Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'temper'

English Word: temper

Key Russian Translations:

• темперамент [tʲɪm.pʲɪ.rɐˈmʲɛnt] - [Informal, Everyday use for personality traits]
• характер [xɐ.ˈra.kʲɪt] - [Formal, Often in psychological or literary contexts]
• нрав [nraf] - [Neutral, Archaic or poetic connotations]

Frequency: Medium (Common in discussions about personality, but not as frequent as basic everyday words)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun inflections and contextual nuances for accurate use)

Pronunciation (Russian):

темперамент: [tʲɪm.pʲɪ.rɐˈmʲɛnt]

характер: [xɐ.ˈra.kʲɪt] (Note: The initial 'х' is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the 'ch' in Scottish "loch", which can be challenging for English speakers.)

нрав: [nraf] (Note: This is a simpler pronunciation, but be aware of the soft 'р' sound in some regional variants.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Temper as in mood, disposition, or emotional state

Translation(s) & Context:

• темперамент - Used in casual conversations about someone's emotional stability or excitability, e.g., in psychology or daily life.
• характер - Applied in more formal settings, like character analysis in literature or professional evaluations.

Usage Examples:

• У него вспыльчивый темперамент, и он быстро злится.

  He has a quick temper and gets angry easily.

• Её характер позволяет ей оставаться спокойной в стрессовых ситуациях.

  Her temper allows her to stay calm in stressful situations.

• Этот ребёнок унаследовал нервный нрав от отца.

  This child inherited a nervous temper from his father.

• В этой культуре ценится уравновешенный темперамент.

  In this culture, a balanced temper is highly valued.

Meaning 2: Temper as in to moderate or soften (less common, e.g., in metallurgy or abstract senses)

Translation(s) & Context:

• закалять (as a verb) - Used in technical contexts like metallurgy, or metaphorically for toughening character.

Usage Examples:

• Металл нужно закалить, чтобы улучшить его темперамент.

  The metal needs to be tempered to improve its properties.

• Опыт закалил его характер, сделав его более resilient.

  Experience tempered his temper, making him more resilient.

• Чтобы закалить сталь, применяют специальный процесс.

  To temper steel, a special process is applied.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For nouns like "темперамент" and "характер", which are masculine nouns, they follow standard Russian declension patterns. "Темперамент" is often used in its base form but can inflect. "Нрав" is also a masculine noun with irregularities.

For the verb "закалять" (to temper), it is a first-conjugation verb with regular inflections:

These words do not have plural forms in most contexts, as they refer to abstract qualities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: нрав (more archaic), disposition (but in Russian: диспозиция, though less common)
• Antonyms: спокойствие (calmness, as it contrasts with emotional volatility)

Note: "нрав" as a synonym has a slightly more old-fashioned feel, often used in literary works, while "спокойствие" directly opposes the idea of a volatile temper.

Related Phrases:

• Вспыльчивый темперамент - A hot temper; used to describe someone who loses their cool quickly.
• Закалить характер - To temper one's character; implies building resilience through hardship.
• Хороший нрав - Good temper; often in the context of positive personality traits.

Usage Notes:

"Temper" in English often implies a potential for anger, which aligns closely with "темперамент" in Russian, but be cautious: Russians might use "характер" for a broader sense of personality. In formal writing, prefer "характер" over "темперамент" to avoid sounding too psychological. For the verb form, "закалять" is specific to hardening or moderating, so it's not interchangeable with noun translations. Always consider context—e.g., use "темперамент" in everyday speech but "характер" in professional settings.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "темперамент" with "температура" (temperature). Correct: "Темперамент" refers to disposition, not physical heat. Example of error: Saying "У меня плохой темперамент сегодня" when meaning fever; Correct: "У меня высокая температура."
• Error: Overusing "характер" in informal contexts. Correct: In casual talk, "темперамент" is more natural. Example of error: "Его характер взорвался" (sounds formal); Correct: "Его темперамент взорвался."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "темперамент" often carries connotations from literature, such as in the works of Dostoevsky, where it reflects the passionate, intense nature of Russian personality. This can stereotype Russians as emotionally volatile, so using it sensitively avoids cultural misunderstandings.

Related Concepts:

• эмоциональность (emotionality)
• самоконтроль (self-control)
• психология (psychology)