Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'odd'

English Word: odd

Key Russian Translations:

• странный [ˈstrannɨj] - [Informal, often used in everyday conversation]
• нечётный [nʲɪˈt͡ɕetnɨj] - [Formal, specific to mathematical or technical contexts]

Frequency: Medium (both translations are commonly encountered in Russian media, literature, and daily speech, but not among the most frequent words).

Difficulty: B1 for 'странный' (Intermediate, as it involves basic adjective inflections); A2 for 'нечётный' (Elementary, with straightforward usage in numbers).

Pronunciation (Russian):

странный: [ˈstrannɨj]

Note on странный: The stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'н' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers. Pronounce it with a clear 'r' roll.

нечётный: [nʲɪˈt͡ɕetnɨj]

Note on нечётный: The 'ч' is a palatalized 'ch' sound, similar to 'ch' in 'church', and the stress is on the second syllable. Avoid overemphasizing the 'т'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Strange or unusual (referring to something peculiar or out of the ordinary)

Translation(s) & Context:

• странный - Used in informal contexts to describe people, situations, or objects that are odd or bizarre, such as in casual conversations or storytelling.

Usage Examples:

• Он странный парень, всегда говорит что-то неожиданное.

  He is an odd guy, always saying something unexpected.

• Эта картина странная, но она мне нравится.

  This painting is strange, but I like it.

• В этом городе странные традиции, которые никто не понимает.

  In this city, there are odd traditions that no one understands.

• Её поведение было странным на вечеринке.

  Her behavior was odd at the party.

• Странный шум раздавался из подвала ночью.

  An odd noise came from the basement at night.

Meaning 2: Odd as in an odd number (not even, in mathematics)

Translation(s) & Context:

• нечётный - Typically used in formal, educational, or scientific contexts, such as math problems or technical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• В математике нечётные числа не делятся на два без остатка.

  In mathematics, odd numbers do not divide by two without a remainder.

• Этот номер нечётный, поэтому он стоит в конце ряда.

  This number is odd, so it stands at the end of the row.

• Нечётные страницы в книге обычно находятся слева.

  Odd pages in a book are usually on the left.

• Решите уравнение для нечётных значений x.

  Solve the equation for odd values of x.

• В последовательности нечётные элементы выделены жирным шрифтом.

  In the sequence, odd elements are highlighted in bold.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'странный' (adjective), it follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns, which are regular but vary by gender, number, and case.

For 'нечётный' (adjective), it follows the same regular declension as above. It does not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • странный: необычный (neobychnyĭ) - Similar but implies more uniqueness; странный often connotes eccentricity.
  • нечётный: чётный (not applicable as antonym; synonym could be нечёткое, but it's not exact).
• Antonyms:
  • странный: нормальный (normal'nyĭ) - Used for everyday contexts.
  • нечётный: чётный (chotnyĭ) - Direct opposite in mathematical terms.

Related Phrases:

• странный тип - A weird person; often used informally to describe eccentric individuals.
• нечётное число - Odd number; common in educational or technical discussions.
• странные вещи происходить - Strange things are happening; implies mysterious events in narratives.

Usage Notes:

'Странный' is a versatile adjective that directly corresponds to the informal English 'odd' when meaning strange, but it's best used in everyday contexts rather than formal writing. For 'нечётный', it precisely matches the mathematical sense of 'odd' and should be reserved for technical scenarios to avoid confusion. When choosing between translations, consider the context: opt for 'странный' in social or descriptive settings, and 'нечётный' in quantitative ones. Grammatically, both adjectives require agreement in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'странный' in formal mathematical contexts, e.g., saying "странный число" instead of "нечётный число".
  Correct: "нечётное число" – Explanation: 'Странный' implies strangeness, not numerical properties, leading to semantic errors.
• Mistake: Failing to decline 'странный' properly, e.g., using "странный" for feminine nouns like "девушка странный".
  Correct: "девушка странная" – Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree with nouns in case, gender, and number; English speakers often overlook this.

Cultural Notes:

'Странный' can carry a cultural nuance in Russian literature and folklore, often linked to the mysterious or supernatural, as seen in works by authors like Gogol. It reflects a Russian appreciation for the eccentric, which might differ from Western norms where 'odd' could be more neutral.

Related Concepts:

• необычный
• аномальный
• чётный