Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cry'

English Word: Cry

Key Russian Translations:

• плакать [ˈplakətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used for crying or weeping]
• кричать [krʲɪˈtɕatʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Used for shouting or crying out]
• рыдать [rɨˈdatʲ] - [Emotional, Verb, Used for sobbing or intense crying]

Frequency: High (especially "плакать" and "кричать")

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate; "плакать" and "кричать" are A2, while "рыдать" is B1 due to emotional nuance)

Pronunciation (Russian):

плакать: [ˈplakətʲ]

Note on плакать: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "а" sounds like the "a" in "father."

кричать: [krʲɪˈtɕatʲ]

Note on кричать: The "ч" is a soft sound, similar to "ch" in "church," and stress is on the second syllable.

рыдать: [rɨˈdatʲ]

Note on рыдать: Stress on the second syllable. The "ы" is a unique Russian vowel, pronounced as a short, guttural "i."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To weep or shed tears (emotional)

Translation(s) & Context:

• плакать - Commonly used for general crying or weeping, often due to sadness or pain.
• рыдать - Used for intense, uncontrollable sobbing, often in deeply emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Она плакала всю ночь после потери.

  She cried all night after the loss.

• Ребёнок плачет, потому что хочет есть.

  The child is crying because he is hungry.

• Он рыдал, узнав о смерти друга.

  He sobbed upon learning of his friend's death.

2. To shout or call out (non-emotional)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кричать - Used for shouting or crying out, often to get attention or express urgency.

Usage Examples:

• Он кричал о помощи из окна.

  He was crying for help from the window.

• Не кричи на меня, я тебя слышу!

  Don’t cry out at me, I can hear you!

Russian Forms/Inflections:

плакать (to cry/weep): Regular verb, 1st conjugation. Follows standard conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs.

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter/Plural)
Я (I)	плачу	плакал / плакала / плакало / плакали
Ты (You, informal)	плачешь	плакал / плакала / плакало / плакали
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	плачет	плакал / плакала / плакало

кричать (to shout/cry out): Regular verb, 1st conjugation. Similar to "плакать" in structure.

рыдать (to sob): Regular verb, 1st conjugation, follows similar patterns but is less frequently used in everyday speech.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for плакать (to weep):

• реветь (more colloquial, often for children or loud crying)
• хныкать (whining or whimpering)

Synonyms for кричать (to shout):

• орать (colloquial, louder or angrier shouting)
• вопить (intense or desperate shouting)

Antonyms for плакать/рыдать:

• смеяться (to laugh)

Related Phrases:

• плакать навзрыд - to cry bitterly or sob uncontrollably.
• кричать от боли - to cry out in pain.
• рыдать от горя - to sob from grief.

Usage Notes:

• "плакать" is the most general and versatile term for crying and is appropriate in most contexts involving tears.
• "рыдать" implies a higher degree of emotional intensity and is often used in dramatic or tragic situations.
• "кричать" should be used when the act of crying refers to shouting or calling out, not necessarily involving tears.
• Be mindful of the aspect in Russian verbs: "плакать," "кричать," and "рыдать" are imperfective, often describing ongoing or habitual actions. Perfective forms like "заплакать" (to start crying) or "закричать" (to start shouting) may be needed for specific contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "кричать" when referring to crying with tears. Incorrect: "Она кричала от грусти" (She shouted from sadness). Correct: "Она плакала от грусти" (She cried from sadness). Explanation: "кричать" implies shouting, not weeping.
• Error: Overusing "рыдать" in casual contexts. Incorrect: "Ребёнок рыдает, потому что упал" (The child sobs because he fell). Correct: "Ребёнок плачет, потому что упал" (The child cries because he fell). Explanation: "рыдать" is too intense for minor or everyday crying.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, open displays of crying (especially among men) may be less common in public settings compared to some Western cultures. Expressing emotions through crying is often seen as a private matter, though it is more acceptable in highly emotional contexts like funerals or personal loss.

Related Concepts:

• слёзы (tears)
• горе (grief)
• боль (pain)