Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sincere'

English Word: sincere

Key Russian Translations:

• искренний [ɪskˈrɛnʲɪj] - [Formal, Informal; Used to describe genuine emotions or honesty in various contexts]
• правдивый [ˈpravdʲɪvɨj] - [Formal; Often implies truthfulness in statements, less emotional than искренний]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations, literature, and formal writing, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like "good").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of adjective inflections and nuances in emotional expression. For 'искренний', it's B1; for 'правдивый', it's also B1 due to similar grammatical rules.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

искренний: [ɪskˈrɛnʲɪj]

правдивый: [ˈpravdʲɪvɨj]

Note on искренний: The soft sign (ʲ) in [ɪskˈrɛnʲɪj] indicates a palatalized 'n', which can be tricky for English speakers; practice with native audio for accurate softening.

Note on правдивый: The stress is on the first syllable; ensure clear pronunciation of the 'dʲ' sound to avoid confusion with similar words.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning: Genuine and honest in feelings, expressions, or actions; often used to describe sincerity in personal interactions.

Translation(s) & Context:

• искренний - Used in both formal and informal settings, such as describing a person's character or emotions in conversations or writing.
• правдивый - Typically in formal contexts, like legal or factual discussions, emphasizing truth over emotional depth.

Usage Examples:

• Он очень искренний человек, всегда говорит то, что думает. (On ochen' iskrenniy chelovek, vsegda govorit to, chto dumayet.)

  He is a very sincere person, always saying what he thinks. (This example shows 'искренний' in a descriptive, everyday context.)

• Её искренние извинения тронули всех в комнате. (Eyey iskrenniye izvinjeniya tronuli vsekh v komnate.)

  Her sincere apologies touched everyone in the room. (Illustrates 'искренний' with feminine adjective agreement in a emotional scenario.)

• Правдивый рассказ о событиях помог разрешить конфликт. (Pravdivyy rasskaz o sobytiyakh pomog razreshit konflikt.)

  The truthful account of events helped resolve the conflict. (Here, 'правдивый' is used in a formal, narrative context focusing on accuracy.)

• В его глазах было что-то искреннее, что заставило меня поверить. (V yego glazakh bylo chto-to iskrenneye, chto zastavilo menya poverit'.)

  There was something sincere in his eyes that made me believe. (Demonstrates 'искренний' in an idiomatic, descriptive phrase.)

• Правдивый свидетель всегда ценится в суде. (Pravdivyy svidetel' vsegda csenitsya v sude.)

  A truthful witness is always valued in court. (Shows 'правдивый' in a legal context with masculine singular form.)

Meaning: Free from pretense or deceit; applied to objects or situations implying authenticity.

Translation(s) & Context:

• искренний - Less common for objects, but can be used metaphorically, e.g., in art or relationships.

Usage Examples:

• Эта картина имеет искренний стиль, который трогает душу. (Eta kartina imayet iskrenniy stil', kotoryy trogayet dushu.)

  This painting has a sincere style that touches the soul. (Example of metaphorical use in artistic contexts.)

• Правдивый отчёт о поездке был опубликован в газете. (Pravdivyy otchyot o poyezdke byl opublikovann v gazete.)

  The truthful report about the trip was published in the newspaper. (Focuses on factual accuracy in media.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'искренний' and 'правдивый' are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. They follow the standard first-declension adjective pattern with some irregularities in soft consonants.

Note: These adjectives do not change for feminine or neuter forms in a completely irregular way but follow general rules; e.g., 'искренняя' for feminine singular. They are invariant in comparative forms like 'искреннее' (more sincere).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • честный (chestnyy) - Similar to 'искренний' but emphasizes moral integrity; often used interchangeably in casual speech.
  • откровенный (otkrovennyy) - Implies openness, slightly more about directness than pure sincerity.
• Antonyms:
  • неискренний (neyskrenniy) - Directly opposite, meaning insincere or fake.
  • фальшивый (fal'shivyy) - Suggests falsehood, often in contexts of deception or pretense.

Related Phrases:

• Искренние чувства (Iskrenniye chuvstva) - Sincere feelings; Used in emotional or romantic contexts to express genuine emotions.
• Правдивый рассказ (Pravdivyy rasskaz) - Truthful story; Common in literary or journalistic settings for accurate narratives.
• Быть искренним с кем-то (Byt' iskrennim s kem-to) - To be sincere with someone; A phrase for building trust in relationships.

Usage Notes:

'Искренний' is the most direct translation for 'sincere' in emotional contexts, while 'правдивый' leans towards factual truthfulness. Choose 'искренний' for personal interactions to convey heartfelt honesty, and 'правдивый' for formal or objective scenarios. Be mindful of adjective agreement with nouns (e.g., gender and case), as Russian requires this for grammatical correctness. In informal speech, 'искренний' can soften criticisms, but overuse might sound overly dramatic.

Common Errors:

• English learners often forget adjective inflections: Error - "Я встретил искренний человек" (incorrect, as it should agree in case); Correct - "Я встретил искреннего человека" (with genitive case). This happens because English adjectives don't inflect.
• Confusing synonyms: Error - Using 'правдивый' for emotional sincerity, e.g., "Он правдивый в любви" (implies factual truth, not emotion); Correct - "Он искренний в любви" to better match 'sincere in love'. Explanation: 'Правдивый' focuses on truth, not depth of feeling.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'искренний' carries a strong connotation of authenticity in relationships, often linked to the value of 'dusha' (soul) in Slavic traditions. Expressing sincerity is crucial in friendships and family, but it can be contrasted with the reserved nature of formal interactions, where 'правдивый' might be preferred for its straightforwardness.

Related Concepts:

• честность (chestnost')
• откровенность (otkrovennost')
• доверие (doveriye)