Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sob'

English Word: sob

Key Russian Translations:

• рыдать [rɨˈdatʲ] - [Informal, Emotional]
• плакать [plaˈkatʲ] - [General, can be Formal or Informal]

Frequency: Medium (Common in emotional contexts but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and emotional vocabulary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

рыдать: [rɨˈdatʲ]

Note on рыдать: The stress is on the second syllable; the 'ы' sound is a distinctive Russian vowel, often challenging for English speakers—similar to a tense 'i' in "bit" but more centralized.

плакать: [plaˈkatʲ]

Note on плакать: Stress on the second syllable; the 'a' is pronounced like the 'a' in "father," and the soft 'tʲ' adds a palatalized quality.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To cry noisily with deep breaths, often due to strong emotion (e.g., grief or sadness)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рыдать - Used in intense, emotional contexts, such as describing profound sorrow in literature or personal stories.
• плакать - A more general term for crying, applicable in everyday situations but can imply sobbing if context specifies.

Usage Examples:

• Она рыдала над могилой матери, не в силах сдержать эмоции.

  She sobbed at her mother's grave, unable to hold back her emotions.

• Ребёнок плакал навзрыд, когда потерял свою игрушку.

  The child was sobbing uncontrollably when he lost his toy.

• В фильме героиня рыдала в подушку, вспоминая прошлое.

  In the movie, the heroine sobbed into her pillow, remembering the past.

• Он плакал тихо сначала, но потом начал рыдать вслух.

  He cried quietly at first, but then began to sob out loud.

• После новости о разводе, она рыдала всю ночь, ища утешения у друзей.

  After the divorce news, she sobbed all night, seeking comfort from friends.

Secondary Meaning: As a noun, a convulsive intake of breath while crying (less common in Russian)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рыдание - Refers specifically to a sob or act of sobbing, often in poetic or descriptive contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его рыдания эхом разнеслись по пустой комнате.

  His sobs echoed through the empty room.

• В тишине ночи слышались её прерывистые рыдания.

  In the silence of the night, her intermittent sobs could be heard.

• Рыдание вырвалось из его груди, когда он услышал плохие новости.

  A sob burst from his chest when he heard the bad news.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For verbs like рыдать and плакать, which are first conjugation verbs, they follow standard patterns with irregularities in some forms. Below is a table for рыдать in present tense; плакать is similar but more regular.

For плакать, present tense: я плачу, ты плачешь, он плачет, etc. As nouns, рыдание is neuter and declines as a regular neuter noun: Nominative: рыдание; Genitive: рыдания; Dative: рыданию; etc. These verbs do not have irregular forms but require attention to aspect (e.g., perfective counterparts like рыдать vs. заплакать).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • плакать (more general crying)
  • реветь (to bawl or cry loudly, often with a connotation of loudness)
  Note: "Реветь" implies a louder, more animal-like cry, while "рыдать" is more controlled sobbing.
• Antonyms:
  • смеяться (to laugh)
  • улыбаться (to smile)

Related Phrases:

• Рыдать навзрыд - To sob uncontrollably (used for intense emotional outbursts).
• Плакать в голос - To cry out loud or sob audibly (common in dramatic contexts).
• Зарыдать от счастья - To burst into sobs from happiness (a phrase highlighting mixed emotions).

Usage Notes:

"Sob" in English often implies a specific type of crying with convulsive breaths, which aligns closely with "рыдать" in Russian for emotional depth. Use "рыдать" in formal writing, literature, or when emphasizing profound grief, while "плакать" is more versatile for everyday speech. Be mindful of aspect in Russian verbs: "рыдать" is imperfective, so pair it with perfective forms like "заплакать" for completed actions. English learners should note that Russian emotional vocabulary can vary by regional dialects, and context dictates word choice to avoid sounding overly dramatic.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "рыдать" with "плакать" and using "рыдать" in casual contexts. Incorrect: Я рыдаю из-за простуды (I sob because of a cold). Correct: Я плачу из-за простуды. Explanation: "Рыдать" implies deep emotional pain, not minor discomfort.
• Error: Forgetting verb conjugations, e.g., saying "он рыдать" instead of "он рыдает." Incorrect: Он рыдать вчера. Correct: Он рыдал вчера. Explanation: Russian verbs must agree in person, number, and tense; always conjugate based on subject.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of emotion like sobbing ("рыдать") are often portrayed in literature and films as cathartic, reflecting the depth of Slavic emotional expression. For instance, in works by Tolstoy or Dostoevsky, characters frequently "рыдают" to convey inner turmoil, which can stem from historical contexts of hardship and resilience.

Related Concepts:

• грусть (sadness)
• слёзы (tears)
• эмоции (emotions)