Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sulky'

English Word: sulky

Key Russian Translations:

• угрюмый /uɡʐʲuˈmɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal]
• капризный /kɐˈprʲiznɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal, Often implies whimsy]
• обиженный /ɐˈbʲidʐənɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal, Used in emotional contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations and literature, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "happy" or "sad").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective inflections and emotional vocabulary, though the core words are straightforward for learners at this level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

угрюмый: /uɡʐʲuˈmɨj/

капризный: /kɐˈprʲiznɨj/

обиженный: /ɐˈbʲidʐənɨj/

Note on угрюмый: The "г" sound is a voiced velar fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds similar to the "g" in "go" but with more friction. Pronounce it with emphasis on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Moodily silent or withdrawn (Referring to a person who is sullen and uncommunicative due to annoyance or displeasure)

Translation(s) & Context:

• угрюмый - Used in casual or literary contexts to describe someone acting sulky in social situations, such as during a family argument.
• капризный - Applied when the sulkiness stems from whimsy or childish behavior, often in informal settings like with children.

Usage Examples:

• Он был угрюмым весь вечер после ссоры с другом.

  He was sulky all evening after arguing with his friend.

• Девушка выглядела капризной, когда не получила желаемое.

  The girl looked sulky when she didn't get what she wanted.

• Ребёнок стал обиженным и отказался играть с другими.

  The child became sulky and refused to play with the others.

• После неудачи на работе, он сидел угрюмым в углу комнаты.

  After the failure at work, he sat sulky in the corner of the room.

• Её капризное поведение сделало вечеринку менее весёлой.

  Her sulky behavior made the party less fun.

Meaning 2: Pertaining to a stubborn or resentful attitude (In a more general sense, describing persistent moodiness)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обиженный - Used in formal or psychological contexts, such as in therapy or literature, to indicate deep-seated sulkiness.
• угрюмый - In everyday contexts, like describing someone's demeanor in a story or conversation.

Usage Examples:

• Его обиженный вид напугал коллег на встрече.

  His sulky appearance scared his colleagues at the meeting.

• Угрюмый подросток не хотел делиться своими проблемами.

  The sulky teenager didn't want to share his problems.

• Капризный клиент требовал изменений, несмотря на объяснения.

  The sulky client demanded changes despite the explanations.

• Она оставалась обиженной несколько дней после критики.

  She remained sulky for several days after the criticism.

• В угрюмом настроении он решил отменить поездку.

  In a sulky mood, he decided to cancel the trip.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (угрюмый, капризный, обиженный) are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern for hard-stem adjectives, with some irregularities.

Note: These adjectives are regular for the most part, but always agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. There are no uninflected forms for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: капризный (similar but often implies playfulness), обиженный (focuses on hurt feelings), мрачный (gloomy in a more severe way)
• Antonyms: весёлый (cheerful, directly opposite in emotional tone), оптимистичный (optimistic, for a positive outlook)

Related Phrases:

• угрюмое настроение - A sulky mood; used to describe temporary emotional states.
• капризный ребёнок - A sulky child; common in parenting contexts.
• обиженный взгляд - A sulky glance; refers to nonverbal expressions of resentment.

Usage Notes:

"Sulky" in English often conveys a temporary, petulant mood, and its Russian equivalents like "угрюмый" or "капризный" match this closely. However, "угрюмый" is more neutral and can be used in formal writing, while "капризный" is informal and might carry a connotation of childishness. Choose based on context: use "обиженный" for situations involving perceived injustice. Be mindful of adjective agreement with nouns in Russian sentences, as English lacks this feature.

• In formal settings, prefer "обиженный" to avoid sounding too casual.
• These words are versatile but can sound negative, so use them carefully in polite conversation.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget to inflect adjectives correctly. For example, they might say "угрюмый дом" (sulky house, which is incorrect because houses aren't typically described this way) instead of properly applying it to people. A common mistake is using "угрюмый" without agreement, like saying "Она угрюмый" instead of "Она угрюмая" for feminine nouns. Correct usage: "Она была угрюмая" (She was sulky). Another error is confusing it with "грустный" (sad), which is less intense; explain that "угрюмый" implies active withdrawal, not just sadness.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing sulkiness like "угрюмый" is often seen in literature (e.g., in works by Chekhov), reflecting the "Russian soul's" depth of emotion. It can symbolize introspection or resentment in social interactions, differing from Western cultures where such moods might be quickly dismissed. This adds a layer of emotional nuance in Russian communication.

Related Concepts:

• мрачный
• раздражительный
• пессимистичный