Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Ailing'

English Word: ailing

Key Russian Translations:

• больной [bɐlʲˈnoj] - [Formal, Often used for people]
• хворающий [xvɐˈrajʊʂːɪj] - [Informal, Less common]
• недужный [nʲɪˈduʐnɨj] - [Archaic, Literary]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts like health or describing conditions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "больной"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "хворающий" and "недужный"

Pronunciation (Russian):

больной: [bɐlʲˈnoj]

Note on больной: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "л" sound is palatalized, which is common in Russian.

хворающий: [xvɐˈrajʊʂːɪj]

Note on хворающий: The initial "х" is a guttural sound, unfamiliar to many English speakers, and stress is on the second syllable.

недужный: [nʲɪˈduʐnɨj]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Suffering from illness or poor health (for people)

Translation(s) & Context:

• больной - Used to describe someone who is sick or unwell, often in a medical or formal context.
• хворающий - More conversational, implies recurring or lingering illness.

Usage Examples:

• Он больной уже неделю.

  He has been ailing (sick) for a week.

• Моя бабушка хворает с прошлой зимы.

  My grandmother has been ailing since last winter.

• Больной человек нуждается в уходе.

  An ailing person needs care.

2. Failing or in poor condition (for organizations, economies, etc.)

Translation(s) & Context:

• больной - Metaphorically used to describe failing systems or entities, often in formal writing.

Usage Examples:

• Экономика страны больна.

  The country’s economy is ailing.

• Это больная компания, которой нужны реформы.

  This is an ailing company that needs reforms.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

больной (adjective): Declines according to gender, number, and case as a standard Russian adjective.

хворающий (participle/adjective): Less commonly declined, often used in nominative form as a descriptive term.

недужный (adjective): Rarely used in modern Russian, follows standard adjective declension but mostly appears in literary contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for больной:

• нездоровый (unhealthy)
• заболевший (fallen ill)

Note: "нездоровый" can also mean "unhealthy" in a broader sense, while "заболевший" emphasizes the onset of illness.

Antonyms for больной:

• здоровый (healthy)
• бодрый (vigorous)

Related Phrases:

• больной вопрос - "a sore point" or "a problematic issue"
• больное место - "a weak spot" (literal or metaphorical)
• хворать без причины - "to ail without a reason" (used colloquially to describe unnecessary complaints)

Usage Notes:

• "больной" is the most versatile and frequent translation for "ailing," suitable for both literal (health) and figurative (failing systems) contexts.
• "хворающий" is more informal and often implies a chronic or recurring condition, mostly used for people.
• "недужный" is outdated and primarily found in old literature or poetic contexts; avoid using it in modern speech.
• Unlike English, Russian often uses "больной" as a standalone noun to mean "patient" or "sick person," so context is key.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "больной" interchangeably with "плохой" (bad). Example: *Эта компания плохая* (incorrect for "ailing company") vs. correct *Эта компания больна* (metaphorical use of "sick"). Explanation: "плохой" means "bad" in quality, not "failing" or "ailing."
• Error: Misusing gender/number agreement with "больной." Example: *Она больной* (incorrect) vs. correct *Она больная* (feminine form). Explanation: Adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, health is a frequent topic of conversation, and describing someone as "больной" can carry a tone of concern or sympathy. It’s common to ask about someone’s health in casual dialogue, and the term may appear in well-wishing phrases. Additionally, the metaphorical use of "больной" for failing systems (e.g., economy) often reflects a critical or pessimistic tone in discussions.

Related Concepts:

• здоровье (health)
• болезнь (illness)
• лечение (treatment)