Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'trifle'

English Word: trifle

Key Russian Translations:

• мелочь [ˈmʲelətɕ] - [Informal, Everyday use for minor or unimportant things]
• ерунда [jɪˈrun.də] - [Informal, Colloquial, Often implies something trivial or nonsense]
• чепуха [ˈtɕe.pʊ.xə] - [Informal, Used for absurd or insignificant matters]
• трайфл [ˈtrɑj.flʲ] - [Neutral, Borrowed term for the English dessert]

Frequency: Medium (Common in casual conversations but not as frequent as everyday words like "дом" or "работа")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Learners at this level can grasp basic usages, but nuances like informal connotations may require practice. For 'трайфл', it's A2 for cultural contexts.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мелочь: [ˈmʲelətɕ] (The stress is on the first syllable; the 'ч' sound is a soft palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'loch'.)

ерунда: [jɪˈrun.də] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'е' at the beginning is a soft 'ye' sound.)

чепуха: [ˈtɕe.pʊ.xə] (Stress on the first syllable; note the soft 'ч' and the vowel shifts in inflections.)

трайфл: [ˈtrɑj.flʲ] (A borrowed word, pronounced with English influence; the final 'л' is softly palatalized.)

Note on мелочь: Be cautious with the soft 'л' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; it softens before certain vowels.

Note on ерунда: This word often carries a dismissive tone, so pronunciation with emphasis can alter its delivery in conversation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Something of little value, importance, or a trivial matter

Translation(s) & Context:

• мелочь - Used in everyday informal settings to dismiss something as unimportant, e.g., in casual chats about daily annoyances.
• ерунда - Applied in contexts where something is not only trivial but also potentially foolish or nonsensical, like in arguments.
• чепуха - Similar to ерунда, but often for absurd ideas, in humorous or light-hearted discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Не беспокойся об этом, это всего лишь мелочь.

  Don't worry about this, it's just a trifle.

• Ерунда, зачем тратить время на такие пустяки?

  Nonsense, why waste time on such trifles?

• Вся эта чепуха не стоит твоего внимания.

  All this trifle isn't worth your attention.

• Мелочь вроде этой не изменит наши планы.

  A trifle like this won't change our plans.

2. A type of English dessert (layered fruit, sponge, and custard)

Translation(s) & Context:

• трайфл - Used in culinary contexts, especially when discussing foreign desserts or in recipes; it's a direct borrowing.

Usage Examples:

• Я приготовил традиционный английский трайфл на десерт.

  I made a traditional English trifle for dessert.

• Трайфл — это легкий и вкусный десерт для вечеринки.

  Trifle is a light and tasty dessert for a party.

• В рецепте трайфла используются ягоды и взбитые сливки.

  The trifle recipe includes berries and whipped cream.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Most key translations like 'мелочь', 'ерунда', and 'чепуха' are feminine nouns, while 'трайфл' is often treated as an indeclinable borrowed noun. Below is a table for 'мелочь' as an example of typical noun inflections in Russian.

For 'ерунда' and 'чепуха', they follow similar feminine noun patterns with regular inflections. 'Трайфл' does not inflect and remains unchanged in all cases (e.g., "трайфл" in nominative and genitive alike), which is common for loanwords.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пустяки (pustaki) - Similar to мелочь, but often for very minor issues; more neutral.
  • мелочишка (melochishka) - A diminutive form, implying even less importance than мелочь.
  • ерундовины (erundoviny) - Informal variant of ерунда for playful contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • серьезное дело (seryoznoe delo) - Something important or significant.
  • важность (vazhnost') - Importance, contrasting with triviality.

Related Phrases:

• Не стоит мелочей (Ne stoit melochey) - Meaning: It's not worth the trifles; used to advise ignoring minor details.
• Ерунда какая-то (Erunda kakaya-to) - Meaning: Some kind of nonsense; expresses frustration with trivial matters.
• Чепуховые заботы (Chepuhovye zaboty) - Meaning: Trifling worries; refers to unimportant concerns in daily life.
• Приготовить трайфл (Prigotovit' trayfl) - Meaning: To prepare a trifle (dessert); common in cooking contexts.

Usage Notes:

Words like 'мелочь' and 'ерунда' are best used in informal settings, as they can sound dismissive in formal contexts. For English speakers, 'trifle' as a trivial matter aligns closely with 'мелочь', but choose 'ерунда' for situations involving absurdity. Grammatically, these nouns require agreement in gender, number, and case with accompanying words. When deciding between translations, opt for 'мелочь' for neutral triviality and 'ерунда' for emotional emphasis. In culinary use, 'трайфл' is straightforward and doesn't require inflection.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'мелочь' in formal writing as if it's a direct synonym for 'trifle' without context. Correct: In formal contexts, say "незначительная деталь" instead. Example of error: "Это мелочь в контракте" (in a business email). Correct: "Это незначительная деталь в контракте." Explanation: 'Мелочь' is too casual and may undermine professionalism.
• Mistake: Mispronouncing 'ерунда' by stressing the wrong syllable, leading to confusion. Correct: Ensure stress on the second syllable [jɪˈrun.də]. Example of error: Pronouncing it as [ˈjɪ.rʊn.də]. Explanation: Incorrect stress can make it sound like a different word, altering the intended meaning.

Cultural Notes:

Words like 'ерунда' and 'чепуха' reflect Russian cultural tendencies to downplay minor issues with humor, often seen in literature and everyday speech (e.g., in Chekhov's works). 'Трайфл' as a dessert highlights cultural exchanges, symbolizing British influences in Russian cuisine, though it's not traditionally Russian and is more novelty in modern contexts.

Related Concepts:

• пустяки
• мелочи жизни
• абсурд
• десерт