Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'tenuous'

English Word: tenuous

Key Russian Translations:

• слабый [ˈslabɨj] - [Informal, used for something weak or insubstantial]
• хрупкий [ˈxrupkʲɪj] - [Formal, used for something fragile or easily broken]
• ненадёжный [nʲɪˈnadʲɵʐnɨj] - [Informal, used in contexts implying unreliability or instability]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations appear in everyday Russian conversations, literature, and technical discussions, but not as commonly as basic adjectives.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of nuanced contexts and adjective declensions. For 'слабый', it's B2; for 'хрупкий', it's also B2 due to similar inflection patterns.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

слабый: [ˈslabɨj]

хрупкий: [ˈxrupkʲɪj]

ненадёжный: [nʲɪˈnadʲɵʐnɨj]

Note on слабый: The stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'b' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. A common variant in fast speech might soften to [ˈslabʲɪj].

Note on хрупкий: Pronounce the 'kh' as a guttural sound, similar to the Scottish 'loch'; this is a common challenge for learners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Weak or insubstantial (e.g., a tenuous argument or connection)

Translation(s) & Context:

• слабый - Used in informal discussions about ideas or relationships that lack strength or evidence.
• хрупкий - Applied in formal contexts, such as scientific or philosophical debates, to describe something delicate.

Usage Examples:

• Его аргументы были слишком слабыми, чтобы убедить аудиторию. (His arguments were too tenuous to convince the audience.)

  English: His arguments were too weak to convince the audience. This example shows 'слабый' in a debate context.

• Связь между этими событиями кажется хрупкой и ненадёжной. (The connection between these events seems tenuous and unreliable.)

  English: The connection between these events seems fragile and unreliable. Here, 'хрупкий' highlights fragility in a narrative setting.

• В экономике такая слабая основа может привести к кризису. (In economics, such a tenuous foundation can lead to a crisis.)

  English: In economics, such a weak foundation can lead to a crisis. This demonstrates 'слабый' in a professional context.

• Её надежды на успех оказались хрупкими из-за отсутствия поддержки. (Her hopes for success turned out to be tenuous due to the lack of support.)

  English: Her hopes for success turned out to be fragile due to the lack of support. This uses 'хрупкий' to show emotional vulnerability.

• Ненадёжные данные сделали его теорию слабыми. (Tenuous data made his theory weak.)

  English: Tenuous data made his theory weak. This combines translations to illustrate interchangeable use in scientific contexts.

Not dense or thick (e.g., a tenuous fabric or atmosphere)

Translation(s) & Context:

• слабый - Common in descriptions of materials or atmospheres that are thin or sparse.
• хрупкий - Used for physical objects that are fragile in structure.

Usage Examples:

• Атмосфера на Марсе очень слабая, что затрудняет посадку. (The atmosphere on Mars is very tenuous, making landing difficult.)

  English: The atmosphere on Mars is very tenuous, making landing difficult. This shows 'слабый' in a scientific context.

• Эта ткань хрупкая и легко рвётся. (This fabric is tenuous and tears easily.)

  English: This fabric is tenuous and tears easily. Here, 'хрупкий' describes material weakness.

• Слабый туман окутал долину, создавая мистическую атмосферу. (The tenuous fog enveloped the valley, creating a mystical atmosphere.)

  English: The tenuous fog enveloped the valley, creating a mystical atmosphere. This uses 'слабый' poetically.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations ('слабый', 'хрупкий', 'ненадёжный') are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Russian adjectives follow a regular pattern of agreement with nouns. Below is a table for 'слабый' as an example; similar patterns apply to the others with minor variations.

For 'хрупкий', the inflections are identical in pattern but with its own root. 'Ненадёжный' is irregular in some forms due to the prefix, but generally follows the same adjective paradigm. These adjectives do not change in comparative forms without additional suffixes (e.g., слабее for comparative of слабый).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • слабенький (slaben'kiy) - A diminutive, softer version of слабый, often used in informal speech.
  • непрочный (neprochnyi) - Similar to хрупкий, implying fragility.
  • неустойчивый (neustoychivyi) - For contexts of instability, with a nuance of temporariness.
• Antonyms:
  • сильный (sil'nyi) - Strong, opposite of слабый.
  • прочный (prochnyi) - Durable, opposite of хрупкий.
  • надёжный (nadёzhnyi) - Reliable, opposite of ненадёжный.

Related Phrases:

• Слабая связь (slabaya svyaz) - A tenuous connection; used in relationships or networks.
• Хрупкий баланс (khrupkiy balans) - A tenuous balance; refers to delicate equilibria in politics or nature.
• Ненадёжный план (nenadyozhnyi plan) - A tenuous plan; implies an unreliable strategy with potential risks.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'слабый' directly corresponds to the insubstantial aspect of 'tenuous' and is preferred in everyday contexts, while 'хрупкий' aligns more with physical fragility. Be cautious with formal vs. informal settings: 'ненадёжный' might carry a negative connotation in professional discussions. When choosing between translations, consider the noun it modifies—e.g., use 'слабый' for abstract concepts and 'хрупкий' for tangible ones. Grammatically, always decline the adjective to agree with the noun's gender, number, and case to avoid errors.

• Tip: In spoken Russian, 'слабый' can sound pejorative, so use it carefully in sensitive conversations.
• Context guide: For scientific texts, 'хрупкий' is more common than in casual speech.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse these adjectives by not declining them properly. For example, saying "слабый дом" (tenuous house) in genitive case as "слабый дома" instead of "слабого дома" (of a tenuous house). Correct usage: Always adjust the ending, e.g., "слабого дома" for genitive. Another error is confusing 'слабый' with 'слабенький'; the latter is more diminutive and informal, so don't use it in serious contexts. Example of error: *Я имею слабый аргумент* (incorrect if not declined); Correct: Я имею слабый аргумент, but in context: У меня слабый аргумент (I have a tenuous argument).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'хрупкий' often evoke themes of vulnerability in literature (e.g., in works by Chekhov, where tenuous relationships reflect societal fragility). This reflects a broader cultural emphasis on resilience in the face of historical instability, making these terms resonant in discussions of personal or national strength.

Related Concepts:

• устойчивый (ustoychivyi) - Stable
• крепкий (krepkiy) - Sturdy
• неустойчивое равновесие (neustoychivoe ravenstvo) - Unstable equilibrium