Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'miserable'

English Word: miserable

Key Russian Translations:

• несчастный [nʲɪˈʂastnɨj] - [Formal, often used for emotional or unfortunate states]
• жалкий [ˈʐalkʲɪj] - [Informal, emphasizing pity or poor quality]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday conversation, literature, and media, but not as frequent as basic adjectives).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective declensions and nuanced emotional vocabulary; for 'жалкий', it may be A2 for beginners due to simpler pronunciation).

Pronunciation (Russian):

несчастный: [nʲɪˈʂastnɨj]

Note on несчастный: The 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh' (like in 'sheep' but softer), which can be tricky for English speakers; stress on the third syllable.

жалкий: [ˈʐalkʲɪj]

Note on жалкий: The 'ж' is a voiced fricative similar to 's' in 'measure'; stress on the first syllable, with a softer 'кʲ' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Very unhappy or wretched (emotional state)

Translation(s) & Context:

• несчастный - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe deep unhappiness, often with sympathy; common in narratives or psychological discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Он чувствует себя несчастным после потери работы.

  He feels miserable after losing his job.

• Несчастный ребенок плакал в углу комнаты.

  The miserable child was crying in the corner of the room.

• В романе главный герой описан как несчастный и одинокий.

  In the novel, the main character is described as miserable and lonely.

• Она выглядела несчастной на вечеринке, несмотря на улыбку.

  She looked miserable at the party, despite her smile.

Meaning 2: Of poor quality or pitiful (physical or material state)

Translation(s) & Context:

• жалкий - Used in informal contexts to describe something substandard or evoking pity; often in everyday complaints or descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Этот жалкий дом не выдержит зиму.

  This miserable house won't survive the winter.

• Его жалкая попытка спрятать правду никого не обманула.

  His miserable attempt to hide the truth fooled no one.

• Жалкий ужин из остатков еды разочаровал гостей.

  The miserable dinner made from leftovers disappointed the guests.

• В жалкой одежде он выглядел неуместно на свадьбе.

  In his miserable clothes, he looked out of place at the wedding.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'несчастный' and 'жалкий' are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard declension patterns for hard-stem adjectives.

Note: These are regular hard-stem adjective declensions. 'Несчастный' may have slight variations in poetic or archaic usage, but 'жалкий' is generally unchanging in pattern.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: печальный (pechal'nyy) - more focused on sadness; грустный (grustnyy) - everyday sadness without the intensity of misery.
• Antonyms: счастливый (schastlivyy) - happy, directly opposite in emotional state.

Related Phrases:

• Несчастный случай - An unfortunate accident; used in contexts of mishaps or tragedies.
• Жалкий вид - A pitiful appearance; describes someone or something looking wretched or substandard.
• Быть в жалком состоянии - To be in a miserable condition; common in health or economic discussions.

Usage Notes:

'Несчастный' is a more precise match for the emotional aspect of 'miserable' and is preferred in formal writing or when emphasizing sympathy, while 'жалкий' aligns better with the idea of poor quality and is more casual. Be cautious with context: in Russian, these words can carry a tone of pity, which might sound more judgmental than in English. For plural or modified forms, always decline the adjective to match the noun's gender, number, and case to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'несчастный' interchangeably with 'жалкий' without considering context. For example, learners might say "жалкий человек" when meaning emotional unhappiness, but it's better as "несчастный человек" to avoid implying pity over quality.
  Correct: Несчастный человек (A miserable person, emotionally).
  Incorrect: Жалкий человек in this context (implies the person is pitiful in appearance or status).
  Explanation: This confusion arises from overlapping meanings; always check the primary intent.
• Mistake: Forgetting to decline the adjective, e.g., saying "несчастный дети" instead of "несчастные дети".
  Correct: Несчастные дети (Miserable children).
  Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree with nouns, so improper declension can make sentences ungrammatical.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'несчастный' often appear in literature (e.g., in Dostoevsky's works) to depict the human condition of suffering, reflecting a historical emphasis on existential struggles. This can add a layer of depth in conversations about personal hardship, making it a staple in Russian storytelling and philosophy.

Related Concepts:

• грусть (grust') - Sadness
• страдание (stradanie) - Suffering
• бедность (bednost') - Poverty