Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unbelievable'

English Word: unbelievable

Key Russian Translations:

• невероятный /nʲɪvʲɪˈrojɑtnɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal/Informal, used for something astonishing or hard to believe]
• удивительный /uˈdʲivʲitʲɪlʲnɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal, often implies positive amazement or wonder]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and media to express surprise or exaggeration)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding adjective forms and contextual nuances; for 'невероятный', it's straightforward, but 'удивительный' may require more context for precise usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

невероятный: /nʲɪvʲɪˈrojɑtnɨj/

удивительный: /uˈdʲivʲitʲɪlʲnɨj/

Note on невероятный: The stress is on the third syllable ('roj'), and the 'й' sound can be tricky for English speakers as it's a palatal approximant; pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Something that is hard to believe or astonishing

Translation(s) & Context:

• невероятный - Used in contexts describing events, stories, or facts that seem impossible or extraordinary, such as in news or personal anecdotes.
• удивительный - Applied in more positive or wondrous contexts, like describing a beautiful landscape or an impressive achievement.

Usage Examples:

• Это невероятная история, которую невозможно проверить.

  This is an unbelievable story that can't be verified. (Context: Expressing skepticism about a tale; shows the adjective in a narrative setting.)

• Его невероятные способности в спорте поразили всех зрителей.

  His unbelievable abilities in sports amazed all the spectators. (Context: Highlighting exceptional talent; demonstrates the adjective modifying a noun in a formal context.)

• Удивительный закат над морем был невероятным зрелищем.

  The amazing sunset over the sea was an unbelievable sight. (Context: Combining both translations for emphasis; illustrates usage in descriptive language.)

• Эта удивительная технология кажется невероятной для 20-го века.

  This amazing technology seems unbelievable for the 20th century. (Context: Discussing innovation; shows variation in adjective placement and sentence structure.)

• Невероятный поворот сюжета сделал фильм еще более удивительным.

  The unbelievable plot twist made the film even more amazing. (Context: In film critique; exemplifies the word in a comparative structure.)

Meaning 2: Expressing extreme admiration or exaggeration

Translation(s) & Context:

• удивительный - Often used informally to hype something positively, like in casual conversations or advertising.

Usage Examples:

• Этот ресторан предлагает удивительную кухню, которая кажется невероятной!

  This restaurant offers amazing cuisine that seems unbelievable! (Context: In a review; shows exclamatory usage for emphasis.)

• Удивительный подарок от друга был для меня невероятным сюрпризом.

  The amazing gift from my friend was an unbelievable surprise for me. (Context: Personal story; illustrates emotional expression.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'невероятный' and 'удивительный' are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns for first-declension adjectives.

For 'невероятный' (irregular in some senses due to its length but follows general rules):

For 'удивительный', it follows the same pattern:

These adjectives do not change in comparative forms without additional suffixes (e.g., 'невероятнее' for comparative), and they are invariant in some fixed phrases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • потрясающий (potryasayushchiy) - Similar to 'amazing', but often more intense; used for overwhelming experiences.
  • фантастический (fantasticheskiy) - Implies something out of fantasy; great for exaggerated praise.
• Antonyms:
  • обычный (obychnyy) - Means 'ordinary' or 'usual'; highlights the lack of astonishment.
  • реальный (real'nyy) - Means 'realistic' or 'believable'; contrasts with exaggerated claims.

Related Phrases:

• Невероятная история (Neveroyatnaya istoriya) - An unbelievable story; used in storytelling or gossip.
• Удивительный мир (Udivitel'nyy mir) - An amazing world; often refers to travel or exploration contexts.
• Невероятные приключения (Neveroyatnye priklyucheniya) - Unbelievable adventures; common in book or film titles.

Usage Notes:

'Невероятный' directly corresponds to 'unbelievable' in contexts of skepticism or astonishment, while 'удивительный' leans towards positive wonder. In Russian, these adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify, which is a key grammatical difference from English. Use 'невероятный' for formal or neutral settings, and 'удивительный' in informal, enthusiastic speech. Be cautious with exaggeration, as Russian culture often employs hyperbole, but overuse can sound insincere.

• Choose 'невероятный' when emphasizing disbelief (e.g., in scientific or news contexts).
• Avoid direct word-for-word translation; consider the emotional tone.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse these adjectives by not adjusting for case and gender, e.g., saying "невероятный книга" instead of "невероятная книга" (for feminine noun). Error: Using 'невероятный' without agreement - Incorrect: "Я видел невероятный вид" (if 'вид' is masculine, it's correct, but if mismatched, e.g., "невероятный женщина"). Correct: "невероятная женщина". Explanation: Russian requires full agreement to maintain grammatical accuracy, unlike English's flexible structure.

• Error: Confusing with synonyms - Incorrect: Using 'удивительный' for negative disbelief. Correct: Stick to 'невероятный' for skeptical contexts. Explanation: This can alter the intended meaning, making something sound positive when it's not.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'невероятный' are frequently used in storytelling and folklore to emphasize the extraordinary, reflecting a tradition of exaggeration in literature (e.g., in fairy tales by Pushkin). This can help convey emotional depth but may not always translate literally in cross-cultural contexts, where understatement is more common in English-speaking societies.

Related Concepts:

• реальный (real'nyy)
• фантастический (fantasticheskiy)
• потрясающий (potryasayushchiy)