Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'rotten'

English Word: rotten

Key Russian Translations:

• гнилой [ɡnʲiˈloj] - [Adjective, Literal, Formal/Informal]
• испорченный [ɪˈspɐrt͡ʃɪnnɨj] - [Adjective, For spoiled items, Informal]
• плохой [ˈploxəj] - [Adjective, Metaphorical for 'bad' or 'rotten' in a figurative sense, Informal]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts like food, objects, or metaphorical descriptions, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like 'good' or 'bad').

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves understanding adjective declensions and contextual usage. For 'гнилой', it's B1; for 'испорченный', it might be A2 for beginners due to its regular forms.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

гнилой: [ɡnʲiˈloj]

испорченный: [ɪˈspɐrt͡ʃɪnnɨj]

плохой: [ˈploxəj]

Note on гнилой: The 'гн' cluster can be challenging for English speakers; it's pronounced with a soft 'н' sound, similar to 'ny' in 'canyon'. Stress is on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Literal Meaning: Decayed or spoiled, referring to physical deterioration (e.g., food or objects).

Translation(s) & Context:

• гнилой - Used for naturally decayed items like wood or fruit in everyday or formal descriptions.
• испорченный - Applied to items spoiled by external factors, such as food gone bad, in informal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фрукт гнилой и не стоит есть. (This fruit is rotten and not worth eating.)

  Translation: This fruit is rotten and not worth eating. (Shows literal use with a physical object.)

• Мясо в холодильнике испорченное из-за отключения электричества. (The meat in the fridge is spoiled due to the power outage.)

  Translation: The meat in the fridge is spoiled due to the power outage. (Illustrates cause-and-effect in a domestic setting.)

• Гнилой запах распространился по всему дому. (The rotten smell spread throughout the house.)

  Translation: The rotten smell spread throughout the house. (Demonstrates metaphorical extension to odors.)

• Испорченный товар нужно вернуть в магазин. (The spoiled goods need to be returned to the store.)

  Translation: The spoiled goods need to be returned to the store. (Shows practical, transactional context.)

Metaphorical Meaning: Bad, corrupt, or morally decayed (e.g., in descriptions of people, systems, or situations).

Translation(s) & Context:

• плохой - Used informally for something figuratively 'rotten', like a bad idea or corrupt behavior.
• гнилой - Less common metaphorically, but can imply deep-seated corruption in formal writing.

Usage Examples:

• Эта политическая система стала гнилой и нуждается в реформах. (This political system has become rotten and needs reforms.)

  Translation: This political system has become rotten and needs reforms. (Highlights metaphorical use in societal contexts.)

• Плохой совет от друга может испортить всю ситуацию. (Bad advice from a friend can ruin the whole situation.)

  Translation: Bad advice from a friend can ruin the whole situation. (Shows informal, everyday metaphorical application.)

• Гнилой характер человека часто проявляется в трудных моментах. (A person's rotten character often shows in difficult moments.)

  Translation: A person's rotten character often shows in difficult moments. (Illustrates personal traits in narrative contexts.)

• Испорченный план привёл к провалу проекта. (The spoiled plan led to the project's failure.)

  Translation: The spoiled plan led to the project's failure. (Demonstrates cause-effect in professional scenarios.)

• Плохой фильм с гнилыми идеями не стоит смотреть. (A bad movie with rotten ideas isn't worth watching.)

  Translation: A bad movie with rotten ideas isn't worth watching. (Combines multiple translations in one sentence for nuance.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are adjectives, which in Russian undergo declension based on gender, number, and case. 'Гнилой' and 'испорченный' follow standard adjective patterns, while 'плохой' is regular but common.

Note: These are regular patterns; no irregular forms for these adjectives.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • гнилой: разложившийся (razlozhivshiysya) - More specific to decomposition.
  • испорченный: протухший (protukhshiy) - Often for food, with a connotation of odor.
  • плохой: гадкий (gadkiy) - Implies something repulsive or nasty.
• Antonyms:
  • свежий (svezhiy) - Fresh, opposite of decayed.
  • хороший (khoroshiy) - Good, opposite of bad in metaphorical use.

Related Phrases:

• Гнилой компромисс (gniloy kompromiss) - A rotten compromise; refers to a flawed agreement that leads to negative outcomes.
• Испорченный продукт (isporchennyy produkt) - Spoiled product; common in consumer contexts, implying it's unsafe.
• Плохой пример (plokhoy primer) - Bad example; used metaphorically for negative role models.

Usage Notes:

'Rotten' in English often corresponds directly to 'гнилой' for literal decay, but in Russian, choose based on context: 'испорченный' for man-made spoilage and 'плохой' for figurative badness. Be mindful of gender agreement in sentences (e.g., 'гнилой' changes with masculine nouns). In formal writing, prefer 'гнилой' over 'плохой' for precision. Avoid overusing in casual speech to prevent sounding dramatic.

• Guideline: If describing food, 'испорченный' is more natural; for ethics, 'плохой' fits informal chats.
• Grammar tip: Always decline the adjective to match the noun's case, as shown in the inflections table.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse 'гнилой' by not declining it properly, e.g., saying "Я ем гнилой яблоко" instead of "Я ем гнилое яблоко" (for neuter noun). Correct: The adjective must agree in gender, number, and case. Another error is confusing it with 'протухший', which is specific to foul-smelling items; use 'гнилой' for general decay to avoid redundancy.

• Incorrect: "Это гнилой дом" (if 'дом' is in genitive case, it should be adjusted).
• Correct: "В гнилом доме" - Explanation: Proper declension ensures grammatical accuracy in Russian sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'гнилой' often appear in proverbs, such as "Гнилое яблоко портит всю корзину" (A rotten apple spoils the barrel), emphasizing how one bad element can corrupt the whole. This reflects a cultural value on community and the impact of individual flaws, similar to English idioms.

Related Concepts:

• свежий (svezhiy)
• испорченность (isporchennost')
• протухший (protukhshiy)