тоска

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melancholy, longing, anguish, boredom, tedium
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/tɐˈska/
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A heavy sadness with longing, and in everyday speech a dreary boredom or something that feels painfully dull.
Practice using тоска in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • От однообразной работы на всех напала тоска.
    The monotonous work filled everyone with tedium.
  • Для детей такая экскурсия была чистой тоской.
    For the children that tour was sheer tedium.
  • Старый зал без окон был настоящей тоской.
    The old windowless hall was a real dreary place.
  • На даче без книг и людей началась тоска.
    At the dacha without books or people, dreary boredom set in.
  • Слушать их спор было одна тоска.
    Listening to their argument was nothing but a bore.

Similar words

нудность
нудятина
скукота
тягомотина
уныние
тревога
скука
тягомотина
кручина
меланхолия

Meanings

Heavy sadness and longing

noun
emotion
neutral
A deep, oppressive sadness that may include anxiety, yearning, homesickness, or an ache without a clear cause.

Examples

  • После отъезда сына мать долго не могла унять тоску.
    After her son left, the mother could not calm her melancholy for a long time.
  • В письмах звучала тоска по дому.
    The letters carried a longing for home.
  • К вечеру на него навалилась тяжёлая тоска.
    By evening a heavy anguish settled on him.
  • Он говорил с тоской о прошедших годах.
    He spoke with sad longing about the past years.
  • Музыка только усилила его тоску.
    The music only deepened his melancholy.

Similar words

уныние
меланхолия
печаль
грусть
тревога
кручина
подавленность

Dreary boredom

noun
mood
informal
A dull, oppressive boredom, often in a place or situation that feels empty, monotonous, or lifeless.

Examples

  • В пустом посёлке зимой стояла зелёная тоска.
    In winter the empty settlement was filled with hopeless boredom.
  • От однообразной работы на всех напала тоска.
    The monotonous work filled everyone with tedium.
  • На даче без книг и людей началась тоска.
    At the dacha without books or people, dreary boredom set in.
  • Лекция тянулась долго и нагоняла тоску.
    The lecture dragged on and brought on boredom.
  • В комнате царила сонная тоска.
    A sleepy dreariness filled the room.

Similar words

скука
уныние
нудность
скукота
тягомотина

A dull thing

noun
evaluation
informal
Something judged as painfully boring, dreary, or lifeless.

Examples

  • Этот сериал оказался сплошной тоской.
    That series turned out to be pure boredom.
  • Слушать их спор было одна тоска.
    Listening to their argument was nothing but a bore.
  • Старый зал без окон был настоящей тоской.
    The old windowless hall was a real dreary place.
  • Для детей такая экскурсия была чистой тоской.
    For the children that tour was sheer tedium.
  • Не праздник, а тоска получилась.
    It turned into a dull affair, not a celebration.

Similar words

скука
скукота
нудятина
тягомотина
занудство

Etymology

Inherited from Old East Slavic and related to forms across Slavic languages for tightness, anguish, and longing. The exact earlier root is uncertain.

FAQ

What does тоска mean?

Тоска usually means heavy sadness, anguish, or longing, and colloquially it can mean boredom or a dull thing.

Is тоска always untranslatable?

No. It can be hard to translate in literary contexts, but ordinary equivalents include melancholy, longing, boredom, and a bore.

How is тоска different from печаль?

Печаль is general sadness, while тоска feels heavier and often carries anxiety, longing, or oppressive boredom.

Can тоска mean boredom?

Yes. Phrases such as зелёная тоска and наводить тоску use it for dreary boredom or tedium.

What case follows от with тоска?

After от, the genitive form is used, so от тоски is correct.

What is a common Russian expression with тоска?

Тоска по дому means homesickness or longing for home.

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