Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'debility'

English Word: debility

Key Russian Translations:

• Слабость [ˈslabəsʲtʲ] - [Formal, used in medical or general contexts]
• Недомогание [nʲɪdəmɐˈɡanʲɪje] - [Informal, often for temporary weakness]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in medical, health-related discussions, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves descriptive vocabulary; for 'Слабость', it's straightforward, but 'Недомогание' may require understanding of nuanced health terms)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Слабость: [ˈslabəsʲtʲ]

Недомогание: [nʲɪdəmɐˈɡanʲɪje]

Note on Слабость: The stress is on the first syllable; be cautious with the soft 's' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

Note on Недомогание: This word has a rolling 'r' and a soft 'g', common in Russian; practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Physical weakness or frailty, often due to illness or age.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Слабость - Used in formal medical contexts, such as describing chronic conditions or post-illness effects.
• Недомогание - Applied in informal settings, like everyday conversations about temporary fatigue or minor ailments.

Usage Examples:

• После долгой болезни он испытывал сильную слабость.

  After a long illness, he experienced severe debility.

• Её недомогание не позволяло ей заниматься спортом.

  Her debility prevented her from engaging in sports.

• Врачи диагностировали слабость как симптом основного заболевания.

  Doctors diagnosed debility as a symptom of the underlying disease.

• Из-за недомогания после операции, она нуждалась в дополнительном отдыхе.

  Due to debility after surgery, she needed extra rest.

• Слабость в мышцах может быть признаком общей физической слабости.

  Muscle debility can be a sign of overall physical frailty.

2. General weakness or lack of strength (metaphorical use, though less common for 'debility').

Translation(s) & Context:

• Слабость - In metaphorical contexts, such as emotional or structural weakness, but less frequent for physical debility.

Usage Examples:

• Эта слабость в аргументах сделала его речь менее убедительной.

  This debility in arguments made his speech less convincing. (Note: This extends to non-physical uses.)

• Недомогание духа иногда приводит к потере мотивации.

  Spiritual debility can sometimes lead to a loss of motivation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns with specific inflections based on Russian grammar rules.

For Слабость (feminine noun, 3rd declension):

It follows regular feminine noun patterns with no irregularities.

For Недомогание (neuter noun, follows similar patterns):

This noun is invariable in gender but changes by case and number as shown.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Усталость (fatigue; more temporary than chronic debility)
  • Снижение тонуса (reduced tone; implies a drop in energy levels)
• Antonyms:
  • Сила (strength; direct opposite in physical contexts)
  • Здоровье (health; broader antonym for overall well-being)

Related Phrases:

• Физическая слабость - Physical debility; used in medical reports to specify type of weakness.
• Общая слабость - General debility; refers to overall frailty in the body.
• Послеоперационное недомогание - Post-operative debility; common in recovery contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Слабость' is the most direct translation for 'debility' in formal or medical English, while 'Недомогание' suits informal, everyday scenarios. Choose based on context: use 'Слабость' for chronic conditions and 'Недомогание' for short-term issues. Be mindful of Russian's case system, as these nouns must agree with prepositions and verbs. For example, in sentences, they often pair with verbs like 'испытывать' (to experience). English speakers should note that Russian doesn't always distinguish debility from general fatigue as precisely.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'Слабость' with 'Сила' - Learners might misuse 'Сила' (strength) when meaning debility; correct usage: Incorrect: "Он имеет сила." Correct: "Он имеет слабость." (He has debility.)
• Overusing 'Недомогание' in formal contexts - This word is informal; in medical writing, use 'Слабость' instead. Example: Incorrect: "Пациент жалуется на недомогание хроническое." Correct: "Пациент жалуется на хроническую слабость." (The patient complains of chronic debility.)
• Ignoring case inflections - Forgetting to change to genitive, e.g., Incorrect: "Из-за слабость" Correct: "Из-за слабости" (Due to debility.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'Слабость' can carry connotations of vulnerability, often linked to historical or literary themes of resilience against hardship, as seen in works by authors like Tolstoy. It's not just physical but can imply emotional frailty, reflecting Russia's cultural emphasis on stoicism and overcoming adversity.

Related Concepts:

• Болезнь (illness)
• Усталость (fatigue)
• Инвалидность (disability)