Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'utterly'

English Word: utterly

Key Russian Translations:

• совершенно [səvɪrˈʃɛnnə] - [Informal, used for everyday emphasis]
• абсолютно [ɐbsɐˈlʲʊtnə] - [Formal, used for absolute or emphatic statements]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in spoken and written Russian to intensify adjectives or verbs)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adverbial usage, but straightforward for learners familiar with basic intensifiers)

Pronunciation (Russian):

совершенно: [səvɪrˈʃɛnnə]

абсолютно: [ɐbsɐˈlʲʊtnə]

Note on абсолютно: The stress falls on the third syllable; be careful with the soft 'l' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning: Completely or absolutely, used as an adverb to emphasize the full extent or degree of something.

Translation(s) & Context:

• совершенно - Suitable for informal contexts, such as casual conversations, to express totality without strong formality.
• абсолютно - Best for formal or professional settings, emphasizing an unyielding or total state.

Usage Examples:

• Он совершенно забыл о встрече, и все пошло наперекосяк.

  He utterly forgot about the meeting, and everything went wrong.

• Эта идея абсолютно бесполезна в текущей ситуации.

  This idea is utterly useless in the current situation.

• Дом был совершенно разрушен после пожара.

  The house was utterly destroyed after the fire.

• Она абсолютно уверена в своем решении, несмотря на советы друзей.

  She is utterly confident in her decision, despite her friends' advice.

• Фильм оказался совершенно скучным, и я уснул на середине.

  The film turned out to be utterly boring, and I fell asleep halfway through.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'совершенно' and 'абсолютно' are adverbs, which typically do not inflect in Russian. They remain unchanged regardless of gender, number, case, or tense. For example:

Note: Unlike nouns or verbs, these adverbs have no variations, making them simple for learners to use consistently.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: полностью (polnost'yu) - Used similarly but often implies completeness without emotional emphasis; совсем (sovsem) - Informal and versatile, but can mean 'quite' in some cases.
• Antonyms: частично (chastichno) - Indicates partiality rather than totality.

Related Phrases:

• совершенно верно - Means "exactly right" or "absolutely correct," used in agreements or confirmations.
• абсолютно новый - Translates to "brand new" or "utterly new," common in product descriptions.
• совершенно безумный - Means "utterly crazy" or "completely mad," for emphasizing extreme behavior.

Usage Notes:

'Utterly' directly corresponds to 'совершенно' in informal English-to-Russian translations, making it ideal for everyday speech, while 'абсолютно' aligns with more formal or emphatic uses. Choose based on context: use 'совершенно' for neutral emphasis and 'абсолютно' when stressing absoluteness. Grammatically, these adverbs precede the adjective or verb they modify, e.g., "utterly ridiculous" becomes "совершенно ridiculous." Be aware that overuse can sound repetitive in Russian conversations.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'совершенно' with 'совсем', thinking they are identical. For example, learners might say "совсем забыл" when meaning "utterly forgot," but 'совсем' can imply "quite" or "almost" in some contexts, altering the meaning.

  Correct: Use 'совершенно забыл' for a stronger emphasis on totality.

• Error: Overusing 'абсолютно' in informal settings, which can make speech sound overly formal or stiff.

  Correct: Opt for 'совершенно' in casual talk to avoid this; for instance, say "совершенно неправильно" instead of "абсолютно неправильно" in everyday conversation.

Cultural Notes:

Words like 'совершенно' and 'абсолютно' are neutral in Russian culture and do not carry specific historical or emotional connotations. However, in Russian communication, emphasizing totality (as with 'utterly') can reflect the cultural value of directness and expressiveness, especially in debates or storytelling, where hyperbole is common.

Related Concepts:

• полностью
• совсем
• абсолютный