Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'lousy'

English Word: lousy

Key Russian Translations:

• плохой [ˈploxəj] - [Informal/Formal, depending on context; commonly used in everyday speech]
• ужасный [ˈuʐasnɨj] - [Informal, emphasizing extreme poor quality]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly used in casual conversations but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "хороший".)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner; involves basic adjective agreement, suitable for early learners of Russian.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

плохой: [ˈploxəj] (The stress is on the first syllable; the "x" sound is a guttural fricative, similar to the "ch" in Scottish "loch".)

ужасный: [ˈuʐasnɨj] (Note the soft "ʐ" sound, which is a voiced retroflex fricative; pronounce it with a slight buzz, like in "measure".)

Note on плохой: Be careful with the vowel reduction in unstressed syllables; the final "ой" often sounds like a quick [əj].

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Of poor quality or inferior (e.g., describing something substandard)

Translation(s) & Context:

• плохой - Used in everyday contexts for general dissatisfaction, such as with products or services (e.g., in informal or neutral settings).
• ужасный - Applied when something is extremely bad, often with emotional intensity (e.g., in expressive or informal speech).

Usage Examples:

• Этот фильм был плохой; сюжет был предсказуемым и скучным.

  This film was lousy; the plot was predictable and boring.

• Еда в этом ресторане ужасная; не ешьте здесь, если не хотите разочароваться.

  The food at this restaurant is lousy; don't eat here if you don't want to be disappointed.

• Моя погода в отпуске была плохой из-за постоянного дождя.

  My weather on vacation was lousy because of the constant rain.

• Эта услуга оказалась ужасной; я ожидал лучшего качества за такие деньги.

  This service turned out to be lousy; I expected better quality for that price.

• Его выступление на концерте было плохим, но публика всё равно аплодировала.

  His performance at the concert was lousy, but the audience still applauded.

Secondary Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick (less common for 'lousy')

Translation(s) & Context:

• плохой - In contexts related to health, implying a general poor state (e.g., informal health discussions).

Usage Examples:

• Я чувствую себя плохой сегодня; наверное, простуда.

  I feel lousy today; probably a cold.

• После этой еды я стал плохим; желудок болит.

  After this food, I feel lousy; my stomach hurts.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "плохой" and "ужасный" are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern of agreement with nouns. "Плохой" is a regular adjective with no irregularities.

For "ужасный", it follows the same inflection pattern as above (e.g., ужасный, ужасная, etc.).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • плохой - Similar to "дурной" (durnoy), but "дурной" often implies moral badness.
  • ужасный - Synonymous with "страшный" (strashnyy), which adds a sense of fear or dread.
• Antonyms:
  • хороший (khoroshiy) - Good, positive quality.
  • отличный (otlichnyy) - Excellent, superior.

Related Phrases:

• Плохая погода (plokhaya pogoda) - Lousy weather; refers to unpleasant weather conditions.
• Ужасная еда (uzhasnaya eda) - Lousy food; used for describing terrible meals.
• Плохой день (plokhoy den') - A lousy day; implies a day full of misfortunes.

Usage Notes:

"Плохой" is a versatile adjective that directly corresponds to the English "lousy" in contexts of poor quality, but it's more neutral and can be used formally or informally. Choose "ужасный" for emphasis on severity. Always ensure adjective agreement with the noun's gender, number, and case in Russian sentences. For example, if translating "lousy service," use "плохой сервис" in nominative, but adjust as needed (e.g., "плохого сервиса" in genitive). Be mindful of context: "плохой" might sound too blunt in polite settings, where euphemisms like "не очень хороший" could be preferred.

Common Errors:

• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "плохой книга" instead of "плохая книга" (for feminine noun "книга"). Correct: Always match gender, e.g., "Эта книга плохая" (This book is lousy). Explanation: Russian requires strict grammatical harmony, unlike English.

• Error: Overusing "ужасный" for mild situations, e.g., saying "ужасный кофе" for slightly bad coffee. Correct: Use "плохой кофе" for everyday complaints. Explanation: "Ужасный" implies extreme negativity, which can exaggerate and sound unnatural in casual contexts.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "плохой" are often used in everyday complaints about weather or services, reflecting a cultural tendency toward expressive dissatisfaction. However, they don't carry the same informal slang weight as "lousy" in English; Russians might pair such words with humor or resignation, as seen in folk sayings like "Плохая погода – хороший повод для чая" (Lousy weather is a good excuse for tea), emphasizing adaptability.

Related Concepts:

• хороший (good)
• качество (quality)
• погода (weather)