Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'scary'

English Word: scary

Key Russian Translations:

• страшный /ˈstraʂnɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal and Informal, Singular and Plural]
• пугающий /puˈɡajʊʂʲij/ - [Adjective, Formal, Often used in descriptive contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations, literature, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "big" or "small").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective declension and context, but not overly complex for learners past beginner level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

страшный: /ˈstraʂnɨj/ (The "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, similar to the "sh" in "shoe", but with a more guttural quality.)

Note on страшный: Pay attention to the stress on the first syllable; misplacing it can alter perception. Variations in regional accents may soften the "р" sound.

пугающий: /puˈɡajʊʂʲij/ (The "г" is a voiced velar fricative, like a soft "g" in "go", and the final "ий" softens the ending.)

Note on пугающий: This word often has a more emphatic pronunciation in narrative contexts; the "й" ending indicates it's an active participle form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Causing fear or fright, often describing something eerie or intimidating.

Translation(s) & Context:

• страшный: Used in general contexts to describe something frightening, such as a horror movie or a dark night. Common in both spoken and written Russian.
• пугающий: Applied in more formal or psychological contexts, like something that startles or alarms, such as a sudden noise or a suspenseful story.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фильм очень страшный, он заставляет сердце биться чаще.

  This movie is very scary; it makes your heart beat faster.

• В старом доме было пугающе тихо, как будто кто-то наблюдает.

  In the old house, it was scarily quiet, as if someone was watching.

• Страшные истории из русского фольклора часто рассказывают о лесных духах.

  Scary stories from Russian folklore often tell about forest spirits.

• Её пугающий взгляд заставил всех замолчать в комнате.

  Her scary stare made everyone go silent in the room.

• Страшный шторм налетел на город, ломая деревья и срывая крыши.

  A scary storm hit the city, breaking trees and ripping off roofs.

Secondary Meaning: Figuratively intense or overwhelming (e.g., in emotional contexts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• страшный: In metaphorical use, to describe something intensely difficult or burdensome, like a "scary amount of work."

Usage Examples:

• Страшная усталость навалилась на него после длинного дня.

  A scary fatigue overwhelmed him after a long day.

• Пугающий уровень конкуренции в бизнесе заставляет работать усерднее.

  The scary level of competition in business forces you to work harder.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "страшный" and "пугающий" are adjectives, which in Russian must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. They follow the standard first-declension pattern for adjectives.

Note: These adjectives are regular and do not have irregular forms, but always decline based on the noun's gender (e.g., страшная for feminine).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ужасный (uzhasnyy) - More intense, implying horror; often used interchangeably but with a stronger emotional connotation.
  • испуганный (ispugannyj) - Similar to "frightening," but can also mean "frightened" in context.
• Antonyms:
  • безопасный (bezopasnyy) - Safe, the opposite in contexts of danger.
  • спокойный (spokojnyj) - Calm, contrasting with fear-inducing situations.

Related Phrases:

• Страшная сказка (Strashnaya skazka) - A scary fairy tale; often refers to folklore stories with supernatural elements.
• Пугающий звук (Pugayushchiy zvuk) - A scary sound; used in descriptions of mysterious noises.
• Страшный сон (Strashnyy son) - A nightmare; a common phrase in everyday language for disturbing dreams.

Usage Notes:

"Страшный" is the most direct equivalent to "scary" in informal settings, while "пугающий" is better for formal or literary contexts where a sense of alarm is emphasized. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must always agree with the noun in gender, number, and case—e.g., use "страшная" for feminine nouns. In conversational Russian, "страшный" can be hyperbolic, similar to "terrifying" in English, so context matters. When choosing between translations, opt for "пугающий" if the fear is more immediate or psychological.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "страшный" without proper declension, e.g., saying "страшный дом" in genitive case as "страшный дома" instead of "страшного дома". Correct: Always decline based on case (e.g., "в страшном доме" for prepositional). Explanation: This stems from English's lack of cases, leading to confusion in sentence structure.

• Error: Confusing "пугающий" with "испуганный" (meaning "frightened" rather than "frightening"). Correct: Use "пугающий" for the cause of fear, as in "пугающий фильм" (a scary movie). Explanation: These are related but distinct; mixing them can change the sentence's meaning entirely.

Cultural Notes:

Words like "страшный" are deeply tied to Russian folklore, where scary elements such as Baba Yaga (a witch from fairy tales) represent ancient fears of the unknown. In modern Russian culture, these terms often appear in horror literature or films, reflecting a national fascination with the supernatural, influenced by historical isolation and vast landscapes.

Related Concepts:

• ужас (uzhas) - Horror
• страх (strakh) - Fear
• мистика (mistika) - Mystique