сча́стье
sčástʹjeneuter
The English word "happiness" can be translated into Russian as either сча́стье (sčástʹje) or ра́дость.
Meaning: emotion of being happy (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| сча́стье | sčástʹje | neuter |
| ра́дость | rádostʹ | feminine |
Use сча́стье to refer to a profound, long-term state of being happy or to one's general good fortune in life. Use ра́дость to describe a specific, often momentary feeling of joy or delight.
Which one should you use?
сча́стье refers to a deep, lasting state of happiness or general fortune, whereas ра́дость refers to a momentary feeling of joy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The neuter noun сча́стье changes to сча́стья in the genitive case, which is used in common phrases such as желаю сча́стья (I wish [you] happiness). The feminine noun ра́дость changes to the genitive form ра́дости.
How do you pronounce it?
sčástʹje
Did you know?
- The word ра́дость can be used as a term of endearment for a person, similar to calling someone 'my joy' or 'my sunshine'.
- The word сча́стье shares a root with the word сча́сливый, meaning 'lucky'. In Russian, the line between being 'happy' and being 'fortunate' is much thinner than in English.
- In certain Russian folk songs, счастье is often personified or treated as a tangible thing that one can 'find' or 'lose' through one's actions.
Examples in context
- Фильм принес счастье всем зрителям.The movie brought happiness to all the viewers.
- Сегодня я испытываю огромную радость и удовлетворение.Today, I am experiencing immense joy and satisfaction.
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Andrey are talking about their lives.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЧто для тебя значит сча́стье?Chto dlya tebya znachit schastye?What does happiness mean to you?
- Андрей AndreyСемья и здоровье, конечно.Semya i zdorovye, konechno.Family and health, of course.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЯ с тобой полностью согласна.Ya s toboy polnostyu soglasna.I completely agree with you.
- Андрей AndreyРад, что мы думаем одинаково.Rad, chto my dumayem odinakovo.I'm glad we think the same way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happiness” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
