Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'minor'

English Word: minor

Key Russian Translations:

• несовершеннолетний /nʲɪsɐˈvʲɛrʲʂənʲɪlʲɪtniɪ̯/ - [Formal, used for legal or age-related contexts]
• второстепенный /ftɐrɐsˈtʲepʲɪnnɨj/ - [Neutral, used for describing something secondary or less important]
• незначительный /nʲɪznɐˈt͡ɕitʲɪvɨj/ - [Informal, often in everyday contexts for minor issues or details]

Frequency: Medium (Common in legal, educational, and general descriptive contexts, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian noun and adjective inflections; for "несовершеннолетний," it might be B2 due to its length and formal usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

несовершеннолетний: /nʲɪsɐˈvʲɛrʲʂənʲɪlʲɪtniɪ̯/ (Note the emphasis on the third syllable; common to soften the 'ш' sound in casual speech)

второстепенный: /ftɐrɐsˈtʲepʲɪnnɨj/ (Emphasize the second syllable; the 'т' is often palatalized)

незначительный: /nʲɪznɐˈt͡ɕitʲɪvɨj/ (Soft 'н' at the start; watch for the affricate 'т͡ɕ')

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A person under the legal age of majority (e.g., a minor in law)

Translation(s) & Context:

• несовершеннолетний - Used in formal, legal, or official contexts, such as documents or discussions about age restrictions.

Usage Examples:

• В суде несовершеннолетний имеет право на присутствие родителей.

  In court, a minor has the right to have parents present.

• Несовершеннолетние не могут покупать алкоголь без сопровождения взрослых.

  Minors cannot buy alcohol without adult supervision.

• Школа организует мероприятия для несовершеннолетних во время каникул.

  The school organizes events for minors during holidays.

• В паспорте указывается, если человек является несовершеннолетним.

  The passport indicates if a person is a minor.

Meaning 2: Something of secondary importance or less significance (e.g., a minor issue)

Translation(s) & Context:

• второстепенный - Common in discussions about priorities or hierarchies.
• незначительный - Used for trivial matters, often in casual conversation.

Usage Examples:

• Это второстепенный вопрос, который можно обсудить позже.

  This is a minor issue that can be discussed later.

• Не беспокойся о незначительных деталях; главное — результат.

  Don't worry about minor details; the main thing is the result.

• Второстепенные персонажи в фильме добавляют глубину сюжету.

  Minor characters in the film add depth to the plot.

• Неignificantные повреждения машины не требуют немеденного ремонта.

  Minor damages to the car don't require immediate repair.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are adjectives or nouns, which inflect based on Russian grammar rules. For example:

Note: These words follow standard first-declension patterns for adjectives and are not irregular.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Молодой (for age-related contexts; implies youth rather than legal status)
  • Дополнительный (for secondary meanings; emphasizes addition)
  • Мелкий (for insignificant; often used in informal settings for small or petty matters)
• Antonyms:
  • Взрослый (adult, opposite of minor in age contexts)
  • Главный (main, opposite of secondary)
  • Значительный (significant, opposite of insignificant)

Related Phrases:

• Несовершеннолетний преступник - A juvenile offender (used in legal contexts to refer to crimes by minors)
• Второстепенные детали - Minor details (common in planning or analysis)
• Незначительные изменения - Insignificant changes (often in discussions about updates or modifications)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "minor" as a noun (e.g., for underage persons) is best translated as "несовершеннолетний," which is formal and legalistic. Avoid using it in casual conversation; opt for "молодой" if emphasizing youth. For adjectives like "minor issue," choose based on context: "второстепенный" for hierarchy and "незначительный" for triviality. Remember that Russian adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, so always inflect accordingly. When selecting among translations, consider the formality level to match the English context.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "несовершеннолетний" in everyday casual talk, e.g., saying "Мой друг несовершеннолетний" instead of "Мой друг еще несовершеннолетний" in a formal way.
  Correct: In casual speech, say "Он еще подросток" (He is still a teenager). Explanation: "Несовершеннолетний" sounds overly official and may confuse listeners in informal settings.
• Error: Failing to inflect adjectives, e.g., saying "Это второстепенный проблема" instead of "Это вторичная проблема" for feminine nouns.
  Correct: "Это вторичная проблема." Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of a "minor" (несовершеннолетний) is tied to legal protections for children and youth, influenced by Soviet-era policies that emphasized state guardianship. This can evoke themes of family dynamics and state intervention, as seen in literature like Tolstoy's works, where youthful innocence contrasts with adult responsibilities.

Related Concepts:

• Подросток (teenager)
• Взрослый (adult)
• Главный (main)