Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'turbid'

English Word: turbid

Key Russian Translations:

• мутный /ˈmutnɨj/ - [Adjective, Common, used in everyday and scientific contexts]
• замутненный /zəˈmutnʲɪnɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal, often used in technical or descriptive writing]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly encountered in scientific, environmental, and everyday discussions but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "big" or "small".)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can understand and use these adjectives with some practice, though declensions may pose challenges for beginners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мутный: /ˈmutnɨj/ (The stress is on the first syllable; the "ы" sound is a mid-back unrounded vowel, which can be tricky for English speakers.)

замутненный: /zəˈmutnʲɪnɨj/ (Note the palatalized "т" sound, common in Russian adjectives; pronounce with a soft "n" as in "onion".)

Note on мутный: This word has a clear, guttural quality; beginners often confuse the "ы" with "и", leading to mispronunciations like /ˈmutniː/.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Describing a liquid that is not clear or transparent due to suspended particles.

Translation(s) & Context:

• мутный - Used in everyday contexts, such as describing water or beverages (e.g., in casual conversation or environmental reports).
• замутненный - Applied in more formal or scientific settings, like laboratory descriptions or technical writing.

Usage Examples:

• Русская река была мутной после дождя, и в ней трудно было видеть дно.

  The Russian river was turbid after the rain, and it was hard to see the bottom.

• Мутный сок из свежих фруктов часто содержит больше витаминов, чем прозрачный.

  Turbid juice from fresh fruits often contains more vitamins than clear ones.

• Вода в озере стала замутненной из-за промышленных отходов.

  The water in the lake became turbid due to industrial waste.

• Мутный воздух в городе затрудняет дыхание во время смога.

  The turbid air in the city makes breathing difficult during smog.

• Замутненный раствор в лаборатории указывает на наличие примесей.

  The turbid solution in the lab indicates the presence of impurities.

Meaning 2: Figuratively describing something unclear, confused, or disordered (e.g., thoughts or situations).

Translation(s) & Context:

• мутный - Informal usage in metaphorical contexts, like in literature or casual speech.
• замутненный - More formal, often in psychological or philosophical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Его мутные мысли не позволяли сосредоточиться на важном решении.

  His turbid thoughts prevented him from focusing on an important decision.

• Мутная история их отношений запутала всех друзей.

  The turbid history of their relationship confused all their friends.

• Замутненное восприятие реальности часто встречается в стрессовых ситуациях.

  Turbid perception of reality is common in stressful situations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "мутный" and "замутненный" are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives follow the standard pattern of agreement with nouns. "Мутный" is a short-form adjective in some contexts but primarily long-form.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular inflections; they follow the first declension pattern. For unchangeable forms in certain contexts (e.g., in fixed phrases), they remain invariant.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • непрозрачный (neprozrachnyy) - Similar but more focused on lack of transparency; often used interchangeably in scientific contexts.
  • мglistyy (mglistyy) - Implies a foggy or hazy quality, with subtle differences in poetic usage.
• Antonyms:
  • чистый (chistyy) - Directly opposite, meaning clear or pure.
  • прозрачный (prozrachnyy) - Emphasizes transparency, common in optical or liquid descriptions.

Related Phrases:

• Мутная вода - Refers to turbid water, often in environmental or health contexts.
• Замутненный воздух - Describes polluted or hazy air, commonly used in discussions about pollution.
• Мутные дела - A phrase for shady or unclear affairs, implying suspicion in informal settings.

Usage Notes:

"Мутный" is the most direct translation for "turbid" in everyday English-Russian contexts, especially for liquids, while "замутненный" is preferred in formal or technical writing. Be mindful of gender and case agreement in Russian sentences; for example, use "мутная вода" for feminine nouns. In metaphorical uses, "мутный" can convey confusion similar to "turbid" in English idioms, but it's less common in spoken Russian than in literature. When choosing between translations, opt for "мутный" in casual scenarios and "замутненный" for precision in scientific reports.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "мутный" without proper declension, e.g., saying "мутный вода" instead of "мутная вода" (feminine noun).
  Correct: "Мутная вода" – Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify; this is a common oversight for English speakers who don't inflect adjectives.

• Error: Confusing "мутный" with "мокрый" (wet), as both relate to water.
  Correct: Use "мутный" for turbidity, not wetness – Explanation: "Мокрый" means wet, so learners might mix them in descriptions of water, leading to semantic errors.

• Error: Overusing "замутненный" in informal speech.
  Correct: Stick to "мутный" for casual contexts – Explanation: "Замутненный" sounds overly formal and can make speech unnatural; reserve it for written or technical uses.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "мутный" often appear in literature, such as in the works of Tolstoy or Chekhov, to symbolize moral ambiguity or social disorder. For instance, turbid water might metaphorically represent the complexities of rural life in 19th-century Russia, reflecting themes of impurity and change in environmental and societal contexts.

Related Concepts:

• чистота
• загрязнение
• прозрачность