Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'moan'

English Word: moan

Key Russian Translations:

• жаловаться [ʐɐləvɐˈtʲsə] - [Informal, Verb; Used in everyday complaints or expressions of dissatisfaction]
• стон [ston] - [Noun; Used to describe a groan or low sound of pain/discomfort]

Frequency: Medium (Common in casual conversations, literature, and media, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "to say")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of verb conjugations for жаловаться and noun declensions for стон, based on CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

жаловаться: [ʐɐləvɐˈtʲsə]

стон: [ston]

Note on жаловаться: The initial 'ж' is a voiced retroflex fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds like the 's' in "measure." Variations may occur in fast speech.

Note on стон: Pronounced with a hard 'т' and a short 'о'; no major variations, but stress is on the first syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

As a verb: To express discontent or complain verbally

Translation(s) & Context:

• жаловаться - Used in informal settings for everyday complaints, such as about weather or daily life; common in spoken Russian.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда жалуется на погоду, но ничего не делает, чтобы изменить ситуацию.

  He always moans about the weather, but does nothing to change the situation.

• Дети жалуются на домашнее задание каждый вечер.

  The kids moan about their homework every evening.

• Почему ты постоянно жалуешься на работу, вместо того чтобы искать новую?

  Why do you keep moaning about your job instead of looking for a new one?

• В этой стране люди жалуются на политику, но редко голосуют.

  In this country, people moan about politics but rarely vote.

As a noun: A low sound of pain, discomfort, or complaint

Translation(s) & Context:

• стон - Used literally for sounds like groaning in pain, or metaphorically for expressions of misery; applicable in medical or emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его стон эхом разнесся по комнате, когда он почувствовал боль.

  His moan echoed through the room when he felt the pain.

• В больнице слышны стоны пациентов всю ночь.

  Moans of patients can be heard all night in the hospital.

• Её стон от разочарования был слышен всем в комнате.

  Her moan of disappointment was audible to everyone in the room.

• После долгого дня работы, его стон облегчения был очевиден.

  After a long day of work, his moan of relief was evident.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For жаловаться (a verb of the first conjugation), it follows standard imperfective verb patterns with irregularities in some forms. It is an intransitive verb and changes based on tense, aspect, and person.

For стон (a masculine noun, second declension), it inflects regularly based on case and number:

Note: стон does not have gender variations but follows standard noun rules without irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Ругаться (to scold or complain angrily; more intense than жаловаться, often in heated arguments)
  • Ныть (to whine; implies persistent, childish complaining)
• Antonyms:
  • Хвалить (to praise; directly opposite to complaining)
  • Молчать (to be silent; opposite in the context of expressing discontent)

Related Phrases:

• Жаловаться на что-то - To complain about something; Used in contexts of dissatisfaction, e.g., in customer service.
• Издавать стон - To let out a moan; Refers to physical or emotional expression of pain.
• Стоны боли - Moans of pain; Common in medical or dramatic descriptions.

Usage Notes:

жаловаться is the most direct translation for the verb "to moan" in the sense of complaining, but it's more formal in written Russian than in casual speech. English speakers should note that Russian often requires specifying what is being complained about (e.g., using the preposition "на" for "about"). For стон as a noun, it's primarily literal, so use it cautiously in metaphorical contexts. When choosing between translations, opt for жаловаться in social scenarios and стон for physical expressions. Always consider the aspect: жаловаться is imperfective, implying ongoing action.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse жаловаться with ругаться, using ругаться when they mean a mild complaint. Correct usage: Say "Я жалуюсь на погоду" (I am complaining about the weather) instead of "Я ругаюсь на погоду" (I am scolding the weather), as the latter implies anger.
• Another error is incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying "Я жаловать" instead of "Я жалуюсь." Remember to use the reflexive form for first-person present tense to avoid sounding ungrammatical.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, complaining (жаловаться) is a common social interaction, often seen in "kitchen table talks" or among friends, reflecting a cultural openness to express dissatisfaction. However, in formal settings, it's viewed as unproductive, aligning with the Russian proverb "Не рой другому яму" (Don't dig a pit for another), which indirectly discourages excessive moaning.

Related Concepts:

• Грусть (sadness)
• Боль (pain)
• Ропот (murmuring or discontent)