We've learned 20 needed verbs, now let's learn 20 needed adjectives. Adjectives are needed when describing objects, situations, etc. And the list below will mostly be about physical characteristics, because that's what we any beginner needs to learn before anything else!
We will go in pairs and opposites.
Большой VS маленький
Big vs small
These 2 words are probably the most common compared to the rest. Just think about it, how often do we talk about the size of things. Probably every day, right? Make sure to learn these first hand.
Хороший VS плохой
Good vs bad
Same thing here, I think I use these words every single day to describe something. Now, these 2 words don't describe the physical characteristic, but the quality of something. We can use them to describe objects or people's character.
Новый VS старый
New vs old
Pretty straightforward here as well. Старый can also be used to describe a person and their age. Some useful phrases are: старый друг (old friend), новая идея (new idea), новая покупка (new purchase)
Красивый VS уродливый
Beautiful vs ugly
You may say "that's mean to call someone ugly!", and you're right, BUT! We're not learning etiquette or how to be polite here, this is pure linguistics! It's then up to every one of you to use them if you'd like. We have to learn all the words in the Russian dictionary, even if we will never use them.
Умный VS глупый
Smart vs dumb
These two describe someone or something. Глупый isn't a direct translation of "dumb", it has a less harsh meaning. It's somewhere between "foolish" and "dumb" and "stupid", somewhere in between!
Интересный VS скучный
Interesting vs boring
The most important thing for this pair is the pronunciation of скучный. It's pronounced more like скуШный (scoosh-niy). Ч will make a sound of Ш.
Быстрый VS медленный
Fast vs slow
To go back to describing a person, these can be used only for the speed of someone, i.e. they run fast, hence they're быстрый. It can't be used for someone's mental abilities. When do call people "slow" for their mental abilities in English, but not in Russian.
Дорогой VS дешёвый
Expensive, dear vs cheap
The first word "дорогой" has a double meaning. First is just the price of things. Expensive purse, car, house, etc. But a second meaning is "valuable". That may refer to a person, thing, place, city, whatever it is.
Сильный VS слабый
Strong vs weak
Тёплый VS холодный
Warm vs cold
And the very last for this post is these 2. Surprisingly, we use them when describing people as well! People's character may be cold or warm.
These 20 adjectives are essential for any conversation! Just like the content we cover in our 8-week intensive. Join us today and reach the next level of your Russian faster! Click the image below for more details.
