Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unlikely'

English Word: unlikely

Key Russian Translations:

• невероятный [nʲɪvʲɪˈrojətnɨj] - [Adjective, can be formal or informal, often used in everyday contexts]
• маловероятный [mələvʲɪˈrojətnɨj] - [Adjective, formal, typically in academic or professional settings]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in written Russian, such as news articles or discussions, but less frequent in casual spoken language)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of adjective declensions and nuanced vocabulary; for "невероятный", it's slightly easier, while "маловероятный" may lean toward B2 due to its more formal tone)

Pronunciation (Russian):

невероятный: [nʲɪvʲɪˈrojətnɨj]

Note on невероятный: The stress falls on the third syllable ("roy"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to Russian's vowel reduction in unstressed positions.

маловероятный: [mələvʲɪˈrojətnɨj]

Note on маловероятный: Similar stress pattern to "невероятный," with emphasis on the third syllable; pay attention to the soft sign (ь) affecting the preceding consonant's pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Not likely to happen or be true (improbable).

Translation(s) & Context:

• маловероятный - Used in formal contexts, such as scientific reports or news, to describe events with low probability.
• невероятный - More versatile, applied in informal or everyday situations to express surprise or doubt, e.g., in conversations about unlikely outcomes.

Usage Examples:

• Это событие маловероятно в текущих условиях. (Eto sobytie maloveroyatno v tekushchikh usloviyakh.)

  This event is unlikely under current conditions. (Demonstrates formal usage in a hypothetical scenario.)

• Невероятный поворот, но я верю, что это возможно. (Neveroyatnyy povorot, no ya veru, chto eto vozmozhno.)

  An unlikely turn, but I believe it's possible. (Shows informal usage in storytelling or personal opinion.)

• В таких случаях невероятные вещи случаются чаще, чем кажется. (V takikh sluchayakh neveroyatnye veshchi sluchayutsya chashche, chem kazhetsya.)

  In such cases, unlikely things happen more often than they seem. (Illustrates adjective agreement with plural nouns in a reflective context.)

• Маловероятно, что прогноз оправдается. (Maloveroyatno, chto prognoz opravdetsya.)

  It's unlikely that the forecast will come true. (Emphasizes formal prediction in professional settings.)

• Его невероятная удача шокировала всех. (Yego neveroyatnaya udacha shokirovala vsekh.)

  His unlikely luck shocked everyone. (Highlights emotional or narrative use with possessive structures.)

Meaning 2: Not suitable or appropriate (in a less common sense, e.g., unlikely candidate).

Translation(s) & Context:

• невероятный - Used metaphorically in informal contexts to mean "unsuitable" or "out of place."

Usage Examples:

• Он - невероятный кандидат для этой работы. (On - neveroyatnyy kandidat dlya etoy raboty.)

  He is an unlikely candidate for this job. (Demonstrates metaphorical use in professional evaluations.)

• Невероятная идея, но давайте попробуем. (Neveroyatnaya ideya, no davayte poprobuyem.)

  An unlikely idea, but let's try it. (Shows casual discussion with imperative encouragement.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "невероятный" and "маловероятный" are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. They follow the standard first-declension pattern for adjectives, with no irregularities. Below is a declension table for "невероятный" (singular forms; plural follows similar patterns).

For "маловероятный," the inflections are identical in pattern. These adjectives do not change in the plural form beyond standard agreement (e.g., невероятные for plural nominative).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неправдоподобный (nepravedopodobnyy) - Similar to "implausible," but with a connotation of being hard to believe.
  • сомнительный (somyatel'nyy) - Implies doubt, often used in less formal contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • вероятный (veroyatnyy) - Meaning "probable" or "likely."
  • возможный (vozmozhnyy) - Meaning "possible," highlighting feasibility.

Related Phrases:

• Очень невероятно (Ochen' neveroyatno) - Meaning: Very unlikely; used to emphasize improbability in conversations.
• Маловероятный исход (Maloveroyatnyy iskhod) - Meaning: Unlikely outcome; common in analytical or strategic discussions.
• Невероятная случайность (Neveroyatnaya sluchaynost') - Meaning: Unlikely coincidence; often in narratives or storytelling.

Usage Notes:

"Unlikely" translates most accurately to "невероятный" for general use, but "маловероятный" is preferred in formal or technical contexts where precision is key. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, which can affect sentence structure. For example, choose "невероятный" for casual dialogue and "маловероятный" for written reports. Be cautious with context: "unlikely" as improbable aligns well, but as "unsuitable," it may require additional phrasing.

Common Errors:

• Error: Failing to decline the adjective correctly, e.g., saying "невероятный дом" in genitive case instead of "невероятного дома." Correct: Use the proper form like "невероятного" to match the case. Explanation: Russian requires adjective-noun agreement, which English lacks, leading to grammatical errors.

• Error: Confusing "невероятный" with "невозможный" (impossible). Correct: "Невероятный" means unlikely but possible, while "невозможный" means absolutely impossible. Explanation: This overgeneralization can alter the meaning in discussions of probability.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "невероятный" often appear in literature and folklore to describe miraculous or unexpected events, reflecting a cultural appreciation for fate and irony, as seen in classic works by authors like Pushkin. This adds a layer of dramatic flair, making it more than just a factual descriptor.

Related Concepts:

• возможный (vozmozhnyy)
• вероятность (veroyatnost')
• риск (risk)