Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'rickety'

English Word: rickety

Key Russian Translations:

• шаткий [ˈʂatkʲɪj] - [Adjective, commonly used for physical instability]
• хилый [ˈxʲilɨj] - [Adjective, informal, often implying weakness or poor condition]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are encountered in everyday descriptions of objects or structures, but not as common as basic adjectives.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp the concept with practice, as it involves basic adjective usage in Russian.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

шаткий: [ˈʂatkʲɪj] (The 'ш' sound is a voiceless retroflex fricative, similar to 'sh' in 'she', but more guttural.)

Note on шаткий: Be mindful of the soft sign 'й' at the end, which affects vowel pronunciation; it's a common challenge for English speakers.

хилый: [ˈxʲilɨj] (The 'х' is a voiceless velar fricative, like the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch'.)

Note on хилый: This word may vary slightly in informal speech, with the final 'й' softening the ending.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Describing something unstable or poorly constructed (e.g., furniture or buildings).

Translation(s) & Context:

• шаткий - Used in contexts involving physical wobbling or instability, such as describing old furniture (e.g., in formal or descriptive writing).
• хилый - Applied in informal settings to imply weakness or shoddiness, often with a connotation of poor quality.

Usage Examples:

• Этот стул шаткий, так что будь осторожен. (This chair is rickety, so be careful.)

  English Translation: This chair is rickety, so be careful. (Shows basic descriptive use in a warning context.)

• Дверь в доме была хилой и скрипела на ветру. (The door in the house was rickety and creaked in the wind.)

  English Translation: The door in the house was rickety and creaked in the wind. (Illustrates informal description of a building element.)

• Мост оказался шатким после дождя, и мы решили не переходить. (The bridge turned out to be rickety after the rain, and we decided not to cross.)

  English Translation: The bridge turned out to be rickety after the rain, and we decided not to cross. (Demonstrates use in a safety-related scenario.)

• Её старая машина была хилой, но она ею гордилась. (Her old car was rickety, but she was proud of it.)

  English Translation: Her old car was rickety, but she was proud of it. (Highlights emotional or narrative context.)

• Шаткий забор не выдержал ветра и упал. (The rickety fence couldn't withstand the wind and fell down.)

  English Translation: The rickety fence couldn't withstand the wind and fell down. (Shows application in describing structural failure.)

Secondary Meaning: Figurative use, implying unreliability or frailty (e.g., in health or plans).

Translation(s) & Context:

• шаткий - In metaphorical contexts, like unstable plans or health (e.g., in literature or formal discussions).
• хилый - Less common figuratively, but used for personal weakness in informal speech.

Usage Examples:

• Его планы были шаткими, как старый мост. (His plans were rickety, like an old bridge.)

  English Translation: His plans were rickety, like an old bridge. (Figurative comparison in storytelling.)

• После болезни она чувствовала себя хилой и уставшей. (After the illness, she felt rickety and tired.)

  English Translation: After the illness, she felt rickety and tired. (Informal use for physical frailty.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "шаткий" and "хилый" are adjectives in Russian, which typically follow regular adjectival declension patterns. Russian adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify. They do not have irregular forms in standard usage.

For both words, the forms are regular and follow standard first-declension adjective patterns. No irregularities noted.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неустойчивый (unstably built; similar to шаткий but more formal)
  • разболтанный (loose or wobbly; often used for mechanical parts)
• Antonyms:
  • прочный (sturdy; implies strength and stability)
  • стабильный (stable; more abstract, for situations)

Related Phrases:

• шаткий стул (rickety chair) - A common phrase for describing unstable furniture in everyday contexts.
• хилый дом (rickety house) - Refers to a poorly built or dilapidated home, often in informal conversations about maintenance.
• шаткая конструкция (rickety structure) - Used in technical or descriptive language to indicate an unsafe building design.

Usage Notes:

"Шаткий" is the most direct equivalent to "rickety" in formal contexts, while "хилый" carries a more informal or derogatory tone, often implying not just instability but overall poor quality. English users should note that Russian adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case, which is a key difference from English. For example, choose "шаткий" for precise descriptions and "хилый" in casual speech. Be cautious with figurative uses, as they may require additional context to avoid misunderstanding.

Common Errors:

• Using the base form without declension: English learners often say "шаткий дом" for a feminine noun like "дверь" (door), but it should be "шаткая дверь". Correct: шаткая дверь; Error: шаткий дверь (This fails to match gender, leading to grammatical errors.)
• Confusing with similar words: Mixing up "шаткий" and "шаткий" with "тряский" (shaky in a different sense, like trembling). Correct: Use "шаткий" for structural instability; Error: Using "тряский стул" when "шаткий стул" is more accurate for wobbliness.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "шаткий" or "хилый" often evoke imagery of rural or Soviet-era structures that have aged poorly, symbolizing impermanence or neglect. This can tie into broader themes in Russian literature, such as in works by Chekhov, where rickety settings reflect social instability.

Related Concepts:

• непрочный (unreliable)
• стабильность (stability)
• изношенный (worn-out)