Random question...

[silentreverie.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to translate some phrases into Russian and one of the words I need to translate is 'grand'. Now when I looked it up in my dictionary it gave me a few possibilities and I'm wondering which one to use in which situation - assuming that they all have a different meaning. The Russian words I found in my dictionary are возвышенный, величественный, великолепный and гордый. The context I'm using it in is 'I want to lead a grand life', meaning a life full of big and marvellous happenings. Which Russian word should I use? спасибо!!
xox Maaike

Comments

[yers.livejournal.com]

Я хочу прожить необыкновенную жизнь
Мне хочется необыкновенной жизни

необыкновенный, not to be confused with необычный 'unusual', implies just that, something big and marvellous... it's one of those Russian words starting with не- that signify a concept in its own right, rather than negate a concept.

Re:

[welgar.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't use "необыкновенная жизнь", it has more to do with "unusual" than with "grand". I guess "жить полной жизнью" is the right idiom.

[yers.livejournal.com]

More to do, in its turn, with living to the full than with leading a grand life. Perhaps it takes growing out of your teens to realise the difference. :-P