Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'precious'

English Word: precious

Key Russian Translations:

• драгоценный [drəgɐˈʐɛnnɨj] - [Formal, used for valuable or rare items like jewels]
• ценный [ˈtsɛnnɨj] - [General, applicable in everyday contexts for something of worth]
• дорогой [dɐˈrogəj] - [Informal, often emotional or affectionate, e.g., for loved ones]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, conversations about value, and emotional expressions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves basic adjective declensions; for 'дорогой', which can also mean 'expensive', it may vary to A2 for simple uses)

Pronunciation (Russian):

драгоценный: [drəgɐˈʐɛnnɨj]

ценный: [ˈtsɛnnɨj]

Note on драгоценный: The stress is on the third syllable; be careful with the rolled 'r' and palatalized 'n', which can be tricky for beginners.

дорогой: [dɐˈrogəj]

Note on дорогой: This word has a soft 'g' sound; it can vary slightly in informal speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Of great value, high price, or rarity (e.g., referring to physical objects).

Translation(s) & Context:

• драгоценный - Used in formal or literary contexts for jewels, antiques, or rare items; implies intrinsic worth.
• ценный - Applied in general situations, like valuable information or assets; less emphatic than драгоценный.

Usage Examples:

• Этот камень драгоценный и стоит целое состояние.

  This stone is precious and worth a fortune.

• В музее хранятся ценные артефакты из древней Руси.

  The museum holds precious artifacts from ancient Russia.

• Драгоценные металлы, такие как золото, всегда в цене.

  Precious metals like gold are always in demand.

• Эта книга ценная для историков, так как содержит редкие записи.

  This book is precious to historians because it contains rare records.

Meaning 2: Dearly loved or cherished (e.g., emotional or affectionate sense).

Translation(s) & Context:

• дорогой - Common in informal, personal contexts, like addressing loved ones; can overlap with 'dear' in English letters.

Usage Examples:

• Моя бабушка называет меня дорогим внуком.

  My grandmother calls me her precious grandson.

• Для неё этот подарок дорогой, потому что он от близкого друга.

  For her, this gift is precious because it's from a close friend.

• Дорогой дневник, сегодня был особенный день.

  Precious diary, today was a special day.

• Время с семьей — это самое дорогое, что у меня есть.

  Time with family is the most precious thing I have.

• Дорогая подруга, спасибо за твою поддержку.

  Precious friend, thank you for your support.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are adjectives, so they inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. 'Драгоценный' and 'ценный' follow standard first-declension patterns, while 'дорогой' is similar but can vary slightly in emotional use.

Note: These adjectives do not change for feminine or neuter forms in a completely irregular way; for example, feminine singular of 'драгоценный' is 'драгоценная'. They are regular but require attention to case agreements.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • редкий (redkiy) - Rare; often used interchangeably with драгоценный for uniqueness.
  • бесценный (bestsennyy) - Priceless; implies invaluable, with a nuance of irreplaceability.
• Antonyms:
  • дешёвый (deshyovyy) - Cheap; direct opposite for material value.
  • бесполезный (bespoleznyy) - Useless; opposite in terms of emotional or practical worth.

Related Phrases:

• драгоценные камни - Precious stones; refers to gems like diamonds, often in jewelry contexts.
• ценный опыт - Precious experience; used for life lessons or professional skills.
• дорогой сердцу - Precious to the heart; an emotional phrase for something deeply cherished.
• бесценный дар - Priceless gift; implies a gift of immense, irreplaceable value.

Usage Notes:

'Драгоценный' is the most direct translation for 'precious' in contexts involving material value, similar to English usage for jewelry, but it's more formal in Russian. 'Ценный' is versatile for general worth, like in business or education. 'Дорогой' leans towards emotional attachment and is common in personal letters or speech; however, it can also mean 'expensive', so context is key to avoid confusion. When choosing between translations, consider the register: use formal for official texts and informal for daily conversations. Grammatically, always ensure adjective agreement with the noun's gender, number, and case.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse 'дорогой' with just meaning 'expensive' and overuse it in material contexts, e.g., saying "Этот телефон дорогой" when meaning 'precious' as in rare, instead of using 'драгоценный'. Correct: Use 'драгоценный' for rarity; 'дорогой' is better for emotional value. Error example: "Этот редкий камень дорогой" (implying only cost), Correct: "Этот редкий камень драгоценный" (emphasizing value).

• Another error is forgetting declensions, e.g., using 'драгоценный' in the wrong case, like in genitive without changing to 'драгоценного'. This can make sentences grammatically incorrect. Always check noun agreements.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'драгоценный' often evoke historical connotations, such as the value of imperial jewels from the Romanov era. 'Дорогой' in emotional contexts reflects the Russian emphasis on deep personal relationships, as seen in literature like Tolstoy's works, where cherished memories are portrayed as more valuable than material wealth.

Related Concepts:

• редкий
• бесценный
• драгоценность
• сокровище