Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'indolent'

English Word: indolent

Key Russian Translations:

• ленивый [lʲɪˈnʲivɨj] - [Informal, Adjective]
• вялый [ˈvɨlɨj] - [Formal, Medical context]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversation and literature, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "big" or "small").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions, but the word itself is straightforward for learners familiar with basic vocabulary).

Pronunciation (Russian):

ленивый: [lʲɪˈnʲivɨj]

вялый: [ˈvɨlɨj]

Note on ленивый: The soft 'л' sound (lʲ) can be challenging for English speakers; it's similar to the 'l' in "million." Stress falls on the second syllable.

Note on вялый: Pronounce the 'в' as a voiced labiodental fricative, like 'v' in "victory." No major variants, but regional accents may soften the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Lazy or idle (general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ленивый - Used in everyday contexts to describe someone who avoids work or effort, often with a negative connotation in informal settings.
• вялый - Less common, but can imply sluggishness in non-medical contexts, such as describing a slow-moving process.

Usage Examples:

• Он такой ленивый, что целый день лежит на диване и ничего не делает.

  He is so indolent that he lies on the couch all day and does nothing.

• Ленивый студент редко посещает лекции и предпочитает спать допоздна.

  The indolent student rarely attends lectures and prefers to sleep late.

• В этой компании много ленивых сотрудников, которые откладывают задачи на потом.

  In this company, there are many indolent employees who procrastinate tasks.

• Её ленивый подход к работе привёл к потере должности.

  Her indolent approach to work led to the loss of her position.

Meaning 2: Medically inactive or not inflammatory

Translation(s) & Context:

• вялый - Primarily used in medical or scientific contexts to describe something that is sluggish or lacking inflammation, aligning with the medical sense of "indolent."

Usage Examples:

• Врач диагностировал вялую опухоль, которая не требует немедленного вмешательства.

  The doctor diagnosed an indolent tumor that does not require immediate intervention.

• Инфекция была вялой, поэтому пациент чувствовал себя относительно хорошо.

  The infection was indolent, so the patient felt relatively well.

• Вялый процесс заживления указывает на отсутствие воспаления.

  The indolent healing process indicates the absence of inflammation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. "Ленивый" is a standard first-declension adjective with regular patterns. "Вялый" follows similar rules but may vary slightly in poetic or archaic usage.

Note: These adjectives do not change in short form usage (e.g., "он ленив"), which is common in predicates.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • бездельный (implies idleness without purpose; often used for chronic laziness)
  • вялый (overlaps with indolent in medical contexts; suggests sluggishness)
• Antonyms:
  • активный (energetic, directly opposite in general contexts)
  • энергичный (vigorous, emphasizing vitality)

Related Phrases:

• Ленивый как кот - A common idiom meaning "lazy as a cat," used to describe someone extremely indolent in everyday life.
• Вялый интерес - Refers to "indolent interest" or lukewarm engagement in a topic.
• Бездельный день - Means "an indolent day" or a day spent in idleness, often in casual conversation.

Usage Notes:

"Ленивый" is the most direct translation for the everyday sense of "indolent," but it's often more pejorative in Russian than in English. Use it in informal contexts to avoid sounding overly critical. For the medical sense, "вялый" is preferred in professional settings. Be mindful of adjective agreement: always match gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies. When choosing between translations, opt for "ленивый" for personal traits and "вялый" for processes or conditions.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "ленивый" in a medical context where "вялый" is more appropriate. For example, an English learner might say "ленивая опухоль" instead of "вялая опухоль."
  Correct: "Вялая опухоль" – Explanation: "Ленивый" implies behavioral laziness, while "вялый" denotes physical inactivity.
• Mistake: Forgetting to decline the adjective, e.g., saying "ленивый книга" instead of "ленивая книга" for a feminine noun.
  Correct: "Ленивая книга" – Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in gender, so always check the noun's properties.
• Mistake: Overusing "ленивый" for any form of slowness, leading to confusion with synonyms like "медленный" (slow).
  Correct: Use "ленивый" only for willful idleness, not general speed. – Explanation: This can make your Russian sound unnatural.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, laziness (as implied by "ленивый") is often depicted in literature and folklore, such as in folktales where characters like the lazy peasant face consequences for their indolence. This reflects a cultural emphasis on diligence and hard work, influenced by historical agricultural and industrial contexts, making "ленивый" a word with moral undertones.

Related Concepts:

• усердие (diligence)
• активность (activity)
• безделье (idleness)