Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unimportant'

English Word: unimportant

Key Russian Translations:

• неважный /nʲɪˈvaʐnɨj/ - [Informal, Adjective]
• незначительный /nʲɪzˈnaʧʲɪtʲɪlʲnɨj/ - [Formal, Adjective, Used in academic or professional contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations and written Russian, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "хороший").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions; for 'неважный', it's straightforward, but 'незначительный' may vary slightly in nuance for advanced learners).

Pronunciation (Russian):

неважный: /nʲɪˈvaʐnɨj/ (Note the soft 'н' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to the palatalization.)

незначительный: /nʲɪzˈnaʧʲɪtʲɪlʲnɨj/ (Emphasize the stress on the third syllable; common variation in fast speech may soften the 'ч'.)

Note on неважный: This word often has a reduced stress in casual speech, making it sound like /nʲɪvɐʐˈnɨj/ in informal settings.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Not important or significant, often used to describe something trivial or lacking value.

Translation(s) & Context:

• неважный - Used in everyday informal contexts, such as dismissing minor issues in conversations.
• незначительный - Applied in more formal or precise contexts, like in reports or analyses, to indicate something of little consequence.

Usage Examples:

• Это неважная деталь, не стоит беспокоиться. (This is an unimportant detail; there's no need to worry.)

  English: This is an unimportant detail; there's no need to worry.

• В повседневной жизни незначительные проблемы часто игнорируются. (In everyday life, unimportant problems are often ignored.)

  English: In everyday life, unimportant problems are often ignored. (Here, 'незначительный' shows a formal tone in discussing broader life aspects.)

• Не трать время на неважные встречи. (Don't waste time on unimportant meetings.)

  English: Don't waste time on unimportant meetings. (Demonstrates use in imperative sentences for advice.)

• Его незначительный вклад не повлиял на результат. (His unimportant contribution didn't affect the outcome.)

  English: His unimportant contribution didn't affect the outcome. (Illustrates in a narrative context, emphasizing minimal impact.)

• В этой истории неважные персонажи быстро уходят со сцены. (In this story, unimportant characters quickly exit the stage.)

  English: In this story, unimportant characters quickly exit the stage. (Shows application in literary or descriptive language.)

Meaning 2: Lacking importance in a comparative sense, such as in evaluations or rankings.

Translation(s) & Context:

• неважный - Informal comparison, e.g., in casual opinions about quality.
• незначительный - Formal comparison, often in quantitative contexts like statistics.

Usage Examples:

• Эта книга неважная по сравнению с классикой. (This book is unimportant compared to classics.)

  English: This book is unimportant compared to classics.

• Незначительные изменения в бюджете не повлекут больших проблем. (Unimportant changes in the budget won't cause major issues.)

  English: Unimportant changes in the budget won't cause major issues. (Highlights use in professional settings.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'неважный' and 'незначительный' are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives follow standard patterns, but 'неважный' is irregular in some uses due to its root.

For 'незначительный', it follows a similar pattern but is more regular:

These adjectives do not change in invariable contexts like after certain prepositions, but generally follow Russian adjectival rules.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: незначительный (more formal, emphasizes lack of significance), второстепенный (secondary or subsidiary, often in hierarchical contexts)
• Antonyms: важный (important, direct opposite), значимый (significant, with a connotation of value)

Related Phrases:

• неважная мелочь - (An unimportant triviality; used for minor, insignificant things in daily life.)
• незначительные детали - (Unimportant details; common in descriptions or reports to downplay specifics.)
• игнорировать неважное - (To ignore the unimportant; a phrase for prioritizing tasks.)

Usage Notes:

'Неважный' is a direct and idiomatic translation for 'unimportant' in informal English-Russian contexts, while 'незначительный' is better for formal or precise scenarios. Be cautious with word order in Russian sentences, as adjectives typically precede the noun they modify. For example, always say 'неважный вопрос' instead of reversing it. When choosing between translations, opt for 'неважный' in spoken language and 'незначительный' in written or professional settings to match the appropriate register.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'неважный' in formal writing, e.g., saying "неважный фактор" in a business report instead of "незначительный фактор".
  Correct: "Незначительный фактор" – Explanation: 'Неважный' sounds too casual and may undermine the tone; 'незначительный' is more precise and professional.
• Error: Forgetting to decline the adjective, e.g., saying "в неважный доме" instead of "в неважном доме".
  Correct: "В неважном доме" – Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in case, gender, and number with the noun, so always check the context.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'неважный' or 'незначительный' often reflect a pragmatic approach to life, where dismissing the unimportant is valued in literature and daily interactions, as seen in works by authors like Chekhov who highlight the mundanity of everyday trivialities.

Related Concepts:

• важный
• значимый
• второстепенный