Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'imprecise'

English Word: imprecise

Key Russian Translations:

• Неточный (/nʲɪˈtotɕnɨj/) - [Formal, Adjective]
• Неправильный (/nʲɪˈpravʲɪlʲnɨj/) - [Informal, Used in everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in technical, scientific, and everyday discussions, but not as frequent as basic adjectives)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective declensions and nuanced vocabulary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Неточный: /nʲɪˈtotɕnɨj/ (The "щ" sound is a soft, palatalized "sh" as in "fresh cheese"; stress on the second syllable)

Note on Неточный: Be cautious with the soft "т" which can vary slightly in fast speech; common in formal contexts.

Audio: []

Неправильный: /nʲɪˈpravʲɪlʲnɨj/ (Emphasize the "р" as a rolled 'r'; stress on the third syllable)

Note on Неправильный: The ending "ый" softens in informal speech, potentially sounding like "ий".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Not exact or accurate in measurement, description, or detail

Translation(s) & Context:

• Неточный - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as science or data analysis, to describe something lacking precision.
• Неправильный - Applied in informal settings, like everyday conversations, to indicate something incorrect or not properly aligned.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Эта карта неточная, она не отражает реальные расстояния. (Eta karta netochnaya, ona ne otrazhaet real'nyye rasstoyaniya.)

  English: This map is imprecise; it doesn't reflect the real distances.

• Русский: Его объяснение было неточным, из-за чего возникли недоразумения. (Yego ob'yasneniye bylo netochnym, iz-za chego voznikli nedorazumeniya.)

  English: His explanation was imprecise, which led to misunderstandings.

• Русский: В повседневной речи люди часто говорят "неправильный", а не "неточный". (V povsednevnoi rechi lyudi chasto govoryat "nepravil'nyy", a ne "netochnyy".)

  English: In everyday speech, people often say "nepravil'nyy" instead of "netochnyy".

• Русский: Неточный анализ данных может привести к ошибкам в отчете. (Netochnyy analiz dannykh mozhet privesti k oshibkam v otchyote.)

  English: An imprecise analysis of data can lead to errors in the report.

• Русский: Её ответ был неправильным из-за неточных фактов. (Yeyo otvet byl nepravil'nym iz-za netochnykh faktov.)

  English: Her answer was imprecise due to inaccurate facts.

Secondary Meaning: Lacking clarity or detail in expression

Translation(s) & Context:

• Неточный - In literary or professional contexts, emphasizing vagueness.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Его описание события было неточным и запутанным. (Yego opisaniye sobytiya bylo netochnym i zaputannym.)

  English: His description of the event was imprecise and confusing.

• Русский: В научных текстах избегайте неточных терминов. (V nauchnykh tekstakh izbegayte netochnykh terminov.)

  English: In scientific texts, avoid imprecise terms.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. "Неточный" and "Неправильный" follow standard first-declension adjective patterns.

Note: These adjectives do not change for verbs but must agree with nouns in gender, number, and case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Недостоверный (nedostovernyy) - More formal, implying unreliability.
  • Вагонный (vagónnyy) - Informal, rarely used, specific to certain dialects.
• Antonyms:
  • Точный (tochnyy) - Exact or precise.
  • Правильный (pravil'nyy) - Correct or accurate.

Related Phrases:

• Неточная информация (netochnaya informatsiya) - Imprecise information; often used in news or reports.
• Неправильный выбор (nepravil'nyy vybor) - Wrong or imprecise choice; common in decision-making contexts.
• Быть неточным в деталях (byt' netochnym v detalyakh) - To be imprecise in details; emphasizes carefulness in descriptions.

Usage Notes:

"Неточный" is the most direct translation for "imprecise" in formal contexts, such as academic or technical writing, where precision is key. In contrast, "неправильный" is better for informal situations and implies a broader sense of inaccuracy. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify, so always adjust for gender, number, and case. When choosing between translations, opt for "неточный" in scientific discussions and "неправильный" in everyday conversations to sound more natural.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "неточный" in informal speech without inflection, e.g., saying "Эта информация неточный" instead of "Эта информация неточная".

  Correct: "Эта информация неточная" – Explanation: Adjectives must agree in gender (feminine here), so the ending changes to match the noun.

• Error: Confusing with "неверный" (nevernyy, meaning incorrect), which is stronger and implies falsehood, whereas "imprecise" is milder.

  Correct: Use "неточный" for subtlety; e.g., avoid "неверный" when you mean just not exact.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, precision in language is highly valued, especially in fields like engineering or literature. Words like "неточный" often appear in critiques of Soviet-era data or modern media, reflecting a historical emphasis on accuracy in official communications.

Related Concepts:

• Точный
• Недостаточный
• Вагонный