Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| некраси́вый | nekrasívyj |
| безобра́зный | bezobráznyj |
| уро́дливый | uródlivyj |
| стра́шный | strášnyj |
These terms all describe something or someone that is displeasing to the eye or not aesthetically pleasing.
What does it mean word for word?
The word некраси́вый is formed by the prefix не– (not) and the adjective краси́вый (beautiful). The word безобра́зный is built from the prefix без– (without) and the root образ (image/form/shape).
Which one should you use?
некраси́вый is the most neutral and common way to say someone or something is not beautiful, often used as a polite euphemism for 'ugly'. уро́дливый is a stronger, more clinical or descriptive term for physical ugliness, often implying a lack of proportion or a deformity. безобра́зный is a very strong term that can mean both physically hideous and, metaphorically, morally abominable or outrageous. стра́шный is also provided in the forms list.
How do you pronounce it?
nekrasívyj
Did you know?
- Russian uses стра́шный to describe an overwhelming size or quantity, such as стра́шные деньги to refer to an astronomical amount of money.
- The root образ in безобра́зный is also the root for the word 'image' or 'icon'. This makes the literal meaning of the word 'without a divine image' or 'formless'.
- While стра́шный literally means 'scary', it is frequently used as a slang intensifier to mean 'very' or 'extremely'. A person might describe a 'terrible' cold or an 'ugly' amount of work using this word.
Examples in context
- Она носит некрасивые платья.She wears ugly dresses.
- Твоя новая прическа уродливая!Your new hairstyle is ugly!
- У него грубое и уродливое лицо.He has a rough and ugly face.
- Этот некраси́вый цвет мне совсем не нравится.Etot nekrasivyy tsvet mne sovsem ne nravitsya.I don't like this ugly color at all.
- Почему этот дом такой некраси́вый?Pochemu etot dom takoy nekrasivyy?Why is this house so ugly?
- Это был некраси́вый поступок.Eto byl nekrasivyy postupok.That was an ugly thing to do.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ugly” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
