Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unpleasant'

English Word: unpleasant

Key Russian Translations:

• неприятный [nʲɪˈprʲijətnɨj] - [Formal, commonly used in everyday and written contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This word is commonly encountered in Russian literature, conversations, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives like 'хороший').

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; involves understanding adjective inflections, which can be challenging for learners due to gender, number, and case variations).

Pronunciation (Russian):

неприятный: [nʲɪˈprʲijətnɨj]

Note on неприятный: The stress falls on the third syllable ('yat-'), and the 'й' sound is a soft palatal approximant, which may be tricky for English speakers. Pronounce it with a clear 'nʲ' at the beginning for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Something that causes discomfort, annoyance, or dissatisfaction.

Translation(s) & Context:

• неприятный - Used in formal and informal contexts to describe experiences, people, or situations that are disagreeable, such as in everyday conversations or written descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Это был неприятный опыт для всей семьи. (This was an unpleasant experience for the whole family.)

  English Translation: This was an unpleasant experience for the whole family. (Context: Describing a past event, showing the adjective in a narrative setting.)

• Неприятный запах распространился по комнате. (An unpleasant odor spread through the room.)

  English Translation: An unpleasant odor spread through the room. (Context: Describing sensory experiences, with the adjective modifying a noun.)

• Он оказался неприятным собеседником на вечеринке. (He turned out to be an unpleasant conversation partner at the party.)

  English Translation: He turned out to be an unpleasant conversation partner at the party. (Context: Evaluating people in social situations, demonstrating the adjective in a predicative role.)

• Неприятные новости всегда приходят неожиданно. (Unpleasant news always comes unexpectedly.)

  English Translation: Unpleasant news always comes unexpectedly. (Context: General statements, showing the adjective in plural form for emphasis.)

• Её неприятный тон голоса раздражал всех вокруг. (Her unpleasant tone of voice irritated everyone around.)

  English Translation: Her unpleasant tone of voice irritated everyone around. (Context: Describing abstract qualities, with potential for emotional nuance.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

неприятный is an adjective in Russian, which means it inflects based on gender, number, and case. It follows the standard first-declension pattern for adjectives, with no irregularities. Below is a table outlining its key forms:

Note: This adjective does not have short forms in modern usage, unlike some older Russian styles.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неудобный (neudobnyy) - More specific to inconvenience, often used for physical discomfort.
  • трудный (trudnyy) - Implies difficulty, with a slight overlap in challenging situations.
• Antonyms:
  • приятный (priyatnyy) - Directly opposite, meaning pleasant or agreeable.
  • хороший (horoshiy) - General positive quality, meaning good.

Related Phrases:

• Неприятный сюрприз (Nepriyatnyy syurpriz) - An unpleasant surprise; used in contexts of unexpected negative events.
• Неприятные последствия (Nepriyatnye posledstviya) - Unpleasant consequences; common in discussions of actions and outcomes.
• Неприятный разговор (Nepriyatnyy razgovor) - An unpleasant conversation; refers to awkward or tense dialogues.

Usage Notes:

неприятный is a versatile adjective that directly corresponds to 'unpleasant' in English, but it's more commonly used in formal writing or polite speech rather than casual slang. Always ensure it agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies, as Russian adjectives must. For example, choose this word when emphasizing emotional or sensory discomfort, but consider alternatives like 'неудобный' for physical inconvenience. In multiple-choice scenarios, opt for 'неприятный' in interpersonal or emotional contexts to sound more natural.

• Grammar tip: It can be used predicatively (e.g., "Это неприятно" - This is unpleasant) or attributively (e.g., "неприятный человек").
• Contextual advice: In Russian culture, this word might soften criticism, so it's often paired with euphemisms in social settings.

Common Errors:

• Error: Forgetting to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying "неприятный дом" for a feminine noun like "квартира" as "неприятный квартира" instead of "неприятная квартира".

  Correct: Неприятная квартира (An unpleasant apartment). Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender; this mistake can make your sentence grammatically incorrect and confusing.

• Error: Overusing it as a direct translation without considering nuance, e.g., translating "unpleasant weather" as "неприятный погода" (wrong gender agreement).

  Correct: Неприятная погода (Unpleasant weather). Explanation: 'Погода' is feminine, so the adjective must end in '-ая'. Learners often overlook case changes in complex sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'неприятный' often carry an emotional weight tied to interpersonal relationships or daily hardships, reflecting the language's emphasis on expressing subtle feelings. For instance, it's frequently used in literature (e.g., by authors like Chekhov) to describe the mundane annoyances of life, highlighting a cultural appreciation for resilience in the face of discomfort.

Related Concepts:

• плохой (bad)
• трудный (difficult)
• неудобный (inconvenient)