Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'oafish'

English Word: oafish

Key Russian Translations:

• Неуклюжий (/nʲɪʊˈklʲʊʐɨj/) - [Informal, Adjective, Used to describe physical clumsiness]
• Дурацкий (/dʊˈratskʲɪj/) - [Informal, Adjective, Used for foolish or silly behavior]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "хороший").

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective inflections and contextual nuances, varying slightly by translation).

Pronunciation (Russian):

Неуклюжий: /nʲɪʊˈklʲʊʐɨj/ (Stress on the third syllable; the "ж" sound is soft, like the "zh" in "measure").

Note on Неуклюжий: Be cautious with the palatalized "лʲ" which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds softer than a standard "l".

Audio: []

Дурацкий: /dʊˈratskʲɪj/ (Stress on the second syllable; the "цк" combination is pronounced as a sharp "ts" followed by "k").

Note on Дурацкий: This word has a slightly pejorative tone, so pronunciation in context can affect its perceived rudeness.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Clumsy, awkward, or foolish in a rustic or uncouth manner.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Неуклюжий - Used in physical or social contexts to describe someone who is uncoordinated, e.g., in sports or daily activities.
• Дурацкий - Applied more to intellectual or behavioral foolishness, often in informal settings like casual conversations.

Usage Examples:

• Он был неуклюжий в своих движениях, как будто никогда не держал в руках инструменты.

  He was oafish in his movements, as if he'd never held tools in his hands before.

• Её дурацкие шутки на вечеринке заставили всех засмеяться, но она выглядела совершенно неуклюжей.

  Her oafish jokes at the party made everyone laugh, but she came across as completely foolish.

• В детстве он часто падал из-за неуклюжих шагов, что делало его мишенью для шуток друзей.

  In his childhood, he often tripped due to his oafish steps, making him a target for friends' jokes.

• Дурацкое поведение на работе может стоить тебе повышения, так что будь осторожен.

  Oafish behavior at work can cost you a promotion, so be careful.

• Неуклюжий танец на свадьбе подчеркнул его неуклюжую натуру, но все отнеслись к этому с юмором.

  The oafish dance at the wedding highlighted his awkward nature, but everyone took it in good humor.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Неуклюжий" and "Дурацкий" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns for first-declension adjectives.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively straightforward once the pattern is learned.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Глупый (/ɡlʊˈpɨj/) - Similar to "дурацкий" but more neutral; used for general stupidity.
  • Непосредственный (/nʲɪpɐˈsʲrʲɪdnɨj/) - Implies awkwardness with a sense of innocence, often less pejorative.
• Antonyms:
  • Грациозный (/ɡrɐˈt͡sʲɪoznɨj/) - Elegant and graceful, opposite of physical clumsiness.
  • Умный (/ˈʊmnɨj/) - Intelligent, contrasting with foolish behavior.

Related Phrases:

• Неуклюжий жест - A clumsy gesture; often used in contexts of social awkwardness.
• Дурацкая идея - A foolish idea; implies a silly or impractical suggestion in conversations.
• Неуклюжий танец - An oafish dance; common in describing uncoordinated movements at events.

Usage Notes:

• "Неуклюжий" is the closest match for the physical aspect of "oafish" and is preferred in informal settings, while "дурацкий" aligns more with the intellectual or behavioral side; choose based on context to avoid miscommunication.
• Both words carry a slightly negative connotation, so use them cautiously in formal Russian; they are common in everyday speech but may offend if overused.
• Grammatically, ensure adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case, as Russian requires this for proper sentence structure.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "неуклюжий" with "непосредственный": English learners might overuse "непосредственный" thinking it means the same, but it implies childlike directness rather than clumsiness. Correct: Use "неуклюжий" for physical awkwardness. Example of error: "Он непосредственный в движениях" (incorrect for oafish); Correct: "Он неуклюжий в движениях".
• Misinflecting adjectives: Forgetting to change endings, e.g., saying "неуклюжий дом" for a feminine noun. Correct: "Неуклюжая дом" should be "Неуклюжий дом" if masculine, but ensure agreement.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "неуклюжий" or "дурацкий" often appear in literature or folklore to humorously depict everyday human flaws, such as in stories by Chekhov, where characters' oafish behaviors highlight social commentary without harsh judgment.

Related Concepts:

• Торопливый (hasty)
• Грубый (rude)
• Неловкий (awkward, similar but less emphatic)