Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'lachrymose'

English Word: lachrymose

Key Russian Translations:

• слезливый /ˈslʲezlʲivɨj/ - [Adjective, Formal; used to describe someone or something that is prone to tears or emotional]
• плакссивый /ˈplaksʲivɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal; often used for children or in everyday contexts to indicate whining or tearful behavior]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are encountered in literature and everyday conversation but not as commonly as basic emotional descriptors.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective inflections and emotional vocabulary. For 'слезливый', it's B2; for 'плакссивый', it's A2 due to its simpler, more colloquial use.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

слезливый: /ˈslʲezlʲivɨj/

плакссивый: /ˈplaksʲivɨj/

Note on слезливый: The 'slʲ' sound is a soft 'l' which can be challenging for English speakers; practice with native audio to master the palatalization.

Note on плакссивый: Pronounce the 'ksʲ' as a soft 'ks' blend, similar to 'x' in 'box' but softened.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Tending to cry or be tearful, often in an emotional or sentimental way.

Translation(s) & Context:

• слезливый - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe people, stories, or atmospheres that evoke tears, such as in novels or emotional discussions.
• плакссивый - Applied in informal, everyday situations, especially with children or light-hearted complaints.

Usage Examples:

• Его слезливый характер часто выводит из себя друзей. (His lachrymose nature often annoys his friends.)

  English: His tearful nature often annoys his friends. (Context: Describes a person's habitual emotional state in a social setting.)

• Эта книга полна плакссивых сцен, которые трогают до слез. (This book is full of lachrymose scenes that move one to tears.)

  English: This book is full of tearful scenes that move one to tears. (Context: Literary usage, showing emotional depth in storytelling.)

• Дети иногда бывают плакссивыми, когда устают. (Children can be lachrymose when they're tired.)

  English: Children can be tearful when they're tired. (Context: Informal, everyday parenting scenario.)

• В фильме показаны слезливые моменты из жизни героя. (The film depicts lachrymose moments from the hero's life.)

  English: The film depicts tearful moments from the hero's life. (Context: Cinematic or narrative usage, emphasizing emotional highs.)

• Она всегда слезлива во время романтических фильмов. (She is always lachrymose during romantic movies.)

  English: She is always tearful during romantic movies. (Context: Personal habit in leisure activities.)

Secondary Meaning: Excessively sentimental or maudlin.

Translation(s) & Context:

• слезливый - In contexts where something is overly emotional, like in criticism of art or behavior.

Usage Examples:

• Эта песня кажется слишком слезливой для современной аудитории. (This song seems too lachrymose for a modern audience.)

  English: This song seems too tearful for a modern audience. (Context: Cultural critique of media.)

• Его речи часто бывают слезливыми и преувеличенными. (His speeches are often lachrymose and exaggerated.)

  English: His speeches are often tearful and exaggerated. (Context: Public speaking or rhetorical analysis.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'слезливый' and 'плакссивый' are Russian adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns for first-declension adjectives.

These adjectives follow regular patterns, so they change endings based on the noun's gender, number, and case. There are no irregular forms for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • грустный (grustnyy) - More general sadness, but less focused on tears.
  • печальный (pechal'nyy) - Implies deep sorrow, often with a melancholic connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • веселый (veselyy) - Cheerful or joyous.
  • радостный (radostnyy) - Happy or exultant.

Related Phrases:

• слезливый ребенок (slezlivyy rebenok) - A tearful child; used in parenting or psychological contexts to describe emotional behavior.
• плакссивый тип (plaksivyy tip) - A whiny type; informal slang for someone who complains excessively.
• слезливая история (slezlivaya istoriya) - A tearful story; refers to emotional narratives in literature or film.

Usage Notes:

'Слезливый' is the most direct translation of 'lachrymose' and is preferred in formal or written contexts, while 'плакссивый' is more casual and fits spoken language. English users should note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, which is a key difference from English. Choose 'слезливый' for literary or emotional depth, and 'плакссивый' for everyday, humorous scenarios. Be mindful of cultural nuances where excessive emotion might be seen as weakness in professional settings.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'слезливый' interchangeably with 'грустный' without considering intensity. Correct: 'Слезливый' implies tears, while 'грустный' is just sad. Example of error: Saying "Он грустный" for a tearful person; Correct: "Он слезливый". Explanation: This dilutes the emotional specificity, leading to miscommunication in descriptive contexts.

• Error: Failing to inflect the adjective properly, e.g., using 'слезливый' with a feminine noun without changing to 'слезливая'. Correct: Match the form, like 'слезливая женщина'. Explanation: Russian grammar requires agreement, so uninflected forms sound unnatural to native speakers.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions like 'слезливый' often appear in literature and folk tales, reflecting a tradition of emotional storytelling, as seen in works by authors like Tolstoy. However, in modern Russian society, being overly 'lachrymose' might be viewed as sentimental or outdated, especially in urban or professional environments, where stoicism is valued.

Related Concepts:

• эмоциональный (emotsional'nyy)
• меланхоличный (melancholichnyy)
• сентиментальный (sentimental'nyy)