Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ripe'

English Word: ripe

Key Russian Translations:

• спелый [ˈspʲelɨj] - [Adjective, Formal, Used for describing maturity in fruits, vegetables, or metaphorical contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday language, especially in contexts like food, agriculture, and general descriptions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate level, as it involves basic adjective forms and vocabulary related to nature and daily life)

Pronunciation (Russian):

спелый: [ˈspʲelɨj]

Note on спелый: The stress is on the first syllable, and the 'л' is palatalized, which can be challenging for English speakers. Pronounce it with a soft 'l' sound, similar to the 'l' in "million."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Mature or fully developed, often referring to fruits or ideas that are ready for use.

Translation(s) & Context:

• спелый - Used in formal and informal contexts to describe something that has reached its peak ripeness, such as fruits, or metaphorically for ideas or plans that are ready to be implemented.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Это яблоко спелое и готово к употреблению.

  English: This apple is ripe and ready to eat.

• Русский: Летом фрукты становятся спелыми и сладкими.

  English: In the summer, fruits become ripe and sweet.

• Русский: Время сделало его идеи спелыми для реализации.

  English: Time has made his ideas ripe for implementation.

• Русский: Не ешьте эти ягоды, они ещё не спелые.

  English: Don't eat these berries; they are not yet ripe.

• Русский: Спелый банан имеет жёлтую кожуру без зелёных пятен.

  English: A ripe banana has a yellow peel without green spots.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Спелый" is an adjective in Russian, which means it changes based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify. Below is a table showing its basic forms:

Note: This adjective follows the standard first-declension pattern for hard-stem adjectives in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • зрелый (zrelyy) - Often used interchangeably, but implies a more general maturity.
  • созревший (sozrevshiy) - Emphasizes the process of ripening, used in more formal or scientific contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • незрелый (nezrelyy) - Directly opposite, meaning unripe or immature.
  • неспелый (nespelyy) - Specifically for fruits, less common but a direct antonym.

Related Phrases:

• Спелый фрукт (Spelyy frukt) - Meaning: Ripe fruit; Used in shopping or cooking contexts to describe ready-to-eat produce.
• Спелые ягоды (Spelye yagody) - Meaning: Ripe berries; Common in recipes or nature descriptions.
• Время спелости (Vremya spelosti) - Meaning: Time of ripeness; Refers to the optimal moment for harvest or decision-making.

Usage Notes:

"Спелый" directly corresponds to the English "ripe" in most contexts, particularly for food items, but it can also be used metaphorically for ideas or opportunities. It is a versatile adjective that must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies, which is a key grammatical feature in Russian. For English speakers, remember to choose "спелый" in formal writing or when precision is needed, as opposed to more colloquial alternatives. If the context involves human development, "зрелый" might be a better fit to avoid confusion.

• Always ensure agreement: e.g., use "спелая" for feminine nouns like "яблоко" (apple, neuter, so "спелое").
• In informal speech, Russians might use it casually, but in business or literature, opt for precise forms.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget adjective agreement, leading to errors like saying "спелый яблоко" instead of "спелое яблоко" (for neuter nouns). Correct usage: Use the proper form based on the noun's gender and case. Another common mistake is confusing it with "зрелый"; for example, incorrectly using "спелый" for human maturity, which sounds odd—correct would be "зрелый человек" (a mature person). Explanation: Russian adjectives are more inflected than English ones, so always check the noun's characteristics first.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of ripeness ("спелый") is often tied to seasonal traditions, such as harvesting fruits in summer or fall. It symbolizes readiness and abundance, appearing in folklore and literature to represent perfect timing, as in Russian proverbs like "Время — лучший учитель" (Time is the best teacher), where ripeness metaphorically aligns with personal growth.

Related Concepts:

• зрелый (mature, in a broader sense)
• свежий (fresh)
• незрелый (unripe)