Thread: Opinions Needed

I would like to know what this sounds like to a native speaker. Does it sound like a foreigner or really weird? You may need to correct the grammar also. The last sentence is probably something that only makes sense in English. "To have a bad attitude" may be an idiom meaning to have a poor outlook on life and towards others in general.


Он всегда кажется так гневный со серьезным выражением лица. У него было плохое отношение.

"He always seems so angry with a serious expression on his face. He had a bad attitude."

Он всегда кажется так гневный со серьезным выражением лица. У него было плохое отношение.

First of all, I'll fix it:
Он всегда кажется таким сердитым с серьёзным выражением лица. У него было плохое отношение к .... .
I think that you should say what he had a bad attitude towards.

What about the word 'апатия'? apathy?
-У него была апатия.

IN English we can say that "He had a bad attitude" and it is understood. What would be the equivalent in Russian? Also, what is wrong with using this word " гневный" ?

I think you can say гневный. It's just probably my preference for the word сердитый.
If you mean that he was in no mood to do anything you can say - у него была апатия ко всему. Maybe, someone else will come up with something better.

Originally Posted by DDT

IN English we can say that "He had a bad attitude" and it is understood. What would be the equivalent in Russian? Also, what is wrong with using this word " гневный" ?

it's a rare word, it sounds rather bookish, and I would not use it to describe a person. Maybe you could say "u nego byl gnevnyj vid" -- (he looked angry.

The most imortant is that the original sentence should be correct.
At least, it's not as rare as восьмеро!

May be the last sentence can be translated as "Он видел всё в чёрном свете"

Yeah, of course, you can translate it like that! I'm sure there are tons of ways of saying 'he had a bad attitude' in Russian. But remembering them may take some time.

Originally Posted by laxxy

Originally Posted by DDT

IN English we can say that "He had a bad attitude" and it is understood. What would be the equivalent in Russian? Also, what is wrong with using this word " гневный" ?

it's a rare word, it sounds rather bookish, and I would not use it to describe a person. Maybe you could say "u nego byl gnevnyj vid" -- (he looked angry.

That sucks!! I found this word in my copy of "New Penguin Russian". In the past I have only used сердитый.

Originally Posted by Rostova

May be the last sentence can be translated as "Он видел всё в чёрном свете"

Ooh! I like that. It sounds to me, a little poetic.

Originally Posted by Rostova

May be the last sentence can be translated as "Он видел всё в чёрном свете"

This is more like "he was very pessimistic/had a negative attitude" or something like that, which may be fine, but it does not imply that the person was quick to anger.

Цитаты из Яндекса.

"Гневное анонимное письмо получила редакция областной газеты «Трибуна». Автор угрожал взорвать автозаправку на улице Минайской в Ужгороде в случае, если пешеходам не будет возвращен тротуар."

"Продолжая его дело, мы присоединяем свой гневный голос протеста к могучему голосу всей планеты против третьей мировой войны, которую пытаются разжечь ..."

"Не злоупотребляй голосовыми связками. Помни: тихий, убедительный, если надо гневный голос, влиятельнее крика."

"Лаура испуганно взглянула на него, удивленная его гневным тоном."

You can find whatever you want in Yandex. The sentences you wrote seem to be rather bookish. I mean that they're all fine but there's something that make you think they're bookish. I think it's the style.

Also none of them has a person as the direct object: "u nego byl gnevnyj vid" or "on napisal gnevnoe pis'mo" sound ok even though maybe a bit bookish, but "on byl gnevnyj" doesn't.

He had a bad attitude - I suggest "Он был не в духе"

Он был не в духе normally refers to a particular event in the past whereas the expression 'he had a bad attitude' means something more specific.

Originally Posted by fragdemon

He had a bad attitude - I suggest "Он был не в духе"

As I get it, it's not about one particlular time, it's about him in general.

But I couldn't think of any good translation :/

EDIT: Oh, ReDSanchous has already said it.

Originally Posted by DDT

"He always seems so angry with a serious expression on his face. He had a bad attitude."

Why the 1st sentence is in the past and the 2nd is in the present?
If there is the comma after "angry", the translation was right: "У него всегда такой сердитый, серьезный вид". Without it, it can be like "Когда у него серьезный вид, он всегда кажется сердитым. Он легко раздражался(???)"

You are right. There should have been a comma after angry. However the change in tense from present to past is intentional.

Originally Posted by laxxy

Also none of them has a person as the direct object: "u nego byl gnevnyj vid" or "on napisal gnevnoe pis'mo" sound ok even though maybe a bit bookish, but "on byl gnevnyj" doesn't.

"Он был гневный" мне звучит странно. По-моему, так не говорят.
Нормально было бы "Он был в гневе". [/quote]