllable; the 'ш' is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, like 'sh' in 'shoe')

Note on ужасный: Be careful with the vowel reduction in unstressed syllables; the 'a' in the first syllable often sounds like a schwa [ə].

Note on страшный: This word may vary slightly in rapid speech, with the final 'ы' becoming less distinct.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Causing a feeling of horror, terror, or extreme fear (e.g., in descriptions of events, objects, or experiences).

Translation(s) & Context:

• ужасный - Used in formal writing or intense narratives, such as describing a horrific accident or scene.
• страшный - Applied in informal contexts, like storytelling or casual conversations about something scary.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фильм был ужасным, полный сцен насилия и крови.

  This movie was horrific, full of scenes of violence and blood.

• Ужасный шторм разрушил несколько домов в деревне.

  The horrific storm destroyed several houses in the village.

• Страшный звук разбудил меня посреди ночи.

  The horrific sound woke me up in the middle of the night.

• Война оставила ужасные воспоминания в умах выживших.

  The war left horrific memories in the minds of the survivors.

• Страшный кошмар преследует меня после просмотра того фильма.

  The horrific nightmare haunts me after watching that movie.

Meaning 2: Extremely unpleasant or shocking in a non-literal sense (e.g., describing bad weather or poor quality).

Translation(s) & Context:

• ужасный - Used metaphorically in everyday language, such as for bad food or weather.
• страшный - Less common here, but can imply something overwhelmingly negative in informal settings.

Usage Examples:

• Ужасная погода испортила наш пикник.

  The horrific weather ruined our picnic.

• Это был ужасный ужин в ресторане – еда была несъедобной.

  It was a horrific dinner at the restaurant – the food was inedible.

• Страшная пробка на дороге заставила нас опоздать.

  The horrific traffic jam made us late.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both ужасный and страшный are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. They follow the standard first-declension adjective pattern, with regular changes. Below is a table for ужасный as an example; страшный follows similar rules.

For страшный, the forms are identical in structure (e.g., страшный, страшная, etc.). These adjectives do not have irregular inflections, making them straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • жуткий (zhutkiy) - Similar to ужасный but often implies a more supernatural or eerie quality.
  • страшный (already listed as key, but can be a synonym in some contexts) - More casual, emphasizing fear without extreme horror.
• Antonyms:
  • приятный (priyatnyy) - Pleasant or enjoyable, directly contrasting with the negative connotation.
  • безопасный (bezopasnyy) - Safe, highlighting the absence of danger.

Related Phrases:

• ужасный сон (uzhasnyy son) - A horrific dream or nightmare; used to describe frightening sleep experiences.
• страшная история (strashnaya istoriya) - A horrific story; common in folklore or horror genres.
• ужасный случай (uzhasnyy sluchay) - A horrific incident; refers to tragic events in news or personal accounts.

Usage Notes:

horrific in English often carries a strong emotional weight, and its Russian equivalents like ужасный are versatile but should be chosen based on context: use ужасный for more formal or intense situations, and страшный for everyday informal talk. Note that Russian adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, which is a key grammatical difference from English. For example, if describing a feminine noun like "storm" (буря), use ужасная буря. When multiple translations exist, prioritize ужасный for literary or precise correspondence to "horrific."

Common Errors:

• English learners often forget adjective agreement: Incorrect: "ужасный буря" (should be ужасная буря for feminine noun). Correct: ужасная буря – Always match the adjective to the noun's gender and case.
• Mixing up synonyms: Using страшный when ужасный is needed for emphasis, e.g., Incorrect: "Страшный аварию" for a horrific accident (better as ужасная авария). Explanation: Страшный might understate the severity in formal contexts.
• Overusing in casual speech: Incorrectly applying ужасный in light-hearted situations, which can sound overly dramatic; opt for less intense words like плохой (bad) instead.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like ужасный often appear in literature and folklore, such as in stories by Pushkin or modern horror films, reflecting a deep-seated tradition of exploring fear and the supernatural. This ties into Russia's history of dark fairy tales and wartime experiences, where "horrific" elements symbolize resilience amid adversity.

Related Concepts:

• страх (strakh) - Fear
• кошмар (koshmar) - Nightmare
• террор (terror) - Terror