Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'grievous'

English Word: grievous

Key Russian Translations:

• тяжёлый [tʲɪˈʐɛlɨj] - [Formal; used for severe or deeply sorrowful contexts]
• грустный [ˈɡrustnɨj] - [Informal; used for emotional sadness]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, news, and everyday discussions about emotional or serious matters)

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (for тяжёлый); B2 Upper Intermediate (for грустный, due to nuanced emotional connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

тяжёлый: [tʲɪˈʐɛlɨj]

Note on тяжёлый: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure', and can be challenging for English speakers; stress falls on the second syllable.

грустный: [ˈɡrustnɨj]

Note on грустный: The initial 'г' is a voiced velar stop, like 'g' in 'go'; pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Causing great sorrow or grief (e.g., deeply distressing or painful).

Translation(s) & Context:

• тяжёлый - Used in formal or serious contexts, such as describing losses or hardships in literature or news.
• грустный - Applied in informal, everyday situations involving emotional sadness, like personal stories.

Usage Examples:

• Это была тяжёлая утрата для всей семьи. (Eto byla tyazhelaya utratar dlya vsey sem'i.)

  This was a grievous loss for the entire family. (Demonstrates use in a formal context of bereavement.)

• Его слова прозвучали как тяжёлый удар. (Yego slova prozvuchali kak tyazhelyy udar.)

  His words sounded like a grievous blow. (Shows metaphorical use in emotional impact scenarios.)

• Грустный инцидент оставил след в её сердце. (Grustnyy intsident ostavil sled v yeyo serdtse.)

  The grievous incident left a mark on her heart. (Illustrates informal, personal emotional context.)

• Тяжёлые воспоминания не дают ей покоя. (Tyazhelye vospominaniya ne dayut yey pokoya.)

  Grievous memories do not give her peace. (Highlights use in reflective or narrative grammar.)

• Грустный исход встречи разочаровал всех. (Grustnyy iskhod vstrechi razocharoval vsekh.)

  The grievous outcome of the meeting disappointed everyone. (Depicts use in social or interpersonal settings.)

Meaning 2: Severe or serious in nature (e.g., causing harm or injury).

Translation(s) & Context:

• тяжёлый - Common in legal, medical, or descriptive contexts for emphasizing severity.

Usage Examples:

• Тяжёлая болезнь требует немедленного лечения. (Tyazhelaya bolezn' trebuyet nemedlennogo lecheniya.)

  A grievous illness requires immediate treatment. (Example in medical contexts.)

• Тяжёлые раны от аварии изменили его жизнь. (Tyazhelye rany ot avarii izmenili yego zhizn'.)

  The grievous wounds from the accident changed his life. (Shows use with physical harm.)

• Грустный, но тяжёлый урок из опыта. (Grustnyy, no tyazhelyy urok iz opyta.)

  A grievous, though sad, lesson from experience. (Combines with other meanings for nuanced expression.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "тяжёлый" and "грустный" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow regular patterns for most forms.

Note: These follow the standard first-declension adjective pattern. There are no irregular forms for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: серьёзный (seryoznyy; more neutral for serious), скорбный (skorbnyy; specifically for mournful)
• Antonyms: весёлый (veselyy; cheerful, opposite of грустный), лёгкий (lyokhkiy; light or easy, opposite of тяжёлый)

Brief note: "Серьёзный" is often interchangeable with "тяжёлый" in formal contexts but lacks the emotional weight.

Related Phrases:

• Тяжёлая ситуация - A grievous situation; refers to a difficult or burdensome circumstance.
• Грустный случай - A grievous incident; used for sad events in everyday life.
• Тяжёлые времена - Grievous times; common in historical or personal narratives.

Usage Notes:

"Тяжёлый" best matches the severe or sorrowful aspects of "grievous" in formal English contexts, such as legal or medical discussions, while "грустный" suits informal, emotional scenarios. Be mindful of context: in Russian, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe. For example, choose "тяжёлый" over "грустный" when emphasizing gravity rather than mere sadness. English learners should practice inflection to avoid errors in agreement.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "тяжёлый" literally for physical weight, confusing it with "heavy." Correct: In Russian, "тяжёлый" can mean both, but for "grievous," focus on emotional severity. Example of error: *Тяжёлый камень* (meaning a heavy stone) vs. correct for "grievous": Тяжёлая потеря (a grievous loss).
• Mistake: Failing to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying "тяжёлый дом" when it should be "тяжёлая дом" for feminine nouns. Correct: Use the proper form like "тяжёлая дом" (though "дом" is masculine, so it's "тяжёлый дом"). Explanation: Always check noun gender for agreement.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "тяжёлый" often carry a deeper emotional resonance, reflecting the historical context of hardship in Russian literature (e.g., in works by Tolstoy or Dostoevsky). They evoke themes of endurance and melancholy, which are central to the Russian soul, as described in cultural analyses.

Related Concepts:

• Скорбь (skorb'; sorrow)
• Траур (traur; mourning)
• Драма (drama; drama, often implying grievous events)