Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'shameful'

English Word: shameful

Key Russian Translations:

• стыдный /ˈstɨdnɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal, Singular]
• постыдный /pɐˈstɨdnɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal, used in literary or serious contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations and literature, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "good" or "bad").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions and nuanced emotional vocabulary; "стыдный" is easier for beginners, while "постыдный" may be more challenging due to its formal tone).

Pronunciation (Russian):

стыдный: /ˈstɨdnɨj/ (Stress on the first syllable; the "ы" sound is a distinct Russian vowel, similar to a short "i" in "bit", but more centralized.)

постыдный: /pɐˈstɨdnɨj/ (Stress on the third syllable; note the soft "т" which affects the preceding vowel.)

Note on стыдный: This word may have slight regional variations in pronunciation, such as a softer "д" in some dialects, but standard Russian uses a hard "д".

Note on постыдный: Be cautious with the "ы" sound, as it's a common difficulty for English speakers; it's not like the English "y" in "yes".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Causing a feeling of shame or embarrassment

Translation(s) & Context:

• стыдный - Used in informal settings to describe actions or behaviors that evoke personal shame, often in everyday conversations.
• постыдный - Used in formal or written contexts to emphasize moral or societal shame, such as in literature or ethical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Это был стыдный момент в его жизни. (This was a shameful moment in his life.)

  English: This was a shameful moment in his life. (Context: Informal narrative, showing personal regret.)

• Её постыдный поступок шокировал всю семью. (Her shameful act shocked the entire family.)

  English: Her shameful act shocked the entire family. (Context: Formal description, highlighting moral implications in a story.)

• Стыдный секрет, который он скрывал годами. (The shameful secret he hid for years.)

  English: The shameful secret he hid for years. (Context: Informal dialogue, illustrating emotional burden.)

• Постыдный провал в истории страны. (The shameful failure in the country's history.)

  English: The shameful failure in the country's history. (Context: Formal historical analysis, used in academic writing.)

• Его стыдное поведение на вечеринке разочаровало друзей. (His shameful behavior at the party disappointed his friends.)

  English: His shameful behavior at the party disappointed his friends. (Context: Informal social scenario, demonstrating varied sentence structures.)

Secondary Meaning: Morally disgraceful or ignominious

Translation(s) & Context:

• стыдный - Applied in contexts involving personal ethics or social norms.
• постыдный - Often used for historical or public events to denote deeper disgrace.

Usage Examples:

• Стыдный обман, который разрушил их дружбу. (The shameful deception that destroyed their friendship.)

  English: The shameful deception that destroyed their friendship. (Context: Informal personal story.)

• Постыдный эпизод в политической карьере. (The shameful episode in his political career.)

  English: The shameful episode in his political career. (Context: Formal news report.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "стыдный" and "постыдный" are adjectives in Russian, which means they decline based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow standard patterns for hard-stem adjectives.

For "стыдный" (and similarly for "постыдный"):

Note: These adjectives do not change in comparative forms without additional suffixes, e.g., "более стыдный" for "more shameful".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • позорный (pozornyy) - Similar to "shameful" but often implies public humiliation; used in more dramatic contexts.
  • неприличный (neprilichnyy) - Conveys indecency or impropriety, with a slight overlap in informal shame.
• Antonyms:
  • гордый (gordyy) - Meaning "proud", directly opposite in emotional tone.
  • почётный (pochyotnyy) - Meaning "honorable", emphasizing positive moral standing.

Related Phrases:

• стыдный секрет (stydnyy sekret) - A shameful secret; refers to something embarrassing kept hidden.
• постыдный поступок (postydnyy postupok) - A shameful act; used for morally wrong behaviors in formal discussions.
• стыд и позор (styd i pozor) - Shame and disgrace; a common idiomatic expression for deep embarrassment in everyday language.

Usage Notes:

"Shameful" translates most directly to "стыдный" in informal contexts, where it captures personal emotions, while "постыдный" is better for formal or literary uses to convey societal or moral disgrace. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, which is a key grammatical difference. Choose "стыдный" for everyday conversations and "постыдный" when discussing historical or ethical topics to match the appropriate register. Be mindful of cultural nuances, as shame in Russian culture can relate to collective honor.

• Grammar tip: Always decline the adjective based on the noun's case, e.g., "в стыдном деле" (in a shameful matter).
• Context guide: Avoid "постыдный" in casual speech, as it may sound overly dramatic.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget to decline adjectives correctly. For example, a common mistake is saying "стыдный дом" when it should be "стыдный дом" in nominative, but if in genitive, it becomes "стыдного дома". Incorrect: "Я видел стыдный" (missing noun agreement). Correct: "Я видел стыдный поступок". This error stems from English's lack of declensions, so always check the noun's case before using the adjective.

• Error: Using "стыдный" without changing for feminine nouns, e.g., "стыдный женщина" instead of "стыдная женщина".
• Correct: Ensure gender agreement; explanation: Russian requires this for grammatical accuracy, unlike English.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "стыдный" often tie into concepts of collective shame or "совесть" (conscience), influenced by historical events like the Soviet era. For instance, public shaming was a tool in propaganda, making these words carry deeper emotional and social weight than in English, where individual feelings are more emphasized.

Related Concepts:

• совесть (sovest') - Conscience
• позор (pozor) - Disgrace
• честь (chest') - Honor