Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'painful'

English Word: painful

Key Russian Translations:

• болезненный [bɐ.lʲɪzˈnʲen.nɨj] - [Adjective, Formal, Used in medical or emotional contexts]
• мучительный [muˈtʃɪtʲelʲnɨj] - [Adjective, Informal, Plural forms possible, Emphasizes emotional suffering]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations about health, emotions, or experiences, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective inflections, suitable for learners with basic grammar knowledge. For 'болезненный', it's B1; for 'мучительный', it's also B1 due to similar structures.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

болезненный: [bɐ.lʲɪzˈnʲen.nɨj]

мучительный: [muˈtʃɪtʲelʲnɨj]

Note on болезненный: The stress is on the third syllable (не́нный), which can be tricky for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on мучительный: The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in German "ich"; practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Causing physical pain or discomfort

Translation(s) & Context:

• болезненный - Used in formal medical or descriptive contexts, such as describing an injury or procedure.

Usage Examples:

• У него болезненный ожог на руке.

  He has a painful burn on his hand.

• Болезненный укол может вызвать слезы.

  A painful injection can cause tears.

• Эта болезненная рана заживает медленно.

  This painful wound is healing slowly.

• Болезненные упражнения помогают в реабилитации.

  Painful exercises help in rehabilitation.

• После операции возникли болезненные ощущения.

  Painful sensations arose after the surgery.

Meaning 2: Causing emotional or mental pain

Translation(s) & Context:

• мучительный - Used in informal or literary contexts to describe emotional distress, such as heartbreak or regret.

Usage Examples:

• Это был мучительный разрыв отношений.

  It was a painful breakup of the relationship.

• Мучительная память о потере не отпускает.

  The painful memory of the loss doesn't let go.

• Его мучительные сомнения мешали принять решение.

  His painful doubts prevented him from making a decision.

• Мучительная правда о прошлом выявилась.

  The painful truth about the past came to light.

• Это мучительное ожидание кажется бесконечным.

  This painful waiting seems endless.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

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

These adjectives are regular and do not have irregular inflections, making them straightforward once the pattern is learned.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неприятный (unpleasant; less intense than болезненный, often used for minor discomfort)
  • трудный (difficult; implies challenge rather than pain)
• Antonyms:
  • приятный (pleasant)
  • безболезненный (painless)

Related Phrases:

• болезненный опыт - A painful experience (Used in contexts of personal growth or trauma).
• мучительная правда - The painful truth (Common in literary or psychological discussions).
• болезненные воспоминания - Painful memories (Often in therapy or storytelling).

Usage Notes:

'Болезненный' is the most direct translation for 'painful' in physical contexts, aligning closely with English usage in medical scenarios, while 'мучительный' is better for emotional pain, similar to 'agonizing' in English. Choose based on context: use 'болезненный' for formal writing and 'мучительный' for informal or narrative styles. Be mindful of adjective agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case, which is a key feature of Russian grammar not present in English.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'болезненный' interchangeably with 'больной' (sick). Correct: 'Больной' means ill or diseased, not necessarily painful; for example, say 'болезненный ожог' instead of 'больной ожог' for a painful burn.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying 'болезненный дом' instead of 'болезненная рана' for feminine nouns. Correct: Always match the adjective to the noun's gender and case, as in 'болезненная рана'.

• Error: Overusing 'мучительный' for physical pain, which can sound dramatic. Correct: Reserve it for emotional contexts; use 'болезненный' for physical issues to avoid exaggeration.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'болезненный' and 'мучительный' often carry a deeper emotional weight, reflecting the historical emphasis on endurance and suffering in literature (e.g., in works by Dostoevsky). This can make discussions of pain more introspective compared to English, where it's often more straightforward.

Related Concepts:

• боль (pain)
• страдание (suffering)
• неприятность (discomfort)