Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ugly'

English Word: ugly

Key Russian Translations:

• уродливый (/uˈrɔdlʲɪvɨj/) - [Formal, Adjective, Used in descriptive contexts]
• непривлекательный (/nʲɪprʲɪvlʲɪˈkatʲɪlʲnɨj/) - [Informal, Adjective, Used when emphasizing lack of appeal]
• гадкий (/ˈɡadkʲɪj/) - [Informal, Adjective, Used in emotional or negative contexts, e.g., for personality]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, everyday descriptions, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "big").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective declensions and basic vocabulary, with "уродливый" being straightforward, while others may vary slightly in nuance).

Pronunciation (Russian):

уродливый: /uˈrɔdlʲɪvɨj/ (The stress is on the second syllable; note the soft 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.)

непривлекательный: /nʲɪprʲɪvlʲɪˈkatʲɪlʲnɨj/ (Emphasize the stress on the fourth syllable; the 'при' prefix softens the pronunciation.)

гадкий: /ˈɡadkʲɪj/ (A short, sharp sound; the 'г' is guttural, similar to English 'g' in "go".)

Note on уродливый: Be cautious with the palatalized consonants; it might sound like "oo-ROD-li-vy" to English ears, with a slight lisp on 'л'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Describing physical appearance (e.g., unattractive in looks)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уродливый - Used in formal or neutral contexts to describe something visually unappealing, such as a building or object.
• непривлекательный - Informal, often in everyday conversations about people or things lacking aesthetic appeal.

Usage Examples:

• У этого здания уродливый фасад, но оно очень функциональное.

  This building has an ugly facade, but it's very functional.

• Её платье непривлекательное, но удобное для повседневной носки.

  Her dress is ugly, but it's comfortable for everyday wear.

• В музее есть уродливые статуи, которые отпугивают посетителей.

  In the museum, there are ugly statues that scare away visitors.

• Этот гадкий дизайн интерьера не вписывается в современный стиль.

  This ugly interior design doesn't fit into a modern style.

• Уродливый шрам на лице сделал его внешность ещё более выразительной.

  The ugly scar on his face made his appearance even more striking.

Meaning 2: Describing moral or behavioral ugliness (e.g., nasty or unpleasant character)

Translation(s) & Context:

• гадкий - Informal, often used for people with unpleasant traits, like in fairy tales or emotional descriptions.
• уродливый - Less common in this context, but can be used metaphorically for moral flaws.

Usage Examples:

• Его гадкий характер отталкивает всех друзей.

  His ugly character repels all his friends.

• Гадкий поступок сделал его репутацию уродливой в глазах общества.

  The ugly act made his reputation ugly in the eyes of society.

• В этой истории главный герой преодолевает свою гадкую натуру.

  In this story, the main character overcomes his ugly nature.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are adjectives, which in Russian undergo declension based on gender, number, and case. They follow standard adjective patterns, with some irregularities in spelling for "уродливый."

Note: These adjectives are regular in most cases but may soften consonants in certain forms. For feminine and neuter, add appropriate endings (e.g., уродливая for feminine singular).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отвратительный (otvratitel'nyy) - More intense, implying disgust.
  • некрасивый (nekrassivyy) - Milder, focusing on lack of beauty.
• Antonyms:
  • красивый (krasivyy)
  • привлекательный (privlekatel'nyy)

Related Phrases:

• уродливый утёнок (urodlivyy utyonok) - The ugly duckling; a phrase from a fairy tale, referring to something that transforms into beauty.
• гадкий тип (gadkiy tip) - Ugly type; informal for a unpleasant person, with a connotation of moral repulsiveness.
• непривлекательный вид (neprivlekatel'nyy vid) - Ugly sight; used for visually unappealing scenes in travel or descriptions.

Usage Notes:

"Ugly" in English can be direct, but in Russian, choose based on context: use "уродливый" for physical descriptions in formal writing, "непривлекательный" for casual conversations, and "гадкий" for emotional or character-related uses. Be mindful of gender agreement in sentences, as Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender, number, and case. For example, avoid using these with English word order; always place the adjective before the noun in standard Russian.

• In formal contexts, "уродливый" is preferred over "гадкий" to maintain politeness.
• When translating idioms, "уродливый утёнок" directly corresponds to "the ugly duckling," but ensure cultural adaptation.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse gender agreement, e.g., saying "уродливый женщина" instead of "уродливая женщина" (ugly woman). Correct: The adjective must end in "-ая" for feminine nouns. Another error is overusing "гадкий" in formal settings; it's too informal and can sound rude. Example of error: "Этот гадкий дом" (in a business context) vs. Correct: "Этот уродливый дом" to sound more neutral.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "гадкий" evoke fairy tales such as "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen, which has been popularized in Russian literature. This reflects a cultural emphasis on inner beauty and transformation, contrasting with the direct negativity of "ugly" in English.

Related Concepts:

• красивый (beautiful)
• отвратительный (repulsive)
• некрасивый (unattractive)