Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sympathy'

English Word: sympathy

Key Russian Translations:

• сочувствие (/səˈtʃʊfstvʲɪje/) - [Formal, Singular, Used in emotional or empathetic contexts]
• симпатия (/sʲɪmˈpatʲɪjə/) - [Informal, Singular, Used when referring to liking or attraction, though less precise for 'sympathy']

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in literature, everyday conversations, and media, but not as frequent as basic emotions like love or happiness).

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires understanding of noun declensions and emotional vocabulary; сочувствие may be slightly easier, while nuances with симпатия could reach B2 for context-specific usage).

Pronunciation (Russian):

сочувствие: /səˈtʃʊfstvʲɪje/ (The stress is on the third syllable; note the soft 'т' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.)

Note on сочувствие: The 'ч' is pronounced like the 'ch' in 'church', and the word ends with a soft 'е' that affects the preceding consonant. Pay attention to vowel reductions in casual speech.

симпатия: /sʲɪmˈpatʲɪjə/ (Stress on the second syllable; the initial 'с' is soft, similar to 's' in 'measure'.)

Note on симпатия: This word is borrowed from Greek via Latin, so it may feel more familiar to English speakers, but ensure the palatalized 'т' is not overemphasized.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The feeling of pity or sorrow for someone else's misfortune (e.g., emotional support).

Translation(s) & Context:

• сочувствие - Used in formal or heartfelt situations, such as consoling someone in grief.
• симпатия - Less common here, but could imply a milder form of understanding in casual empathy.

Usage Examples:

• Я выражаю своё сочувствие семье в связи с их потерей. (Ya vyrazhayu svoyo sochuvstvie semye v svyazi s ikh potreyey.)

  I express my sympathy to the family regarding their loss.

• Его сочувствие помогло мне пережить трудные времена. (Yego sochuvstvie pomoglo mne perezhit' trudnyye vremena.)

  His sympathy helped me get through the difficult times.

• Врачи проявили сочувствие к пациенту, объясняя диагноз. (Vrachi proyavili sochuvstvie k patsientu, ob"yasnyaya diagnoz.)

  The doctors showed sympathy to the patient while explaining the diagnosis.

• Её слова сочувствия были очень timely в тот момент. (Yeyo slova sochuvstviya byli ochen' timely v tot moment.)

  Her words of sympathy were very timely at that moment.

Meaning 2: A general sense of shared feelings or liking (e.g., in social or relational contexts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• симпатия - Often used for mutual attraction or affinity, which can overlap with sympathy in informal settings.
• сочувствие - Rarely used here; prefer for deeper emotional bonds.

Usage Examples:

• Между ними сразу возникла симпатия, как будто они давно знакомы. (Mezhdu nimi srazu voznikla simpatya, kak budto oni dolgo znakomy.)

  Sympathy arose between them immediately, as if they had known each other for a long time.

• Его симпатия к друзьям проявилась в поддержке во время кризиса. (Yego simpatya k druz'yam proyavilas' v podderzhke vo vremya krizisa.)

  His sympathy towards his friends showed in his support during the crisis.

• В этой группе есть общая симпатия к искусству. (V etoy gruppe yest' obshchaya simpatya k iskusstvu.)

  There's a general sympathy towards art in this group.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns and follow standard Russian inflection patterns. сочувствие is a neuter noun in the second declension, while симпатия is a feminine noun also in the second declension. They exhibit regular changes based on case, number, and gender.

These forms are regular, but always check context for correct usage. сочувствие does not have irregular inflections.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • сопереживание (soperedzhivanie) - More intense, focusing on shared experience.
  • эмпатия (empathya) - Modern term, borrowed from English, for deeper emotional connection.
• Antonyms:
  • равнодушие (ravnodushie) - Indifference, lack of emotional response.
  • ненависть (nenavist') - Hatred, the opposite of positive feelings.

Related Phrases:

• Выразить сочувствие (Vyrazit' sochuvstvie) - To express sympathy; used in condolences or support.
• Чувство симпатии (Chuvstvo simpatyi) - A sense of sympathy; implies mutual liking in social interactions.
• Сочувствие к жертвам (Sochuvstvie k zhertvam) - Sympathy towards victims; common in humanitarian contexts.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'sympathy' is best translated as сочувствие for emotional pity, aligning closely with English usage in formal contexts like funerals or crises. Симпатия is more about attraction or affinity, so choose based on nuance—use сочувствие for deeper empathy and симпатия for lighter, social bonds. Be mindful of grammatical gender and case; for example, сочувствие requires agreement in adjectives. In spoken Russian, these words often appear in idiomatic expressions to convey cultural politeness.

Common Errors:

• Confusing сочувствие with эмпатия: Learners might overuse эмпатия (empathy) thinking it's identical, but сочувствие is more about pity. Correct: Use сочувствие for 'I feel sorry for you.' Error example: *Я эмпатия к тебе* (incorrect); Correct: Я испытываю сочувствие к тебе.
• Misapplying case: Forgetting to decline in genitive, e.g., *сочувствие друга* instead of *сочувствия друга*. Explanation: Always decline based on context to avoid sounding unnatural.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing сочувствие is a key aspect of social etiquette, especially in times of loss or hardship. It reflects the value placed on collective empathy in Slavic traditions, often seen in literature like Tolstoy's works, where sympathy is intertwined with moral duty.

Related Concepts:

• сострадание (sostradanie)
• понимание (ponimanie)
• эмоциональная поддержка (emotsional'naya podderzhka)