Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'misery'

English Word: misery

Key Russian Translations:

• несчастье [nʲɪˈʂastʲjə] - [General, commonly used in everyday and literary contexts]
• страдания [strɐˈdanʲɪjə] - [Formal, often in philosophical or emotional discussions]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations appear regularly in Russian literature, media, and conversation, but not as frequently as basic everyday vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of nuanced emotional vocabulary and basic noun declensions, per CEFR standards. For 'несчастье', it's straightforward; for 'страдания', slight variations in context may add complexity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

несчастье: [nʲɪˈʂastʲjə]

Note on несчастье: The 'щ' sound is a soft, hissing 'sh' similar to English 'sh' in 'she', but more palatalized. Stress falls on the second syllable.

страдания: [strɐˈdanʲɪjə]

Note on страдания: Pronounce with emphasis on the third syllable; the 'я' ending softens the sound, common in plural forms.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A state of great physical or mental distress or suffering.

Translation(s) & Context:

• несчастье - Used in general contexts to describe ongoing unhappiness or misfortune, such as in personal stories or news reports.
• страдания - Applied in more formal or introspective contexts, like literature or discussions about endurance and pain.

Usage Examples:

• Его жизнь полна несчастья из-за постоянных неудач. (His life is full of misery due to constant failures.)

  English Translation: His life is full of misery due to constant failures.

• В романе описываются страдания героя во время войны. (The novel describes the misery of the hero during the war.)

  English Translation: The novel describes the misery of the hero during the war.

• Несчастье настигло семью после пожара. (Misery befell the family after the fire.)

  English Translation: Misery befell the family after the fire.

• Её страдания от потери близкого человека были невыносимыми. (Her misery from the loss of a loved one was unbearable.)

  English Translation: Her misery from the loss of a loved one was unbearable.

• В повседневной рутине люди часто игнорируют своё несчастье. (In everyday routine, people often ignore their misery.)

  English Translation: In everyday routine, people often ignore their misery.

Meaning 2: Something that causes great distress or a source of suffering.

Translation(s) & Context:

• несчастье - Refers to an event or cause of misery, often in narrative or descriptive language.
• страдания - Used when emphasizing prolonged or intense sources of pain, such as in medical or emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Эта болезнь стала настоящим несчастьем для всей семьи. (This illness became a real misery for the whole family.)

  English Translation: This illness became a real misery for the whole family.

• Его страдания от одиночества не кончаются. (His misery from loneliness doesn't end.)

  English Translation: His misery from loneliness doesn't end.

• Несчастье войны оставило след в сердцах многих. (The misery of war left a mark on many hearts.)

  English Translation: The misery of war left a mark on many hearts.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns. 'Несчастье' is a neuter noun with standard declension patterns. 'Страдания' is a plural noun form, derived from 'страдание' (suffering), and follows typical first-declension patterns for neuter and feminine nouns.

Note: 'Несчастье' is invariable in plural forms in some contexts but can form a plural as 'несчастья'. 'Страдания' is inherently plural and does not have a singular form in common usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • горе [gorʲe] - Grief; similar to несчастье but often implies deeper emotional pain.
  • беда [bʲɪˈda] - Trouble; used for more immediate or practical forms of misery.
  • мука [ˈmukə] - Torment; interchangeable with страдания in contexts of prolonged suffering.
• Antonyms:
  • счастье [ˈsʲaʂʲʲtʲjə] - Happiness; direct opposite, denoting joy and contentment.
  • радость [ˈradəsʲtʲ] - Joy; contrasts with emotional misery.

Related Phrases:

• Жить в несчастье - To live in misery; implies a prolonged state of unhappiness, often used in personal narratives.
• Испытывать страдания - To experience misery; common in literary or psychological contexts to describe suffering.
• Несчастье не приходит одно - Misery doesn't come alone; a proverbial phrase meaning troubles often come in multiples.

Usage Notes:

When translating 'misery' to Russian, choose 'несчастье' for general, everyday misfortune and 'страдания' for more intense, enduring pain. Both are neutral in tone but can vary by context—use 'несчастье' in informal conversations and 'страдания' in formal writing. Grammatically, these nouns require correct declension based on case, which English speakers might overlook. For example, in prepositional phrases, always adjust endings accordingly.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'несчастье' as an unchangeable word in all contexts. Correct: Remember to decline it, e.g., wrong: "Я думаю о несчастье" (if context demands genitive); right: "Я думаю о несчастье" is correct in nominative, but in other cases like "без несчастья" (genitive). Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case, which can confuse English learners used to fixed forms.

• Error: Confusing 'страдания' with singular forms. Correct: It's always plural; avoid saying *страдание* when meaning general misery. Explanation: This leads to grammatical errors in sentences, as 'страдания' requires plural verb agreement.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'несчастье' and 'страдания' often appear in literature (e.g., Dostoevsky's works), reflecting a philosophical view of human suffering as a path to redemption. This stems from historical contexts like wars and revolutions, where misery is portrayed as a collective experience, emphasizing resilience over despair.

Related Concepts:

• горе
• бедствие
• мука