Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ornery'

English Word: ornery

Key Russian Translations:

• упрямый [ʊˈpramɨj] - [Informal, often used for stubborn or obstinate behavior]
• капризный [kɐˈprʲiznɨj] - [Informal, typically for irritable or whimsical traits]
• раздражительный [rɐzˈdraʐɨtʲɪlʲnɨj] - [Formal, emphasizing easily annoyed or fractious nature]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are commonly encountered in everyday Russian conversations, literature, and media, but not as frequent as basic adjectives.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level should grasp the concept with some practice, as it involves understanding nuances of personality traits. For 'упрямый' and 'капризный', it's B1; for 'раздражительный', it may lean towards B2 due to more formal contexts.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

упрямый: [ʊˈpramɨj]

Note on упрямый: The stress is on the second syllable; the 'ы' sound can be tricky for English speakers, similar to a prolonged 'i' in "bit" but softer.

капризный: [kɐˈprʲiznɨj]

Note on капризный: Pay attention to the palatalized 'рʲ' which softens the 'r' sound; it's pronounced quickly in natural speech.

раздражительный: [rɐzˈdraʐɨtʲɪlʲnɨj]

Note on раздражительный: The 'ж' is a voiced fricative, like the 's' in "measure"; practice with native audio for accurate intonation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Stubborn, difficult to manage, or bad-tempered

Translation(s) & Context:

• упрямый - Used in informal contexts to describe someone who is persistently obstinate, e.g., in arguments or daily decisions.
• капризный - Applied in situations involving irritability or moodiness, often with children or in whimsical behaviors.
• раздражительный - More formal, used in professional or psychological contexts for someone easily provoked or fractious.

Usage Examples:

• Этот упрямый осел не хочет слушать советы. (Etot upryamyy osel ne khochet slushat' sovety.)

  This ornery mule won't listen to advice. (Shows stubbornness in a figurative sense.)

• Её капризный характер часто приводит к конфликтам. (Eyó kapriznyy kharakter chasto privodit k konfliktam.)

  Her ornery nature often leads to conflicts. (Illustrates irritability in interpersonal relationships.)

• Он становится раздражительным, когда устаёт. (On stanovitsya razdrazhitel'nym, kogda ustayet.)

  He gets ornery when he's tired. (Demonstrates the trait in everyday fatigue scenarios.)

• Упрямый ребёнок отказывается есть овощи. (Upryamyy rebyonok otkazyvaetsya yest' ovoshchi.)

  The ornery child refuses to eat vegetables. (Highlights resistance in a childlike context.)

• Капризный клиент всегда недоволен сервисом. (Kapriznyy klient vsegda nedovolen servsom.)

  The ornery customer is always dissatisfied with the service. (Shows moodiness in a commercial setting.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations ('упрямый', 'капризный', 'раздражительный') are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Russian adjectives follow standard patterns for first-declension adjectives, with variations for hard and soft stems. Below is a table for 'упрямый' as an example; similar patterns apply to the others with minor phonetic adjustments.

For 'капризный' and 'раздражительный', the inflections are regular and follow the same pattern, with no irregular forms. These adjectives do not change in comparative forms without suffixes like '-ee' (e.g., упрямей for comparative).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • настойчивый (nastavchivyy) - More neutral, implying persistence rather than negativity.
  • упорный (upornyy) - Emphasizes determination, often positive.
  • взбалмошный (vzbalmoshnyy) - For 'капризный', implying eccentricity.
• Antonyms:
  • послушный (poslushnyy) - Obedient and compliant.
  • уравновешенный (uravnoveshennyy) - Balanced and even-tempered.

Related Phrases:

• Упрямый как осел (Upryamyy kak osel) - Meaning: Stubborn as a mule; used idiomatically to exaggerate obstinacy in humorous contexts.
• Капризный вкус (Kapriznyy vkus) - Meaning: Fickle taste; refers to unpredictable preferences in food or art.
• Раздражительный характер (Razdrazhitel'nyy kharakter) - Meaning: Irritable disposition; common in psychological or self-help discussions.

Usage Notes:

'Ornery' doesn't have a perfect one-to-one match in Russian, so choose translations based on context: use 'упрямый' for stubbornness in decision-making, 'капризный' for mood-related irritability, and 'раздражительный' in formal settings like medicine. Be mindful of gender agreement in sentences, as Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender, number, and case. In informal speech, 'упрямый' is more common among younger speakers, while 'раздражительный' suits written or professional language.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'упрямый' with 'упорный': English learners might use 'упорный' (persistent) when 'упрямый' is needed for negative stubbornness. Correct: "Он упрямый" (He is ornery) vs. Error: "Он упорный" (He is persistent, which can be positive).
• Overusing in formal contexts: Beginners often apply 'капризный' too broadly; it's not suitable for professional emails. Correct: Use 'раздражительный' in such cases.
• Ignoring inflections: Forgetting to change endings, e.g., saying "упрямый женщина" instead of "упрямая женщина". Error example: "Упрямый дом" (incorrect for a house); Correct: "Упрямый человек" (for a person).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'упрямый' often carry a mix of admiration and frustration, reflecting the value placed on resilience in folklore (e.g., in stories like those of Ivan the Fool, where stubbornness leads to clever outcomes). However, in modern contexts, it can imply negative traits in urban settings, highlighting cultural nuances around individualism versus collectivism.

Related Concepts:

• терпеливый (terpelivyy)
• вспыльчивый (vspyl'chivyy)
• настырный (nastyrnyy)