Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unwise'

English Word: unwise

Key Russian Translations:

• неразумный /nʲɪrɐˈzumnɨj/ - [Formal, Adjective]
• глупый /ˈɡlupɨj/ - [Informal, Adjective]
• непродуманный /nʲɪprɐdʊˈmanɨj/ - [Neutral, Adjective, Used for decisions or actions]

Frequency: Medium (These words are commonly encountered in everyday Russian conversations, literature, and media, but not as basic as everyday adjectives like "хороший").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; involves understanding adjective declensions and contextual usage. For 'неразумный' and 'глупый', the difficulty is similar, but 'непродуманный' may be slightly easier for beginners due to its straightforward application.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

неразумный: /nʲɪrɐˈzumnɨj/ (The stress is on the third syllable; note the soft 'н' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.)

глупый: /ˈɡlupɨj/ (Stress on the first syllable; the 'г' is pronounced as a hard 'g'.)

непродуманный: /nʲɪprɐdʊˈmanɨj/ (Stress on the fourth syllable; pay attention to the rolling 'р' sound.)

Note on неразумный: This word has a formal tone and may vary slightly in rapid speech, where the soft sign (ь) affects vowel pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning: Lacking good sense or judgment, often implying poor decision-making

Translation(s) & Context:

• неразумный - Used in formal or written contexts, such as discussions about ethics or strategy, to describe actions or people lacking wisdom.
• глупый - Applied in informal, everyday situations to denote foolishness or lack of intelligence, often with a light-hearted or critical tone.
• непродуманный - Neutral context, especially for hasty actions or plans that weren't thought through carefully.

Usage Examples:

• Это было неразумное решение, которое привело к большим потерям.

  This was an unwise decision that led to significant losses. (Formal context, showing the word in a business or strategic setting.)

• Он сделал глупый поступок, не подумав о последствиях.

  He made a foolish action without thinking about the consequences. (Informal context, illustrating everyday mistakes.)

• Её непродуманный комментарий обидел многих людей.

  Her unwise comment offended many people. (Neutral context, demonstrating use in social interactions.)

• В такие моменты неразумные действия могут стоить жизни.

  In such moments, unwise actions can cost lives. (Emphasizing consequences in a dramatic or advisory context.)

• Глупый выбор фильма разочаровал всю компанию.

  The unwise choice of movie disappointed the whole group. (Casual context, showing variation in grammar with nouns.)

Meaning: Not prudent or sensible in a specific situation

Translation(s) & Context:

• неразумный - Often in advisory or educational contexts, e.g., warning against risky behavior.
• глупый - In humorous or reproachful situations, like scolding a child.

Usage Examples:

• Неразумно инвестировать все деньги в один проект.

  It's unwise to invest all your money in one project. (Advisory context, paired with infinitives.)

• Его глупая шутка не понравилась аудитории.

  His unwise joke didn't go over well with the audience. (Humorous context, showing interpersonal dynamics.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations ('неразумный', 'глупый', 'непродуманный') are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns, though they can be irregular in some cases.

For 'неразумный' (an example of a regular adjective):

'Глупый' and 'непродуманный' follow similar patterns and are not irregular. They do not change in short form usage (e.g., 'он глуп' - he is foolish), which is common in predicates.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • дурной (durnoy) - More negative connotation, often implying moral fault.
  • бессмысленный (bessmyslennyy) - Emphasizes lack of purpose or meaning.
• Antonyms:
  • разумный (razumnyy) - Wise or sensible, directly opposite in formal contexts.
  • мудрый (mudryy) - Wise in a profound or experienced way.

Related Phrases:

• неразумный выбор (nerazumnyy vybor) - Unwise choice; used when discussing decisions with potential regrets.
• глупый поступок (glupyy postupok) - Foolish act; common in everyday reprimands or stories.
• непродуманный план (neprodumannyy plan) - Hasty plan; refers to poorly thought-out strategies in professional settings.

Usage Notes:

'Неразумный' is the most direct translation for 'unwise' in formal English contexts, aligning closely with ideas of imprudence without strong emotional weight. 'Глупый' is better for informal or emotional scenarios, as it can sound harsh or playful. When choosing between translations, consider the audience: use 'непродуманный' for action-oriented contexts like planning. Always ensure adjective agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case to avoid grammatical errors.

• In sentences, these adjectives often precede the noun, e.g., "неразумное решение."
• Be cautious with regional variations; in some dialects, 'глупый' might be softened.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'неразумный' with 'глупый', using 'глупый' in formal writing where 'неразумный' is more appropriate, as it sounds too casual. For example:

• Incorrect: "Это глупое решение в бизнесе." (This makes it sound overly emotional.)
• Correct: "Это неразумное решение в бизнесе." (More neutral and professional.)
• Another error is forgetting declension: Incorrectly saying "неразумный дом" instead of "неразумного дома" in genitive case, which disrupts sentence flow.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'неразумный' often carry a moral undertone, influenced by literature such as Dostoevsky's works, where unwise actions lead to character development or tragedy. This reflects a cultural emphasis on wisdom and reflection in decision-making, contrasting with more impulsive Western portrayals.

Related Concepts:

• разумный (wise)
• мудрый (profoundly wise)
• бессмысленный (meaningless)