Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'irreparable'

English Word: irreparable

Key Russian Translations:

• неисправимый [nʲɪˈisprəvʲɪmɨj] - [Formal, often used for permanent damage or moral flaws]
• невозместимый [nʲɪvɐzmʲɪˈstʲimɨj] - [Formal, typically for losses that cannot be compensated]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in formal writing, legal contexts, and discussions of damage, but not in everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions and formal vocabulary; for 'неисправимый', it's straightforward, but 'невозместимый' may involve nuances of compensation, which can be challenging for learners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

неисправимый: [nʲɪˈisprəvʲɪmɨj]

Note on неисправимый: The stress falls on the third syllable ("prav"), and the initial "н" is palatalized, which is common in Russian adjectives. Be mindful of the soft sign (ь) affecting pronunciation.

Audio: []

невозместимый: [nʲɪvɐzmʲɪˈstʲimɨj]

Note on невозместимый: Stress is on the fourth syllable ("stim"), and the word features a mix of hard and soft consonants; practice the "з" sound for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary meaning: Unable to be repaired, rectified, or compensated, often implying permanence.

Translation(s) & Context:

• неисправимый - Used in contexts involving physical, emotional, or moral damage that cannot be fixed, such as in legal or philosophical discussions (e.g., irreparable harm in court cases).
• невозместимый - Applied to financial or emotional losses that cannot be made up, common in insurance, contracts, or personal narratives.

Usage Examples:

• Эти ошибки в контракте оказались неисправимыми, и мы потеряли много денег.

  These errors in the contract turned out to be irreparable, and we lost a lot of money.

• Неисправимый ущерб экосистеме от загрязнения rivers невозможно полностью исправить.

  The irreparable damage to the ecosystem from river pollution cannot be fully fixed.

• Врачи объявили, что травма является невозместимой, и пациенту придётся адаптироваться.

  The doctors declared that the injury is irreparable, and the patient will have to adapt.

• Невозместимый урон репутации компании от скандала сказался на её акциях.

  The irreparable harm to the company's reputation from the scandal affected its stocks.

• Моральные последствия войны часто бывают неисправимыми для выживших.

  The moral consequences of war are often irreparable for survivors.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'неисправимый' and 'невозместимый' are Russian adjectives, which means they decline based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern for short and long forms, with 'неисправимый' being more common in its long form. They are not irregular but require attention to agreement with nouns.

Note: These adjectives do not change in the short form for predicates but must agree with the subject in all other cases. They are invariable in terms of stress patterns across forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неизлечимый (similar to irreparable in the sense of incurable, with a connotation of illness or permanence)
  • необратимый (emphasizes irreversibility, often in scientific contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • исправимый (correctable or fixable)
  • возместимый (compensable, as in losses that can be made up)

Related Phrases:

• неисправимый ущерб - Irreparable damage (used in legal or environmental contexts to describe permanent harm).
• невозместимая потеря - Irreparable loss (common in personal or financial discussions, implying emotional or material unrecoverability).
• неисправимые последствия - Irreparable consequences (refers to long-term effects that cannot be undone, often in historical or social analyses).

Usage Notes:

'Неисправимый' directly corresponds to 'irreparable' in contexts of physical or abstract permanence, but it's more formal in Russian and less common in everyday speech. Use 'невозместимый' when emphasizing compensation, such as in legal agreements. Both words require agreement with the noun they modify, so pay attention to gender, number, and case. For English learners, choose 'неисправимый' for general irreparability and 'невозместимый' for financial scenarios to avoid overlap. In spoken Russian, these are often replaced by simpler phrases in informal settings.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'неисправимый' without proper declension, e.g., saying "неисправимый ущербов" instead of "неисправимого ущерба" in genitive case.
  Correct: "неисправимого ущерба" – Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in case; this error stems from not learning noun-adjective agreement, which is crucial in Russian grammar.
• Mistake: Confusing 'неисправимый' with 'неизлечимый' and using it for medical contexts inaccurately.
  Correct: Use 'неизлечимый' for diseases; 'неисправимый' for non-medical irreparability – Explanation: These synonyms have subtle differences; misusing them can lead to imprecise communication in professional settings.
• Mistake: Overusing in informal speech, e.g., saying 'невозместимый' in casual conversation about a broken phone.
  Correct: Opt for simpler words like 'сломанный' – Explanation: These terms are formal; casual use can sound overly dramatic or unnatural to native speakers.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'неисправимый' often carry a philosophical weight, influenced by literature such as Tolstoy's works, where irreparable moral flaws are explored. This reflects a broader cultural emphasis on fate and inevitability, contrasting with more optimistic Western views of repairability. Understanding this can help English speakers grasp the emotional depth in Russian media and conversations.

Related Concepts:

• необратимый
• неизлечимый
• разрушительный