Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'magnanimous'

English Word: magnanimous

Key Russian Translations:

• великодушный [vʲɪlʲɪkɐˈduʂnɨj] - [Formal; used in contexts involving forgiveness or generosity]
• щедрый [ʂʲedʲrɨj] - [Formal; more general generosity, but less emphasis on forgiveness]

Frequency: Medium (commonly appears in literature, formal writing, and discussions of character traits, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective forms and nuanced contexts, with 'великодушный' being slightly more challenging due to its length and less common usage compared to 'щедрый', which might be A2 for basic forms)

Pronunciation (Russian):

великодушный: [vʲɪlʲɪkɐˈduʂnɨj]

Note on великодушный: The stress falls on the third syllable ('duʂnɨj'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft 'ш' sound; practice with native audio for accuracy.

щедрый: [ʂʲedʲrɨj]

Note on щедрый: The initial 'щ' is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'sh' in 'she', but more emphatic; common in everyday speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Generous and forgiving in spirit, often in response to wrongdoing

Translation(s) & Context:

• великодушный - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe someone who shows high-minded forgiveness, such as in historical or ethical discussions.
• щедрый - Applied in broader contexts of generosity, but less focused on forgiveness; suitable for everyday scenarios like charitable acts.

Usage Examples:

• Он великодушно простил своего старого друга, несмотря на предательство.

  He magnanimously forgave his old friend, despite the betrayal.

• В её великодушном жесте заключалась настоящая мудрость.

  In her magnanimous gesture, true wisdom was evident.

• Щедрый король великодушно даровал свободу узникам.

  The generous king magnanimously granted freedom to the prisoners.

• Её великодушное решение помогло разрешить семейный конфликт.

  Her magnanimous decision helped resolve the family conflict.

• Щедрый меценат великодушно поддерживал молодых художников.

  The generous patron magnanimously supported young artists.

Meaning 2: Displaying a noble or high-minded attitude, especially in leadership or altruism

Translation(s) & Context:

• великодушный - Ideal for contexts involving moral superiority or leadership, such as in speeches or biographies.
• щедрый - Used when emphasizing material or emotional generosity in social settings.

Usage Examples:

• Президент проявил себя как великодушный лидер в кризисной ситуации.

  The president showed himself as a magnanimous leader in the crisis situation.

• Его великодушное отношение к критике вдохновляло команду.

  His magnanimous attitude toward criticism inspired the team.

• Щедрый филантроп великодушно жертвовал на образование.

  The generous philanthropist magnanimously donated to education.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'великодушный' and 'щедрый' are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns for hard-stem adjectives.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular inflections; they follow the regular pattern for adjectives ending in -ый/-ий. For example, in a sentence: "великодушный человек" (a magnanimous person).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • благородный (noble; implies moral integrity, often in chivalric contexts)
  • добросердечный (kind-hearted; emphasizes emotional warmth)
• Antonyms:
  • эгоистичный (selfish; directly opposes the idea of selflessness)
  • мстительный (vengeful; highlights the lack of forgiveness)

Related Phrases:

• Великодушный жест - A magnanimous gesture; refers to a noble act of kindness or forgiveness in interpersonal relations.
• Щедрый дар - A generous gift; used for acts of material giving with a magnanimous undertone.
• Быть великодушным - To be magnanimous; a common expression in ethical discussions, implying overlooking faults.

Usage Notes:

'Великодушный' is the closest match to 'magnanimous' in English, capturing the essence of forgiveness and high-mindedness, while 'щедрый' leans more toward general generosity. Use 'великодушный' in formal or literary contexts to maintain the original word's nuance. Be mindful of grammatical agreement: always inflect the adjective to match the noun's gender, number, and case. For example, choose 'великодушный' over 'щедрый' when the focus is on moral character rather than material giving. In spoken Russian, these words are more common in educated or professional settings.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'щедрый' interchangeably with 'великодушный' without considering context. For instance, an English learner might say "Он щедрый простил" instead of "Он великодушно простил," which downplays the forgiveness aspect.

  Correct: Он великодушно простил (He magnanimously forgave). Explanation: 'Щедрый' implies financial or material generosity, while 'великодушный' emphasizes emotional or moral forgiveness.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying "великодушный женщина" instead of "великодушная женщина."

  Correct: великодушная женщина (a magnanimous woman). Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree with the noun; this is a common oversight for speakers of non-inflected languages like English.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like 'великодушный' are often linked to literary figures in works by authors such as Tolstoy or Dostoevsky, where magnanimity represents ideal moral strength. It reflects traditional values of stoicism and forgiveness in the face of adversity, as seen in historical narratives of Russian resilience.

Related Concepts:

• доброта (kindness)
• благородство (nobility)
• самоотверженность (self-sacrifice)