Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'jealous'

English Word: jealous

Key Russian Translations:

• ревнивый /rʲɪvˈnʲivɨj/ - [Informal, Adjective, Used in emotional or relational contexts]
• завистливый /zɐˈvʲistlʲivɨj/ - [Formal, Adjective, Used for envy related to possessions or achievements]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations, literature, and media, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "happy").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of adjective inflections, suitable for learners with basic Russian grammar knowledge. For 'ревнивый', it's B1; for 'завистливый', it's also B1 due to similar structures.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

ревнивый: /rʲɪvˈnʲivɨj/

Note on ревнивый: The stress is on the second syllable; the 'р' is rolled, which can be challenging for English speakers. A common variant in fast speech might soften the 'в' sound.

завистливый: /zɐˈvʲistlʲivɨj/

Note on завистливый: Stress on the third syllable; the 'з' is voiced, and the word may vary slightly in dialects, but standard pronunciation is as above.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Feeling of envy or possessiveness, often in relationships

Translation(s) & Context:

• ревнивый - Typically used in informal, personal contexts like romantic jealousy; implies emotional attachment.
• завистливый - Used in more formal or general contexts, such as professional envy; focuses on coveting others' successes.

Usage Examples:

• Он ревнивый к своей жене. (On revnivyy k svoyey zhene.)

  He is jealous of his wife. (This example shows the adjective in a possessive relationship context.)

• Моя подруга ревнивая и всегда проверяет мой телефон. (Moya podruga revnivaya i vsegda proveryaet moy telefon.)

  My friend is jealous and always checks my phone. (Illustrates informal usage in daily life, with the adjective agreeing in gender and number.)

• Завистливый сосед не может видеть чужой успех. (Zavistlivyy sosed ne mozhet videt' chuzhoy uspekh.)

  The jealous neighbor cannot stand others' success. (Demonstrates formal usage in a social or competitive setting.)

• Ревнивый ребенок плачет, когда мама уделяет внимание другим. (Renvivyy rebyonok plachet, kogda mama udelyaet vnimaniye drugim.)

  The jealous child cries when mom pays attention to others. (Shows the word in a familial, emotional context with grammatical agreement.)

Meaning 2: General sense of envy towards possessions or achievements

Translation(s) & Context:

• завистливый - Preferred in contexts involving material or social envy; often in written or formal speech.
• ревнивый - Less common here, but can be used metaphorically for intense personal envy.

Usage Examples:

• Завистливый коллега критикует мою работу. (Zavistlivyy kollega kritikuet moyu rabotu.)

  The jealous colleague criticizes my work. (This highlights professional envy, with the adjective in nominative case.)

• Его завистливый взгляд на новую машину друга был очевиден. (Yego zavistlivyy vzglyad na novuyu mashinu druga byl ochevidyen.)

  His jealous look at his friend's new car was obvious. (Example of the word in a descriptive, observational context.)

• Ревнивый подход к чужим идеям может помешать творчеству. (Renvivyy podkhod k chuzhimi ideyami mozhet pomeshat' tvorchestvu.)

  A jealous approach to others' ideas can hinder creativity. (Metaphorical use, showing variation in abstract contexts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'ревнивый' and 'завистливый' are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. They follow the standard first-declension adjective patterns with some irregularities in certain forms.

Note: These adjectives do not change for feminine or neuter forms in a completely irregular way but follow general rules (e.g., ревнивая for feminine singular). They are invariable in terms of root changes but must agree with the noun they modify.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • завидущий (zavidushchiy) - Similar to завистливый, but more intense; used for overt envy.
  • ревнуемый (revnuyemyy) - Less common, implies being the object of jealousy.
• Antonyms:
  • бескорыстный (beskorystnyy) - Selfless, without envy.
  • довольный (dovol'nyy) - Content, the opposite of envious feelings.

Related Phrases:

• Ревновать к кому-то (Revnovat' k komu-to) - To be jealous of someone; used in emotional contexts to express possessiveness.
• Завистливый взгляд (Zavistlivyy vzglyad) - Jealous glance; a common phrase for describing envious looks in social situations.
• Зависть к успеху (Zavist' k uspekhu) - Jealousy of success; implies professional or material envy with a formal tone.

Usage Notes:

'Ревнивый' is the most direct equivalent to 'jealous' in emotional, relational contexts, while 'завистливый' aligns more with envy of external achievements. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe, which can be tricky. For example, use 'ревнивая' for feminine subjects. In formal writing, 'завистливый' is preferred over 'ревнивый' to avoid emotional connotations. Choose based on context: relational vs. general envy.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'ревнивый' interchangeably with 'завистливый' without considering context. For instance, saying "Он завистливый к своей жене" instead of "Он ревнивый к своей жене."

  Correct: "Он ревнивый к своей жене" (He is jealous of his wife) – Explanation: 'Ревнивый' fits relational jealousy, while 'завистливый' implies material envy, leading to semantic mismatch.

• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "Она ревнивый" for a feminine subject.

  Correct: "Она ревнивая" (She is jealous) – Explanation: Adjectives in Russian must match the noun's gender; this is a common oversight for English learners used to invariable adjectives.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, jealousy ('ревнивый') is often portrayed in literature and media as a intense emotion tied to relationships, as seen in works by Tolstoy or Chekhov. It can carry a romantic or tragic connotation, reflecting historical values of possessiveness in partnerships, whereas 'завистливый' might evoke themes of social inequality in Soviet-era stories.

Related Concepts:

• зависть (zavist') - Envy
• ревность (revnost') - Jealousy (noun form)
• эмоциональный (emotsional'nyy) - Emotional