Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'mingy'

English Word: mingy

Key Russian Translations:

• скупой /ˈskupəj/ - [Informal, often used in everyday contexts to describe stinginess]
• жадный /ˈʐadnɨj/ - [More intense, Informal, implies greed rather than just stinginess]
• убогий /uˈbɔɡʲɪj/ - [Formal, used when referring to poor quality or miserly in a broader sense]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in conversations about finances or quality, but not in everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding nuances of adjectives and their inflections; for 'скупой', it's straightforward, but 'жадный' may vary slightly in context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

скупой: /ˈskupəj/

жадный: /ˈʐadnɨj/ (Note on жадный: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure' in English; be careful with the soft sign 'ы' which affects vowel quality.)

убогий: /uˈbɔɡʲɪj/ (Note on убогий: The 'й' at the end indicates a palatalized consonant, making it sound softer; common in formal or literary Russian.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Stingy or mean with money/resources (primary sense in English)

Translation(s) & Context:

• скупой - Used in informal contexts when describing someone who is reluctant to spend money.
• жадный - Applied in situations involving excessive greed, often with a negative connotation in personal or financial discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Он такой скупой, что никогда не угощает друзей обедом.

  He is so mingy that he never treats his friends to lunch.

• Мой дядя жадный до денег и не делится с семьей.

  My uncle is mingy with money and doesn't share with the family.

• В этом магазине скупой подход к скидкам раздражает покупателей.

  The mingy approach to discounts in this store annoys customers.

• Она жадная, поэтому всегда прячет свои сбережения.

  She is mingy, so she always hides her savings.

Meaning 2: Of poor quality or inadequate (secondary sense, e.g., shabby)

Translation(s) & Context:

• убогий - Used in formal or descriptive contexts to indicate something substandard or lacking in quality.
• скупой - Occasionally in metaphorical contexts, but less common for this meaning.

Usage Examples:

• Эта старая мебель выглядит убогой и требует ремонта.

  This old furniture looks mingy and needs repairing.

• Убогий дизайн комнаты не впечатлил гостей.

  The mingy design of the room didn't impress the guests.

• Скупой рацион еды в ресторане разочаровал нас.

  The mingy food portions in the restaurant disappointed us.

• Его убогая одежда не подходила для такого мероприятия.

  His mingy clothes weren't suitable for such an event.

• Жадный подход к подаркам сделал праздник менее радостным.

  The mingy approach to gifts made the holiday less joyful.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are adjectives, which in Russian undergo inflection based on gender, number, and case. 'Скупой' and 'жадный' follow standard first-declension patterns, while 'убогий' is similar but can vary slightly.

Note: These adjectives are regular and inflect predictably. For irregular cases, consult a full grammar reference.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • жадный (similar to 'жадный', but with a greedier connotation)
  • сварливый (irritable and stingy, often in interpersonal contexts)
  • экономный (thrifty, but less negative than 'mingy')
• Antonyms:
  • щедрый (generous)
  • богатый (wealthy, in terms of quality)
  • роскошный (luxurious, opposing poor quality)

Related Phrases:

• быть скупым как крот - To be as mingy as a mole (a phrase implying extreme stinginess, often used humorously).
• жадность до денег - Minginess for money (refers to an obsessive hoarding behavior).
• убогая жизнь - A mingy life (describes a life of poverty or substandard conditions).

Usage Notes:

'Скупой' is the most direct translation for the stingy aspect of 'mingy' and is commonly used in informal speech, but avoid it in formal writing where 'экономный' might be preferred for a neutral tone. 'Жадный' emphasizes greed, so choose it when 'mingy' implies selfishness. For the quality sense, 'убогий' is more literary and fits contexts like describing outdated items. Remember, Russian adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, which is a key grammatical difference from English.

• Context tip: In financial discussions, 'скупой' pairs well with verbs like 'быть' (to be).
• Multiple translations: Use 'жадный' for stronger emotional contexts, but 'скупой' for everyday minginess.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'скупой' without proper inflection, e.g., saying "скупой дом" instead of "скупой дом" (correct), but forgetting gender agreement like "скупая машина" for a feminine noun.
  Correct: Ensure agreement, e.g., "Его скупая манера тратить деньги" (His mingy way of spending money).
  Explanation: Russian requires adjectives to match the noun's gender; English learners often overlook this.
• Error: Confusing 'жадный' with 'скупой', using 'жадный' in neutral contexts where it sounds too harsh.
  Correct: Opt for 'скупой' in mild cases, e.g., "Он скупой" instead of "Он жадный" for simple stinginess.
  Explanation: 'Жадный' can imply moral judgment, escalating the tone unnecessarily.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'скупой' or 'жадный' often carry a strong negative stigma, reflecting historical values of community and sharing, especially in rural or Soviet-era contexts. For instance, folklore tales frequently portray stingy characters as villains, emphasizing the cultural ideal of generosity over personal hoarding.

Related Concepts:

• жадность
• экономия
• бедность