Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sick'

English Word: sick

Key Russian Translations:

• больной [ˈbolʲnɨj] - [Informal, Adjective, Used in everyday health contexts]
• болезненный [bɐlʲɪˈzʲennɨj] - [Formal, Adjective, Often implies chronic or painful illness]

Frequency: High (Common in daily conversations about health and well-being)

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner level, as it involves basic vocabulary and simple grammar structures)

Pronunciation (Russian):

больной: [ˈbolʲnɨj]

болезненный: [bɐlʲɪˈzʲennɨj]

Note on больной: The stress is on the first syllable, and the 'л' sound is palatalized, which can be tricky for English speakers. Pronounce it with a soft 'l' as in 'million'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Physically ill or unwell (the most common sense of 'sick')

Translation(s) & Context:

• больной - Used in informal settings, such as describing personal health or in medical contexts.
• болезненный - Applied in more formal or descriptive contexts, emphasizing pain or ongoing illness.

Usage Examples:

• Я сегодня болен и не могу пойти на работу.

  I am sick today and cannot go to work. (This example shows the adjective in a simple declarative sentence, highlighting everyday excuses.)

• Она выглядит болезненной после долгой болезни.

  She looks sick after a long illness. (Demonstrates the word in a descriptive context, with agreement in gender and case.)

• Дети часто бывают больными в детском саду из-за инфекций.

  Children are often sick in kindergarten due to infections. (Illustrates plural usage and common real-life scenarios.)

• Если ты болен, лучше остаться дома и вызвать врача.

  If you are sick, it's better to stay home and call a doctor. (Shows conditional sentences and advice-giving structures.)

• Мой друг был болен гриппом всю неделю.

  My friend was sick with the flu all week. (Exemplifies past tense and specific illness references.)

Meaning 2: Morally or emotionally disturbed (less common, e.g., 'sick' as in twisted or perverse)

Translation(s) & Context:

• больной - Used metaphorically in informal speech to describe mental or emotional unwellness.

Usage Examples:

• Его идеи кажутся больными и опасными.

  His ideas seem sick and dangerous. (This shows metaphorical use in opinions or critiques.)

• Фильм был слишком больным для меня.

  The movie was too sick for me. (Illustrates cultural or emotional contexts in media discussions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

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

Note: These forms are regular, but pay attention to soft endings in certain cases. If the adjective is used predicatively (e.g., in 'Я болен'), it may not inflect as heavily.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • несчастный [nʲɪsˈʧastnɨj] - Often used for 'unfortunate' or 'ill-fated', with a connotation of pity.
  • захворавший [zɐxˈvoravʂɨj] - More specific to sudden illness, informal.
• Antonyms:
  • здоровый [zdaˈrovɨj] - Healthy, the direct opposite in health contexts.
  • нормальный [nɐrˈmalʲnɨj] - Normal, used metaphorically for emotional well-being.

Related Phrases:

• Быть больным - To be sick; a common phrase for stating one's health status.
• Простудиться и заболеть - To catch a cold and get sick; used in contexts of seasonal illnesses.
• Больной человек - A sick person; refers to someone with a chronic condition, with cultural undertones of care.

Usage Notes:

'Sick' translates most directly to 'больной' in Russian, but choose based on context: use 'больной' for general illness and 'болезненный' for more intense or prolonged states. It's common in informal speech, but in formal writing, pair it with verbs like 'быть' (to be) for clarity. Note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun, which differs from English. For example, when referring to a female, say 'больная' instead of 'больной'.

• Context tip: In medical settings, 'больной' is neutral and widely used, but avoid it in slang for 'cool' as Russian has separate terms like 'крутой'.
• Grammar note: Always ensure adjective-noun agreement to avoid errors in sentences.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget adjective agreement: for example, saying 'Она больной' (incorrect, as it should be 'Она больная' for feminine gender). Correct: 'Она больная' – This error stems from English's lack of gender agreement. Another mistake is overusing 'больной' metaphorically; in Russian, it's less common and can sound awkward without context.

• Incorrect: 'Он больной в голове' (overly literal for 'sick in the head').
• Correct: 'Он не в себе' (more idiomatic for mentally disturbed).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussing being 'sick' (больной) often ties into a communal approach to health, where family and community support is emphasized. Historically, during Soviet times, terms like this were used in propaganda for public health campaigns, reflecting a collective responsibility for well-being.

Related Concepts:

• грипп [ɡrʲip] - Flu
• медицина [mʲɪdʲiˈtsɨnə] - Medicine
• здоровье [zdaˈrovʲjʲe] - Health