Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sexually'

English Word: sexually

Key Russian Translations:

• сексуально [sʲɪk.su.ˈal.nə] - [Formal, used in general contexts]
• полово [ˈpo.lə.və] - [Formal, primarily in medical or biological contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in discussions of psychology, biology, or social issues, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it involves advanced vocabulary related to sensitive topics; for 'сексуально', it's straightforward, but 'полово' may require context-specific understanding)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сексуально: [sʲɪk.su.ˈal.nə]

полово: [ˈpo.lə.və]

Note on сексуально: The stress falls on the third syllable ('al'), and the initial 'sʲ' sound is palatalized, which can be challenging for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may soften the 'sʲ' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: In a manner relating to sex or sexual activity

Translation(s) & Context:

• сексуально - Used in formal discussions, such as psychology or health, to describe something pertaining to sexual aspects.
• полово - Applied in scientific or medical contexts, like biology, to refer to reproductive or gender-related matters.

Usage Examples:

• Она ведет себя сексуально привлекательно на вечеринках. (Ona vedet sebya seksual'no privlekatel'no na vecherinkakh.)

  She behaves sexually attractively at parties. (This example shows the word in a social context, emphasizing allure.)

• Этот фильм исследует сексуально откровенные темы. (Etot fil'm issleduyet seksual'no otkrovennye temy.)

  This film explores sexually explicit themes. (Demonstrates use in artistic or cultural discussions.)

• В медицине полово активные люди подвержены определенным рискам. (V meditsine polovo aktivnye lyudi podverzheny opredelennym riskam.)

  In medicine, sexually active people are subject to certain risks. (Highlights the medical context of 'полово'.)

• Сексуально незрелые подростки нуждаются в образовании. (Seksual'no nezrelye podrostki nuzhdayutsya v obrazovanii.)

  Sexually immature teenagers need education. (Illustrates use in educational or developmental contexts.)

• Полово ориентированные исследования фокусируются на репродукции. (Polovo orientirovannye issledovaniya fokusiruyutsya na reproduktsii.)

  Sexually oriented studies focus on reproduction. (Shows 'полово' in a scientific setting.)

Meaning 2: In a way that involves sexual desire or orientation

Translation(s) & Context:

• сексуально - Used when discussing personal identity or desires, often in psychological contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он идентифицирует себя сексуально как гей. (On identifikiruet sebya seksual'no kak gay.)

  He identifies sexually as gay. (This example covers identity in a modern, inclusive context.)

• Сексуально мотивированные преступления требуют специального внимания. (Seksual'no motivirovannye prestupleniya trebuyut spetsial'nogo vnimaniya.)

  Sexually motivated crimes require special attention. (Demonstrates use in legal or social issues.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'сексуально' and 'полово' are adverbs in Russian and typically do not inflect for case, number, or gender, as adverbs remain invariant in most situations. However, they can be modified by context or combined with other words.

For 'сексуально' (adverb):

For 'полово' (adverb):

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: эротически [eroticheski] (more focused on eroticism, often in artistic contexts); чувственно [chuvstvenno] (sensually, emphasizing emotions)
• Antonyms: асептически [asepticheski] (asexually, in biological contexts, though rare); платонически [platonically] (non-sexually, for relationships)

Related Phrases:

• сексуально активный - Sexually active (refers to engaging in sexual activity).
• полово зрелый - Sexually mature (used in medical contexts for reproductive readiness).
• сексуально ориентированный - Sexually oriented (describes preferences or behaviors).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'сексуально' directly corresponds to 'sexually' in most formal English contexts, but it's important to use it judiciously due to cultural sensitivities around sexual topics. 'Полово' is more specialized and should be reserved for scientific discussions to avoid sounding overly clinical. When choosing between translations, opt for 'сексуально' in everyday or psychological scenarios, and 'полово' in biology. Grammatically, these adverbs typically precede the verb or adjective they modify, e.g., "сексуально привлекательный" (sexually attractive).

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse 'сексуально' with 'секс' (sex, a noun), leading to incorrect usage like saying "секс привлекательный" instead of "сексуально привлекательный". Correct: Use 'сексуально' as an adverb to modify adjectives. Error example: "Он секс активный" (wrong); Correct: "Он сексуально активный".
• Another error is overusing 'полово' in non-medical contexts, which can sound awkward; for instance, saying "полово привлекательный" instead of "сексуально привлекательный" in social settings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussions of sexuality can be more conservative than in some Western societies, often influenced by historical and social norms. Words like 'сексуально' may carry connotations of taboo or formality, especially in public discourse, so they are used carefully to avoid offense. This reflects broader cultural attitudes toward privacy in personal matters.

Related Concepts:

• любовь (love)
• эмоции (emotions)
• идентичность (identity)