groan
Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'groan'
English Word: groan
Key Russian Translations:
- стонать [ˈsto.nətʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Used in contexts of physical pain or emotional distress]
- стон [ston] - [Noun, Neutral, Plural form: стоны [ˈsto.nɨ]]
Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations, literature, and media when describing discomfort or dissatisfaction)
Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; involves basic verb conjugation and noun declension, which may vary in complexity for learners)
Pronunciation (Russian):
стонать: [ˈsto.nətʲ]
Note on стонать: The stress is on the first syllable; the soft 'тʲ' sound can be challenging for English speakers, similar to the 't' in 'nature'.
стон: [ston]
Note on стон: A straightforward pronunciation with stress on the first syllable; no major variations in standard Russian.
Audio: []
Meanings and Usage:
As a verb: To make a deep, low sound expressing pain, unhappiness, or dissatisfaction
Translation(s) & Context:
- стонать - Used in informal or narrative contexts to describe involuntary sounds due to physical or emotional pain, such as in stories or casual conversations.
Usage Examples:
Он стонал от сильной боли в спине. (He groaned from the severe back pain.)
He groaned from the severe back pain.
Девушка стонала, услышав плохие новости. (The girl groaned upon hearing the bad news.)
The girl groaned upon hearing the bad news.
В больнице пациенты стонали всю ночь. (In the hospital, patients groaned all night.)
In the hospital, patients groaned all night.
Он стонал, поднимая тяжелый ящик. (He groaned while lifting the heavy box.)
He groaned while lifting the heavy box.
As a noun: A deep, low sound made in response to pain, unhappiness, or dissatisfaction
Translation(s) & Context:
- стон - Used as a general noun in neutral contexts, often in descriptions of sounds in literature, medical settings, or everyday life.
Usage Examples:
Его стон эхом разнесся по комнате. (His groan echoed through the room.)
His groan echoed through the room.
Слёзы и стоны сопровождали её рассказ. (Tears and groans accompanied her story.)
Tears and groans accompanied her story.
В тишине ночи слышался стон ветра. (In the silence of the night, the groan of the wind was heard.)
In the silence of the night, the groan of the wind was heard.
Её стон боли был невыносимым. (Her groan of pain was unbearable.)
Her groan of pain was unbearable.
Стоны толпы возмущённой заполнили площадь. (The groans of the outraged crowd filled the square.)
The groans of the outraged crowd filled the square.
Russian Forms/Inflections:
For стонать (a verb), it follows the standard first-conjugation pattern in Russian, with regular inflections based on tense, aspect, and person. It is imperfective, meaning it describes ongoing actions.
| Form | Present Tense | Past Tense | Future Tense |
|---|---|---|---|
| I (1st person singular) | стонaю | стонал | буду стонать |
| You (2nd person singular) | стонaешь | стонал | будешь стонать |
| He/She/It (3rd person singular) | стонaет | стонал | будет стонать |
| We (1st person plural) | стонaем | стонали | будем стонать |
| You (2nd person plural) | стонaете | стонали | будете стонать |
| They (3rd person plural) | стонaют | стонали | будут стонать |
For стон (a masculine noun, 3rd declension), it has standard declensions based on case and number. It is invariable in gender but changes in plural forms.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | стон | стоны |
| Genitive | стона | стонов |
| Dative | стону | стонам |
| Accusative | стон | стоны |
| Instrumental | стоном | стонами |
| Prepositional | стоне | стонах |
Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:
- Synonyms: вздохнуть (vzohnut' - to sigh, often interchangeable in emotional contexts), хныкать (hnykat' - to whimper, for softer expressions of distress)
- Antonyms: смеяться (smeyat'sya - to laugh, as it represents the opposite emotional response)
Related Phrases:
- стон боли (ston boli) - Groan of pain; used in medical or emotional descriptions to indicate suffering.
- стон ветра (ston vetra) - Groan of the wind; a poetic phrase for describing natural sounds in literature.
- стон толпы (ston tolpy) - Groan of the crowd; refers to collective expressions of discontent in social or protest contexts.
Usage Notes:
In Russian, "стонать" directly corresponds to the verb form of "groan" and is often used in informal or narrative settings to convey ongoing discomfort, while "стон" aligns with the noun form for a single instance. Be mindful of context: "стонать" is imperfective, implying duration, whereas English "groan" can be more instantaneous. Choose based on formality—use in casual speech but avoid in overly formal writing. Grammatically, ensure proper verb conjugation and noun declension to match sentence structure.
Common Errors:
Error: Using "стонать" in the wrong tense, e.g., saying "Он стонает вчера" instead of "Он стонал вчера" (He groaned yesterday). Correct: "Он стонал вчера." Explanation: Russian verbs require the past tense for completed actions, unlike English where tense is more flexible.
Error: Forgetting declension with "стон," e.g., saying "Я слышал стон" in a genitive context where it should be "Я слышал стона" (of the groan). Correct: "Я слышал стона ветра." Explanation: Always adjust for case to maintain grammatical agreement.
Cultural Notes:
In Russian literature and folklore, such as in works by Tolstoy or Chekhov, "стон" often symbolizes deep emotional or physical suffering, reflecting themes of hardship in Russian culture. It can evoke a sense of stoicism or melancholy, common in expressions of enduring life's challenges, but it doesn't carry specific historical connotations beyond general Slavic storytelling traditions.
Related Concepts:
- вздох (vzdyh - sigh)
- крик (krik - shout)
- хныканье (hnykan'ye - whimpering)