боль
bolʹ[bolʲ]feminine
The English word "pain" is translated into Russian as боль (bolʹ).
боль is a feminine noun used to refer to the sensation of bodily suffering or the concept of an ache.
Meaning: ache or bodily suffering (noun)
Which one should you use?
боль is the noun used to name the sensation of pain itself. In contrast, the adverb больно is used to describe the state of experiencing that sensation, such as when saying something is painful or that you are in pain.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While боль is the noun, the adverb больно is used to describe the sensation of being in pain. For example, the phrase мне больно is used to mean "it is painful to me" or "I am in pain."
How do you pronounce it?
bolʹ
Did you know?
- You can turn the noun боль into a personification in literature, where боль is treated as a character or a tangible force that can visit a person.
- While боль is the sensation, the related word болезнь refers to an 'illness' or 'sickness', literally translating to a state of being 'painful'.
- The verb болеть can mean both 'to be in pain' and 'to be sick', depending on whether you follow it with a body part or a general statement.
Examples in context
- Я ощущаю её боль.I feel her pain.This sentence demonstrates how to express feeling someone's боль.Tatoeba #4950495 by Karok, translation #2064125 by Spamster
- Вам уже не больно?Are you no longer in pain?Tatoeba #3180692 by marafon, translation #1714241 by gleki
- Я ощущаю его боль.I feel his pain.Tatoeba #4950496 by Karok, translation #2064126 by Spamster
- У меня болит головаI have a headache
- У меня сильная боль в спинеI have a severe pain in my back
- Мне больноIt hurts me
- Болит горлоI have a sore throat
- У меня болит зубI have a toothache
- Мой живот очень болитMy stomach hurts a lot
- 326 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Olga and Andrey are talking at home about a recent injury.
- Ольга OlgaАндрей, как твоя нога?Andrey, kak tvoya noga?Andrey, how is your leg?
- Андрей AndreyВ ноге всё ещё сильная боль.V noge vsyo eshchyo sil'naya bol'.There is still a strong pain in my leg.
- Ольга OlgaТебе нужно выпить лекарство.Tebe nuzhno vypit' lekarstvo.You need to take some medicine.
- Андрей AndreyДа, эта боль меня изматывает.Da, eta bol' menya izmatyvaet.Yes, this pain is exhausting me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pain” translations and entries боль, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
