Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'nasty'

English Word: nasty

Key Russian Translations:

• мерзкий [mʲɪrˈz.kʲɪj] - [Informal, often used for something unpleasant or disgusting]
• гадкий [ˈɡad.kʲɪj] - [Formal, typically for moral unpleasantness or spitefulness]
• злой [zlo̞j] - [Informal, emphasizing meanness or anger]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations and literature, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp the basic meanings, but mastering nuances and declensions requires practice)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мерзкий: [mʲɪrˈz.kʲɪj] (The 'р' is rolled, and the stress is on the second syllable; common in casual speech)

гадкий: [ˈɡad.kʲɪj] (Stress on the first syllable; the 'г' is guttural, which may be challenging for English speakers)

злой: [zlo̞j] (A simple two-syllable word; the 'ой' ending is pronounced as a diphthong, similar to English 'oy' in 'boy')

Note on мерзкий: This word can have slight regional variations in pronunciation in Russian dialects, such as a softer 'з' in southern regions.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Unpleasant or disgusting (referring to something dirty, foul, or repulsive)

Translation(s) & Context:

• мерзкий - Used in informal contexts to describe physical unpleasantness, such as bad weather or food.
• гадкий - Applied in more formal or literary settings for something morally repulsive.

Usage Examples:

• Этот суп мерзкий, он испортился. (This soup is nasty; it's spoiled.)

  English: This soup is nasty; it's spoiled. (Context: Describing spoiled food in a casual conversation.)

• Погода сегодня мерзкая, идет дождь с ветром. (The weather today is nasty, with rain and wind.)

  English: The weather today is nasty, with rain and wind. (Context: Talking about bad weather in everyday dialogue.)

• Его гадкий запах заполнил всю комнату. (Its nasty smell filled the entire room.)

  English: Its nasty smell filled the entire room. (Context: Describing a strong, unpleasant odor in a narrative.)

• Мерзкий вкус этой еды заставил меня отказаться от ужина. (The nasty taste of this food made me skip dinner.)

  English: The nasty taste of this food made me skip dinner. (Context: Expressing disgust in a personal story.)

2. Mean or spiteful (referring to behavior that is unkind or malicious)

Translation(s) & Context:

• злой - Common in informal speech for describing angry or nasty behavior.
• гадкий - Used in contexts involving deceit or moral nastiness, often in stories or formal descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Его злой комментарий обидел всех в комнате. (His nasty comment offended everyone in the room.)

  English: His nasty comment offended everyone in the room. (Context: Discussing rude behavior in a social setting.)

• Она сделала гадкий трюк, чтобы выиграть соревнование. (She pulled a nasty trick to win the competition.)

  English: She pulled a nasty trick to win the competition. (Context: Describing unethical actions in a competitive scenario.)

• Злой шепот за спиной сделал атмосферу напряженной. (The nasty whisper behind my back made the atmosphere tense.)

  English: The nasty whisper behind my back made the atmosphere tense. (Context: Portraying gossip in a narrative.)

• Гадкий характер этого человека отпугивает друзей. (This person's nasty character scares away friends.)

  English: This person's nasty character scares away friends. (Context: Character description in literature.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (мерзкий, гадкий, злой) are adjectives in Russian, which follow standard adjectival declension patterns. Russian adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify. They have full declension for most forms, with no irregularities in these cases.

Note: These adjectives do not change for feminine or neuter forms in a way that alters their core meaning, but they must agree with the noun (e.g., мерзкая for feminine singular).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отвратительный (atrocious; more intense than мерзкий, often for extreme disgust)
  • противный (disagreeable; casual alternative to гадкий)
  • злобный (malicious; similar to злой but with a sinister connotation)
• Antonyms:
  • приятный (pleasant)
  • добрый (kind)
  • чистый (clean)

Related Phrases:

• мерзкая погода (nasty weather) - Refers to unpleasant weather conditions, common in casual forecasts.
• гадкий утенок (the ugly duckling) - A phrase from a fairy tale, implying something or someone initially seen as nasty but turning out positive.
• злой как собака (nasty as a dog) - An idiomatic expression meaning extremely mean or aggressive in behavior.

Usage Notes:

• While "nasty" can be translated as мерзкий in everyday contexts, choose гадкий for more formal or literary uses to convey moral implications.
• Be mindful of context: злой often implies active malice, whereas мерзкий is more about passive unpleasantness.
• These words must agree grammatically with the noun they describe, which is a key difference from English where adjectives don't inflect.
• In spoken Russian, злой can sometimes be softened in polite conversation, but it's generally direct.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using мерзкий without proper declension, e.g., saying "мерзкий дом" when it should be "мерзкую дом" in accusative case. Correct: Ensure agreement, as in "в мерзком доме" (in the nasty house). Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's case, number, and gender.
• Error: Confusing злой with its noun form "зло" (evil), leading to misuse like "Он злой" meaning "He is evil" instead of "He is nasty." Correct: Use злой as an adjective only. Explanation: Learners often mix parts of speech, so context is key.
• Error: Overusing гадкий in informal speech; it sounds overly formal. Correct: Opt for мерзкий in casual talks. Explanation: This can make speech sound unnatural, as гадкий is more literary.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like мерзкий and гадкий often carry a deeper emotional weight, reflecting the harsh Russian winters or historical adversities. For instance, мерзкий might evoke images of the unforgiving Siberian climate, symbolizing endurance in literature like Tolstoy's works.

Related Concepts:

• отвратительный
• противный
• злобный