Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unstable'

English Word: unstable

Key Russian Translations:

• нестабильный /nʲɪs.taˈbʲil.nɨj/ - [Formal, Adjective]
• неустойчивый /nʲɪ.usˈtoj.ʲi.vɨj/ - [Informal, Used in everyday contexts for physical instability]

Frequency: Medium (Common in scientific, technical, and everyday discussions, but not as frequent as basic adjectives).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of adjective inflections and nuanced vocabulary, with the formal translation being slightly more challenging than the informal one).

Pronunciation (Russian):

нестабильный: /nʲɪs.taˈbʲil.nɨj/ (Stress on the third syllable; the "й" sound is a soft palatal approximant, which can be tricky for English speakers.)

неустойчивый: /nʲɪ.usˈtoj.ʲi.vɨj/ (Stress on the second syllable; note the soft "й" and the vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.)

Note on нестабильный: This word often has a more scientific connotation, and the soft consonants may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Note on неустойчивый: In informal speech, the final vowel might be reduced, making it sound like /nʲɪ.usˈtoj.ʲi.vɨ/.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Not stable in a physical or structural sense (e.g., referring to objects or systems).

Translation(s) & Context:

• нестабильный - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as physics or engineering, to describe something that is prone to change or collapse.
• неустойчивый - More common in everyday informal speech, for example, describing wobbly furniture or unstable weather.

Usage Examples:

• Русский мост оказался нестабильным из-за сильного ветра.

  The Russian bridge turned out to be unstable due to strong winds.

• Эта старая лестница неустойчивая, лучше не используй её.

  This old ladder is unstable; it's better not to use it.

• В эксперименте мы наблюдаем нестабильное поведение частиц.

  In the experiment, we observe the unstable behavior of particles.

• Из-за неустойчивой почвы дом может обвалиться.

  Due to the unstable soil, the house might collapse.

• Нестабильный сигнал делает связь ненадёжной.

  The unstable signal makes the connection unreliable.

Meaning 2: Emotionally or mentally unstable (e.g., referring to a person's state).

Translation(s) & Context:

• нестабильный - Often used in psychological or medical contexts to describe mood swings or mental health issues.
• неустойчивый - Informal, for everyday descriptions of erratic behavior, such as in casual conversations.

Usage Examples:

• Его эмоциональное состояние нестабильное после развода.

  His emotional state is unstable after the divorce.

• Она иногда становится неустойчивой под стрессом.

  She sometimes becomes unstable under stress.

• Нестабильный характер может повлиять на отношения.

  An unstable personality can affect relationships.

• В подростковом возрасте многие люди испытывают неустойчивые эмоции.

  Many people experience unstable emotions during adolescence.

• Из-за нестабильного настроения он часто меняет решения.

  Due to his unstable mood, he often changes his decisions.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "нестабильный" and "неустойчивый" are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a regular pattern for most cases, but they can be irregular in certain contexts. Below is a table for "нестабильный" as an example; "неустойчивый" follows similar rules.

For "неустойчивый", the inflections are identical in structure. These adjectives are regular, but always agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • непостоянный (nepostojannyy) - Similar to unstable, but emphasizes change over time; often used for unpredictable situations.
  • хрупкий (hrupkij) - More specific to fragility, but can imply instability in physical contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • стабильный (stabil'nyy)
  • устойчивый (ustojchivyj)

Related Phrases:

• нестабильная экономика - An unstable economy (Refers to economic fluctuations and volatility).
• неустойчивое равновесие - Unstable equilibrium (Used in physics or metaphorical contexts for precarious balance).
• эмоционально нестабильный - Emotionally unstable (Common in psychological discussions).

Usage Notes:

"Unstable" translates most accurately to "нестабильный" in formal or technical English-Russian contexts, while "неустойчивый" is better for informal, everyday use. Be mindful of the adjective agreement in Russian sentences; it must match the noun's gender, number, and case. For example, choose "нестабильный" for scientific writing but "неустойчивый" in casual conversation. If the context involves emotional instability, "нестабильный" is preferred due to its psychological connotations.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "нестабильный" in informal speech where "неустойчивый" would sound more natural. For instance, saying "Эта стул нестабильный" (incorrect for casual talk) instead of "Эта стул неустойчивый". Correct usage: "неустойчивый" for everyday items to avoid sounding overly formal. Explanation: This can make your speech seem stiff or unnatural in Russian.

• Error: Forgetting adjective inflections, e.g., saying "нестабильный дом" in the genitive case as "нестабильный домa" instead of "нестабильного дома". Correct: "нестабильного дома". Explanation: Russian requires agreement, so always adjust the ending based on the noun's case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "нестабильный" often evoke historical contexts, such as the economic instability following the Soviet Union's dissolution in the 1990s. This term is frequently used in media to describe political or social upheavals, reflecting Russia's turbulent history and resilience in the face of change.

Related Concepts:

• стабильность (stabil'nost')
• кризис (krizis)
• эмоциональная устойчивость (emotsional'naya ustojchivost')