Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'imperfect'

English Word: imperfect

Key Russian Translations:

• несовершенный [nʲɪsɐˈvʲɛrʂənnɨj] - [Formal, used in descriptive or technical contexts]
• неидеальный [nʲɪɪdʲɪˈalʲnɨj] - [Informal, everyday speech]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, education, and technical discussions, but not in casual conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective declensions and vocabulary related to quality and imperfection)

Pronunciation (Russian):

несовершенный: [nʲɪsɐˈvʲɛrʂənnɨj]

неидеальный: [nʲɪɪdʲɪˈalʲnɨj]

Note on несовершенный: The 'щ' sound ([ʂ]) can be challenging for English speakers; it's a voiceless retroflex fricative, similar to 'sh' but with the tongue further back.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Not perfect or flawed (adjective describing something lacking completeness or excellence)

Translation(s) & Context:

• несовершенный - Used in formal writing or technical descriptions, e.g., in philosophy or engineering contexts.
• неидеальный - Applied in everyday situations, such as personal opinions or casual critiques.

Usage Examples:

• Этот план ещё несовершенный, но мы можем его улучшить.

  This plan is still imperfect, but we can improve it.

• Неидеальный мир полон неожиданных вызовов.

  An imperfect world is full of unexpected challenges.

• Несовершенные системы часто приводят к ошибкам в работе.

  Imperfect systems often lead to errors in operation.

• Её неидеальный английский не помешал ей общаться.

  Her imperfect English didn't stop her from communicating.

• Несовершенный дизайн продукта вызвал недовольство клиентов.

  The imperfect design of the product caused customer dissatisfaction.

Meaning 2: Referring to the grammatical imperfective aspect (in linguistic contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• несовершенный вид - Specifically used in grammar discussions, e.g., in language learning or academic settings.

Usage Examples:

• В русском языке несовершенный вид выражает продолжающееся действие.

  In Russian, the imperfective aspect expresses an ongoing action.

• Изучая глаголы, важно различать совершенный и несовершенный вид.

  When studying verbs, it's important to distinguish between perfective and imperfective aspects.

• Несовершенный вид часто используется для описания привычек.

  The imperfective aspect is often used to describe habits.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. "Несовершенный" and "неидеальный" follow standard first-declension adjective patterns, with some irregularities in certain cases.

Note: These adjectives do not change in predicative positions but must agree with the noun they modify.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • дефектный (defektnыy) - Similar to "flawed", but more technical.
  • незавершённый (nezavershënnyy) - Emphasizes incompleteness.
• Antonyms:
  • совершенный (sovershennyy) - Perfect or complete.
  • идеальный (idealʹnyy) - Ideal or flawless.

Related Phrases:

• Несовершенный мир - An imperfect world; refers to the reality of flaws in society or existence.
• Неидеальный вариант - A non-ideal option; used when discussing compromises in decision-making.
• В несовершенном состоянии - In an imperfect state; common in scientific or engineering contexts.

Usage Notes:

• Choose "несовершенный" for more formal or academic contexts, as it directly mirrors the English "imperfect" in philosophical or grammatical senses, while "неидеальный" is better for everyday informal use.
• Be aware of gender and case agreement in Russian sentences; for example, if the noun is feminine, the adjective changes to "несовершенная".
• In grammatical contexts, "несовершенный вид" is the standard term and doesn't have direct synonyms, making it essential for language learners.
• Avoid overusing these words in casual speech, as they can sound overly critical; Russians might prefer euphemisms in social interactions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "несовершенный" with "несовершеннолетний" (meaning "underage"). Correct: Use "несовершенный" only for imperfection, not age-related contexts. Example of error: "Он несовершенный" (meaning he is underage, which is wrong); Correct: "Он несовершеннолетний" for underage.
• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "несовершенный книга" instead of "несовершенная книга" for a feminine noun. Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender, number, and case to avoid grammatical errors.
• Error: Using in the wrong aspect for verbs; learners might misuse in grammatical discussions. Correct: Specify "несовершенный вид" clearly when referring to verb aspects.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of imperfection is often tied to philosophical ideas from literature like Tolstoy's works, where human flaws are explored as part of the human condition. This reflects a broader Slavic tradition of valuing realism over idealism, making words like "несовершенный" common in discussions of personal growth or societal critique.

Related Concepts:

• идеал (ideal)
• дефект (defect)
• вид глагола (verb aspect)