Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'trustworthy'

English Word: trustworthy

Key Russian Translations:

• надежный [nɐˈdʲeʐnɨj] - [Formal, commonly used for people, objects, or systems that can be relied upon]
• достоверный [dəstɐˈvʲernɨj] - [Formal, often in contexts involving accuracy or verifiability, such as information or sources]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are encountered regularly in everyday and professional Russian, but not as frequently as basic adjectives like "good".)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves understanding adjective inflections and contextual nuances, which may vary slightly between translations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

надежный: [nɐˈdʲeʐnɨj]

Note on надежный: The "ж" sound is a soft, palatalized fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds like the "s" in "measure".

достоверный: [dəstɐˈvʲernɨj]

Note on достоверный: Stress on the third syllable; the "вʲ" indicates a palatalized "v", similar to the "v" in "view".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Reliable, dependable, or worthy of trust (in personal, professional, or material contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• надежный - Used in everyday situations to describe people, relationships, or items that are consistently reliable, such as a "trustworthy friend" or "trustworthy car".
• достоверный - Applied more to information, sources, or evidence that is accurate and verifiable, e.g., in journalism or science.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда был надежным коллегой в нашей команде. (He has always been a trustworthy colleague in our team.)

  He has always been a trustworthy colleague in our team.

• Эта информация достоверная, вы можете ей доверять. (This information is trustworthy; you can rely on it.)

  This information is trustworthy; you can rely on it.

• В трудные моменты она показала себя как надежный партнер. (In difficult moments, she proved herself as a trustworthy partner.)

  In difficult moments, she proved herself as a trustworthy partner.

• Мы нуждаемся в достоверных источниках для нашего исследования. (We need trustworthy sources for our research.)

  We need trustworthy sources for our research.

• Его советы всегда надежные, потому что он опытный специалист. (His advice is always trustworthy because he is an experienced specialist.)

  His advice is always trustworthy because he is an experienced specialist.

Meaning 2: Trustworthy in a moral or ethical sense (implying integrity)

Translation(s) & Context:

• надежный - In ethical contexts, emphasizing loyalty and dependability, such as in friendships or business ethics.
• достоверный - Less common here, but can imply ethical reliability in professional settings like law or finance.

Usage Examples:

• В семье ценится надежный человек, который держит слово. (In the family, a trustworthy person who keeps their word is valued.)

  In the family, a trustworthy person who keeps their word is valued.

• Достоверные свидетели необходимы для справедливого суда. (Trustworthy witnesses are necessary for a fair trial.)

  Trustworthy witnesses are necessary for a fair trial.

• Она надежная подруга, всегда готова помочь в трудную минуту. (She is a trustworthy friend, always ready to help in a tough moment.)

  She is a trustworthy friend, always ready to help in a tough moment.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "надежный" and "достоверный" are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern for most cases, but they can be irregular in certain forms. Below is a table outlining the key inflections for each.

Note: These adjectives do not change for verb aspects or tenses, as they are not verbs. They remain relatively regular, but always agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • верный (vernyy) - Often implies loyalty; more emotional than надежный.
  • надежный (itself, but can be synonymous with other contexts of верный).
• Antonyms:
  • ненадежный (nenadezhnyy) - Unreliable.
  • недостоверный (nedostovernyy) - Inaccurate or untrustworthy in terms of information.

Related Phrases:

• надежный партнер (nadezhnyy partner) - A trustworthy partner; used in business or personal relationships to denote reliability.
• достоверные данные (dostovernye dannye) - Trustworthy data; common in scientific or analytical contexts.
• надежный источник (nadezhnyy istochnik) - A trustworthy source; refers to reliable information providers.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "надежный" is the most direct equivalent to "trustworthy" for general use, especially when describing people or objects, while "достоверный" is better for contexts involving facts or evidence. Be mindful of the adjective's agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case. For example, use "надежная" for feminine nouns. English speakers should note that Russian culture emphasizes trust in social and professional settings, so these words often carry a stronger connotation of dependability than in casual English.

• Choose "надежный" for interpersonal trust and "достоверный" for informational accuracy.
• Avoid overusing in informal speech; opt for simpler words like "хороший" in casual contexts.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse these adjectives by not inflecting them correctly or confusing them with similar words. For example:

• Error: Using "надежный" without changing for gender, e.g., "она надежный" (incorrect; should be "она надежная").
• Correct: "Она надежная подруга." Explanation: Adjectives must agree with the noun's gender; here, "она" is feminine.
• Error: Confusing with "верный," e.g., using "верный" to mean accurate information when "достоверный" is more precise.
• Correct: "Достоверные факты" instead of "Верные факты" for trustworthy facts. Explanation: "Верный" implies loyalty, not accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, being "надежный" or "достоверный" is highly valued, reflecting the historical emphasis on community and reliability in challenging environments like the Soviet era. For instance, trustworthy individuals are seen as pillars of society, which can influence usage in literature and media to highlight moral integrity.

Related Concepts:

• честный (chestnyy) - Honest
• верный (vernyy) - Loyal
• надежда (nadezhda) - Hope (conceptually linked to reliability)