Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unjust'

English Word: unjust

Key Russian Translations:

• несправедливый (/nʲɪˈspra.vʲɪd.lʲɪ.vɨj/) - [Formal; Adjective]
• неправый (/nʲɪˈpra.vɨj/) - [Informal; Adjective; Used in everyday speech or legal contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in discussions of ethics, law, and social issues, but not as frequent as basic everyday vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions and nuanced moral vocabulary. For 'несправедливый', it's B1; for 'неправый', it's A2 due to simpler usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

несправедливый: /nʲɪˈspra.vʲɪd.lʲɪ.vɨj/

неправый: /nʲɪˈpra.vɨj/

Note on несправедливый: The stress is on the third syllable ('spra'), and the soft sign (ʲ) indicates palatalization, which can be tricky for beginners. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on неправый: This word has a more straightforward pronunciation; focus on the initial soft 'n' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Not based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair (e.g., in ethical or legal contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• несправедливый - Used in formal writing, debates, or descriptions of social injustice; often in contexts involving laws, decisions, or actions.
• неправый - Applied in informal conversations, especially when discussing personal wrongs or simple unfairness; less intense than несправедливый.

Usage Examples:

• Русский пример: В этом обществе несправедливый закон часто приводит к социальным протестам.

  English translation: In this society, an unjust law often leads to social protests.

• Русский пример: Он неправый в этом споре, потому что не учёл все факты.

  English translation: He is unjust in this argument because he didn't consider all the facts.

• Русский пример: Несправедливый распределение ресурсов вызывает недовольство среди населения.

  English translation: The unjust distribution of resources causes dissatisfaction among the population.

• Русский пример: Её неправый подход к работе привёл к конфликтам в команде.

  English translation: Her unjust approach to work led to conflicts in the team.

• Русский пример: В истории много примеров несправедливых правителей, которые игнорировали права людей.

  English translation: History has many examples of unjust rulers who ignored people's rights.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'несправедливый' and 'неправый' are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow standard patterns for declension. 'Несправедливый' is a regular adjective, while 'неправый' is also regular but simpler.

Note: These adjectives agree with the nouns they modify. For feminine or neuter nouns, forms change accordingly (e.g., несправедливая for feminine singular). They do not have irregular inflections.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • нечестный (/nʲɪˈt͡ɕes.tnɨj/) - Similar to 'unjust' but emphasizes dishonesty; often used in business contexts.
  • беззаконный (/bʲɪz.zaˈkon.nɨj/) - Implies lawlessness, more extreme than 'unjust'.
• Antonyms:
  • справедливый (/spra.vʲɪdˈlʲi.vɨj/)
  • честный (/ˈt͡ɕes.tnɨj/)

Related Phrases:

• несправедливый суд - A phrase meaning "unjust trial"; used in legal discussions to highlight bias in court proceedings.
• неправый поступок - Refers to "unjust action"; common in moral or ethical conversations about wrongful behavior.
• бороться с несправедливостью - Means "to fight against injustice"; often in social activism contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Несправедливый' is the most direct translation of 'unjust' in formal contexts, such as legal or philosophical discussions, and it aligns closely with English connotations of moral unfairness. 'Неправый' is better for informal settings and implies a simpler sense of wrongness without deep ethical undertones. Be mindful of context: in Russian, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they describe, which is a key grammatical difference from English. When choosing between translations, opt for 'несправедливый' in written or official language, and 'неправый' in casual speech. Additionally, these words can carry emotional weight, so use them carefully in sensitive topics.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'несправедливый' interchangeably with 'неправый' without considering formality. For example, learners might say "Он неправый закон" (incorrect, as it should be 'несправедливый закон' in formal contexts).

  Correct: Он несправедливый закон. (Explanation: 'Неправый' is too informal for laws; it doesn't fit the context.)

• Error: Forgetting to decline the adjective properly, e.g., saying "несправедливый дом" when it should be "несправедливом доме" in prepositional case.

  Correct: В несправедливом доме. (Explanation: Adjectives in Russian must match the case of the noun, unlike in English.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'несправедливый' often evoke historical contexts such as the injustices under Soviet rule or in modern legal systems. For instance, discussions of 'unjust' laws frequently reference events like the Stalinist purges, highlighting a deep-seated cultural emphasis on fairness and resistance to authority, which can influence how these words are used in everyday language.

Related Concepts:

• справедливость
• мораль
• законность