Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'useless'

English Word: useless

Key Russian Translations:

• бесполезный [/bʲɪs.pɐ.ˈlʲez.nɨj/] - [Formal/Informal; Adjective used for general descriptions]
• бесполезен [/bʲɪs.pɐ.ˈlʲez.ɪn/] - [Formal; Predicative form, used in specific sentence structures]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations and written texts, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "good" or "bad")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of adjective inflections and basic vocabulary, but straightforward for learners familiar with CEFR levels)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бесполезный: /bʲɪs.pɐ.ˈlʲez.nɨj/

бесполезен: /bʲɪs.pɐ.ˈlʲez.ɪn/

Note on бесполезный: This word has stress on the third syllable ("lʲez"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft consonants; it may sound like "bess-po-LEZ-niy" in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Not useful or effective (Primary meaning, referring to something that lacks purpose or functionality)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бесполезный - Typically used in formal and informal contexts to describe objects, actions, or ideas that are ineffective or pointless, such as in discussions about tools or strategies.
• бесполезен - Often used predicatively in sentences, emphasizing the state of being useless in a more neutral or factual tone.

Usage Examples:

• Эта книга бесполезная для начинающих студентов.

  This book is useless for beginner students. (Demonstrates adjective use with a noun in a nominative context.)

• Попытка объяснить это бесполезна без примеров.

  Trying to explain this is useless without examples. (Shows predicative use in a sentence with a verb.)

• В этом контексте его советы оказались бесполезными.

  In this context, his advice turned out to be useless. (Illustrates use in a past tense scenario with plural agreement.)

• Бесполезный гаджет занимает место на столе.

  The useless gadget is taking up space on the table. (Highlights everyday object description.)

• Её аргументы были бесполезны в дебатах.

  Her arguments were useless in the debate. (Shows use in a formal, argumentative context.)

Wasteful or futile (Secondary meaning, implying inefficiency in resources)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бесполезный - Applied when something wastes time or resources, common in professional or economic discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Бесполезные расходы могут разрушить бюджет.

  Useless expenses can ruin the budget. (Emphasizes financial context.)

• Это бесполезное усилие, лучше остановиться.

  This is a useless effort; it's better to stop. (Demonstrates advice-giving in informal speech.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Бесполезный is an adjective, which follows the standard pattern of Russian adjectives with inflections based on gender, number, and case. It is a second-declension adjective and changes accordingly. Бесполезен is its short form, used predicatively and does not inflect for case.

For бесполезен (short form), it remains unchanged: бесполезен (masc.), бесполезна (fem.), бесполезно (neuter), бесполезны (plural), and is not inflected for case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • непотребный (nepotrebnyy) - More archaic, implies something worthless or indecent.
  • ненужный (nenuzhnyy) - Focuses on something not needed, with less emphasis on ineffectiveness.
• Antonyms:
  • полезный (poleznyy) - Directly opposite, meaning useful or beneficial.
  • эффективный (effektivnyy) - Emphasizes efficiency rather than general utility.

Related Phrases:

• бесполезный расход - Useless expense (Refers to wasteful spending in financial contexts).
• бесполезное занятие - Useless occupation (Describes a pointless activity or job).
• оказаться бесполезным - To turn out useless (Used in narratives to express unexpected failure).

Usage Notes:

Бесполезный directly corresponds to "useless" in English, but it's versatile across formal and informal settings. Choose бесполезный for attributive positions (e.g., before a noun) and бесполезен for predicative ones. Be mindful of gender and case agreements, as Russian adjectives must match the noun they modify. In professional contexts, it's often paired with nouns like "время" (time) to emphasize wasted resources.

Common Errors:

• English learners often forget to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying "Эта вещь бесполезный" instead of "Эта вещь бесполезная" (for feminine nouns). Correct: Use the proper form based on the noun's gender and case to avoid grammatical errors.

• Mixing it with synonyms: Confusing бесполезный with ненужный, leading to "Это бесполезный, потому что оно не нужно" (redundant). Correct: Use бесполезный only for ineffectiveness, not just for "unneeded."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like бесполезный often appear in literature and proverbs to critique inefficiency, reflecting a historical emphasis on practicality in Soviet-era contexts. For example, it echoes themes in works by Chekhov, where futile efforts symbolize broader societal frustrations.

Related Concepts:

• эффективный (effective)
• ненужный (unnecessary)
• бесцельный (aimless)