Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'needy'

English Word: needy

Key Russian Translations:

• нуждающийся [ˈnuʐdəjʊʂːɪjsjɪj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• бедный [ˈbʲednɨj] - [Informal, Adjective, Often used for financial need]

Frequency: Medium (Common in social and humanitarian contexts, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective inflections and context-specific usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

нуждающийся: [ˈnuʐdəjʊʂːɪjsjɪj]

Note on нуждающийся: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers.

бедный: [ˈbʲednɨj]

Note on бедный: The 'ы' vowel is a central vowel, distinct from 'и'; pronounce it without rounding your lips.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Requiring assistance or support due to poverty or lack (e.g., financially needy)

Translation(s) & Context:

• нуждающийся - Used in formal contexts like social services or charity work.
• бедный - Common in everyday conversations to describe economic hardship.

Usage Examples:

• Этот ребенок нуждающийся в медицинской помощи. (This child is needy of medical help.)

  English: This child is in need of medical help.

• В городе много бедных семей, которые нуждаются в поддержке. (In the city, there are many needy families that require support.)

  English: In the city, there are many poor families that need support.

• Она работает с нуждающимися людьми в приюте. (She works with needy people in the shelter.)

  English: She works with people in need in the shelter.

• Бедные дети часто нуждаются в дополнительном образовании. (Needy children often require extra education.)

  English: Poor children often need additional education.

• Правительство помогает нуждающимся гражданам во время кризиса. (The government assists needy citizens during the crisis.)

  English: The government helps citizens in need during the crisis.

Meaning 2: Emotionally dependent or craving attention (e.g., emotionally needy)

Translation(s) & Context:

• нуждающийся - Less common; used in psychological or relational contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его отношения всегда с нуждающимися партнерами. (His relationships are always with needy partners.)

  English: His relationships are always with partners who are emotionally dependent.

• Эта личность кажется слишком нуждающейся в одобрении. (This person seems too needy for approval.)

  English: This person appears too craving for approval.

• В терапии они обсуждают, как стать менее нуждающимся. (In therapy, they discuss how to become less needy.)

  English: In therapy, they discuss how to become less emotionally dependent.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "нуждающийся" and "бедный" are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives agree with the nouns they modify.

For "нуждающийся" (irregular due to its participial form):

For "бедный" (regular adjective):

These adjectives do not change in invariable contexts but must agree with the noun in standard usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неимущий (neimushchiy) - Similar to бедный, but more formal for destitute.
  • обездоленный (obezdolennыy) - Emphasizes being deprived, often in social contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • богатый (bogatyi)
  • самостоятельный (samostoyatel'nyy)

Related Phrases:

• нуждающиеся в помощи - Needy of help; used in charitable contexts.
• бедные слои населения - Needy segments of the population; refers to lower economic classes.
• оказывать помощь нуждающимся - To assist the needy; a common phrase in humanitarian work.

Usage Notes:

"Needy" translates to "нуждающийся" for a broader sense of requiring support, while "бедный" is more specific to financial poverty. In Russian, always ensure adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe. For example, use "нуждающаяся" for feminine subjects. Choose "бедный" in informal settings and "нуждающийся" in formal or official documents to avoid understatement of emotional needs.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "нуждающийся" without proper inflection, e.g., saying "нуждающийся женщина" instead of "нуждающаяся женщина".
  Correct: Ensure agreement, as in "нуждающаяся женщина". Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender.
• Error: Confusing with "бедный" in emotional contexts, e.g., translating "emotionally needy" as "бедный" which implies poverty.
  Correct: Use "нуждающийся" for emotional dependence. Explanation: This maintains the precise meaning and avoids cultural misinterpretation.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "нуждающийся" often carry a connotation of state-provided support, reflecting the historical influence of Soviet social welfare systems. Discussing someone as "бедный" can evoke empathy but might also imply a call for community assistance, as per traditional Russian values of collective responsibility.

Related Concepts:

• голодный (golodnyy)
• уязвимый (uyazvimyy)
• социальное неравенство (sotsial'noe neravenstvo)