Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'infertile'

English Word: infertile

Key Russian Translations:

• бесплодный (/bʲɪsˈpɫodnɨj/) - [Formal, often used in biological or agricultural contexts]
• стерильный (/stɛˈrʲilʲnɨj/) - [Medical, Informal in everyday health discussions]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in medical, biological, and everyday discussions, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjectives and their inflections; for 'бесплодный', it's B2, while 'стерильный' might be A2 in simple medical contexts).

Pronunciation (Russian):

бесплодный: /bʲɪsˈpɫodnɨj/ (The 'бʲ' is a palatalized 'b' sound, similar to 'by' in 'beyond'; stress on the second syllable.)

Note on бесплодный: Be cautious with the palatalization of 'б' and the soft 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.

стерильный: /stɛˈrʲilʲnɨj/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'рʲ' is a palatalized 'r', like a rolled 'r' with a soft edge.)

Note on стерильный: This word has a more straightforward pronunciation but may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Unable to produce offspring (biological context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бесплодный - Used in formal discussions about fertility, agriculture, or biology, e.g., referring to infertile soil or individuals.
• стерильный - Applied in medical contexts, such as sterilized equipment or infertility treatments.

Usage Examples:

• Русский пример: В некоторых регионах засуха делает землю бесплодной, и фермеры не могут выращивать урожай.

  English translation: In some regions, drought makes the land infertile, and farmers cannot grow crops.

• Русский пример: После операции она узнала, что стала бесплодной из-за осложнений.

  English translation: After the surgery, she learned that she had become infertile due to complications.

• Русский пример: Врачи рекомендуют стерильный образ жизни для пар, сталкивающихся с бесплодием.

  English translation: Doctors recommend a sterile lifestyle for couples facing infertility.

• Русский пример: Бесплодный брак может привести к эмоциональным проблемам в семье.

  English translation: An infertile marriage can lead to emotional problems in the family.

• Русский пример: Стерильный метод контрацепции часто обсуждается в медицинских консультациях.

  English translation: The sterile method of contraception is often discussed in medical consultations.

Meaning 2: Not capable of producing results or growth (metaphorical context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бесплодный - Used metaphorically for unproductive efforts or ideas, in literature or everyday speech.

Usage Examples:

• Русский пример: Его попытки найти работу оказались бесплодными из-за экономического кризиса.

  English translation: His attempts to find a job proved infertile due to the economic crisis.

• Русский пример: Бесплодные дебаты в парламенте не приводят к реальным изменениям.

  English translation: Infertile debates in parliament do not lead to real changes.

• Русский пример: Эта бесплодная почва символизирует упущенные возможности в его жизни.

  English translation: This infertile soil symbolizes missed opportunities in his life.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'бесплодный' and 'стерильный' are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow regular patterns but must agree with the nouns they modify.

For 'бесплодный' (regular adjective):

For 'стерильный' (also regular):

It follows a similar pattern but is less commonly inflected in informal speech. Unchanged in short form: стерильный (m.), стерильная (f.), etc. Note: In medical contexts, it may remain invariant in compounds.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неплодный (neplodnyy) - Similar to бесплодный, but more poetic or literary.
  • барренный (barrrennyy) - Less common, borrowed term for barren or infertile land.
• Antonyms:
  • плодородный (plodorodnyy) - Fertile, productive.
  • фертильный (fertlinyy) - Rare, medical term for fertile.

Related Phrases:

• бесплодный брак - A childless marriage; often used in discussions about family planning.
• стерильный метод - Sterile method; refers to medical sterilization techniques.
• бесплодные усилия - Fruitless efforts; a common idiom for unproductive attempts.

Usage Notes:

'Infertile' translates most accurately to 'бесплодный' in non-medical contexts, where it conveys biological or metaphorical infertility. In medical settings, 'стерильный' is preferred for its association with sterility and hygiene. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they describe, which can affect sentence structure. For example, choose 'бесплодный' for formal writing and 'стерильный' for everyday health talks. Be mindful of cultural sensitivities around fertility topics in Russian conversations.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'бесплодный' interchangeably with 'стерильный' without context. Incorrect: "Он стерильный в биологическом смысле" (should be бесплодный). Correct: "Он бесплодный в биологическом смысле." Explanation: 'Стерильный' implies medical sterility, not just infertility, leading to confusion.
• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "бесплодный женщина" instead of "бесплодная женщина." Explanation: Always match the adjective's ending to the noun's gender and case for grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'бесплодный' often carry emotional weight in discussions of family and fertility, influenced by historical contexts such as post-Soviet demographic challenges. It may evoke themes from literature, like in Tolstoy's works, where infertility symbolizes deeper existential struggles.

Related Concepts:

• плодородность (plodorodnost') - Fertility of land or soil.
• бесплодие (besplodie) - Infertility as a medical condition.
• стерилизация (sterilizatsiya) - Sterilization process.