Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'rare'

English Word: rare

Key Russian Translations:

• редкий (/ˈrʲɛdkʲɪj/) - [Formal, Adjective]
• редко (/ˈrʲɛdkə/) - [Informal, Adverb, Used in contexts of infrequency]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday language, especially in descriptions, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "big" or "small").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves understanding adjective and adverb forms, with some inflection challenges for English learners new to Russian grammar).

Pronunciation (Russian):

редкий: /ˈrʲɛdkʲɪj/

редко: /ˈrʲɛdkə/

Note on редкий: The initial "р" is a rolled 'r' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers; practice with native audio to master the palatalized 'дʲ'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Not occurring often; uncommon (as an adjective)

Translation(s) & Context:

• редкий - Used in formal or descriptive contexts, such as describing rare animals or events in scientific or literary writing.
• редко - Used as an adverb for infrequent actions, in everyday conversations about habits or occurrences.

Usage Examples:

• Этот вид бабочек редкий в нашем регионе.

  This species of butterflies is rare in our region.

• В музее есть редкий экспонат из древней Руси.

  In the museum, there is a rare exhibit from ancient Rus.

• Она редко ходит в кино по будням.

  She rarely goes to the movies on weekdays.

• Редкий случай, когда погода так хороша в ноябре.

  It's a rare case when the weather is so good in November.

• Редко встречаются такие талантливые художники в наше время.

  Such talented artists are rarely found in our time.

Meaning 2: (In a culinary sense) Undercooked, as in meat (less common but possible translation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• редкий - Informal context, specifically in cooking or food descriptions, though less frequent than in general usage.

Usage Examples:

• Я предпочитаю стейк редким, а не прожаренным.

  I prefer steak rare, not well-done.

• Редкий бифштекс может быть рискованным для здоровья.

  A rare beefsteak can be risky for health.

• В ресторане заказали редкое мясо, но оно было пережарено.

  We ordered rare meat at the restaurant, but it was overcooked.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "редкий" (adjective), it follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns, which are regular but can vary by gender, number, and case. It is an adjective of the first declension group.

For "редко" (adverb), it is invariable and does not change form regardless of context.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • нечасто (nechasto) - Similar to "rarely," but more focused on frequency of actions.
  • необычный (neobychnyy) - For "rare" in the sense of unusual or uncommon.
• Antonyms:
  • часто (chasto) - Often, frequently.
  • обычный (obychnyy) - Common, ordinary.

Related Phrases:

• Редкий случай (Redkiy sluchay) - A rare occurrence; used in contexts of unexpected events.
• Редко встречается (Redko vstrechaetsya) - Rarely encountered; for describing scarce items or phenomena.
• Редкий талант (Redkiy talant) - Rare talent; implies exceptional ability in a cultural or professional setting.

Usage Notes:

• Russian "редкий" directly corresponds to the English "rare" as an adjective, but be cautious with context—it's more common in descriptive or scientific language. For culinary uses, it's less idiomatic than in English, so "недожаренный" might be a better fit for "rare" meat.
• Use "редко" as an adverb to modify verbs, similar to "rarely" in English, but ensure subject-verb agreement in sentences.
• In formal writing, prefer "редкий" over slang alternatives; for everyday speech, it's versatile but avoid overusing it to prevent sounding repetitive.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "редкий" (adjective) with "редко" (adverb) and using them interchangeably. For example, saying "Я редкий хожу в кино" instead of "Я редко хожу в кино."
  Correct: "Я редко хожу в кино" (I rarely go to the movies). Explanation: "Редкий" must agree in gender, number, and case as an adjective, while "редко" is invariable.
• Error: Forgetting to decline "редкий" in sentences, e.g., saying "Этот редкий" instead of "Этот редкий" (which is correct in nominative, but errors occur in other cases).
  Correct: Use the proper form like "этого редкого" in genitive. Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun they describe, unlike English.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "редкий" often carry a sense of appreciation for rarity, as seen in literature and folklore. For instance, rare natural phenomena or historical artifacts are celebrated in Russian traditions, reflecting a cultural value on uniqueness and preservation, such as in stories from Russian fairy tales where rare items hold magical significance.

Related Concepts:

• необычный
• уникальный
• редкость