Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'petty'

English Word: petty

Key Russian Translations:

• мелкий [ˈmʲɛlkʲɪj] - [Informal, often used for everyday contexts]
• ничтожный [nʲɪˈtɕoʐnɨj] - [Formal, implying something insignificant or worthless]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in daily conversations and written texts, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of adjective inflections; for 'мелкий', it's straightforward, but 'ничтожный' may pose challenges for learners due to its more abstract connotation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мелкий: [ˈmʲɛlkʲɪj]

Note on мелкий: The stress falls on the first syllable; the 'й' sound is a palatalized consonant, which can be tricky for English speakers—similar to the 'y' in "yes" but softer.

ничтожный: [nʲɪˈtɕoʐnɨj]

Note on ничтожный: The 'щ' sound is a voiceless palatal fricative, akin to the 'sh' in "she" but more sibilant; stress is on the third syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Trivial or unimportant (referring to something of little significance)

Translation(s) & Context:

• мелкий - Used in informal settings to describe minor issues or details, such as in casual conversations about daily life.
• ничтожный - Applied in more formal or literary contexts to emphasize worthlessness, often in philosophical or critical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Это мелкая проблема, не стоит беспокоиться. (Eto melykaya problema, ne stoit bespokoit'sya.)

  This is a petty problem; it's not worth worrying about. (Shows use in everyday dismissal of minor issues.)

• В его аргументах много мелких ошибок. (V yego argumentakh mnogo melykikh oshibok.)

  His arguments contain many petty errors. (Illustrates the word in a context of criticism, highlighting trivial flaws.)

• Не трать время на ничтожные детали. (Ne tray' vremya na nichtozhnyye detali.)

  Don't waste time on petty details. (Demonstrates formal usage in advice or professional settings.)

• Её жалобы были такими мелкими, что никто не обратил внимания. (Yeyo zhaloby byli takimi melykimi, chto nikto ne obratil vnimaniya.)

  Her complaints were so petty that no one paid attention. (Exhibits the word in social interactions, emphasizing insignificance.)

Meaning 2: Narrow-minded or small-scale (implying pettiness in character or scope)

Translation(s) & Context:

• мелкий - In contexts involving personality, to describe someone who is overly focused on trivial matters.
• ничтожный - Less common here, but can imply moral insignificance in formal writing.

Usage Examples:

• Его мелкое мышление мешает ему видеть большую картину. (Yego melykoye myshleniye meshayet yemu videt' bol'shuyu karтину.)

  His petty thinking prevents him from seeing the bigger picture. (Highlights use in describing character flaws in discussions.)

• Это ничтожная месть, не достойная внимания. (Eto nichtozhnaya mest', ne dostoynaya vnimaniya.)

  This is petty revenge, not worth noticing. (Shows formal application in narratives or ethical contexts.)

• Мелкие интриги в офисе раздражают всех. (Melykiye intrigyi v ofise razdrazhayut vsekh.)

  The petty intrigues in the office annoy everyone. (Demonstrates workplace usage with plural forms.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'мелкий' and 'ничтожный' are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives typically agree with the nouns they modify. 'Мелкий' follows regular patterns, while 'ничтожный' is also regular but less common.

Note: These adjectives do not change in predicative position (e.g., "Проблема мелкая" remains 'мелкая').

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: незначительный (neznachitel'nyy) - Similar to 'petty' but emphasizes lack of importance; мелочный (molochnyy) - For character-related pettiness, with a connotation of stinginess.
• Antonyms: важный (vazhnyy) - Important or significant; значительный (znachitel'nyy) - Substantial or noteworthy.

Related Phrases:

• Мелкие детали - Minor details; often used in contexts like planning or analysis to refer to unimportant aspects.
• Мелкая месть - Petty revenge; a common phrase in literature or everyday talk about trivial grudges.
• Ничтожные усилия - Insignificant efforts; implies that the work is futile or unworthy in formal settings.

Usage Notes:

'Мелкий' directly corresponds to the everyday sense of 'petty' in English, making it suitable for informal speech, but avoid using it for size-related meanings (e.g., 'small' as in physical size). 'Ничтожный' is more formal and carries a stronger negative connotation, ideal for written or academic contexts. When choosing between translations, consider the register: use 'мелкий' for casual scenarios and 'ничтожный' for emphasis on worthlessness. Grammatically, always inflect adjectives to match the noun's gender, number, and case.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'мелкий' to mean physical smallness (e.g., confusing it with 'small' in size). Correct: In Russian, 'мелкий' can mean 'small' in some contexts, but for 'petty' as unimportant, ensure the context clarifies; e.g., Incorrect: "Мелкий дом" (might mean a physically small house), Correct: "Мелкая проблема" (for an unimportant issue).

• Error: Forgetting to inflect the adjective, leading to agreement errors. For example, saying "мелкий проблема" instead of "мелкая проблема" (feminine noun). Explanation: Russian requires adjective-noun agreement; always check the noun's gender and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'мелкий' or 'ничтожный' often appear in literature and proverbs to critique excessive focus on trivial matters, reflecting a cultural value of prioritizing broader, more significant issues. For instance, in classic works by authors like Chekhov, 'petty' behaviors are portrayed as hindrances to personal growth, emphasizing the Russian ideal of depth and substance over superficiality.

Related Concepts:

• значительный
• мелочность
• существенный