жа́лкий
žálkij
The English phrase pathetic can be translated into Russian as жа́лкий (žálkij). Wiktionary also lists убо́гий (ubógij).
Meaning: arousing scorn or contempt (adj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| жа́лкий | žálkij |
| убо́гий | ubógij |
The term is used to describe something or someone that arouses scorn or contempt.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the specific nuance of pathetic you wish to convey. Use жа́лкий to describe something that evokes contempt or scorn, such as a pathetic excuse. Use убо́гий if you mean pathetic in the sense of being miserable, wretched or physically and materially destitute.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective жа́лкий changes its form depending on the noun it describes: жа́лкого is the genitive masculine singular form, жа́лкая is the feminine singular form and жа́лкие is the plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
žálkij
Did you know?
- The root of убо́гий comes from the word бог, meaning 'God'. Historically, it referred to those who relied solely on God because they had nothing else.
- The root of жа́лкий is shared with the Russian word for 'to pity', meaning the word inherently carries a sense of feeling pity before the scorn is added.
- In Russian, you can use the phrase жа́лкий вид to describe someone who looks pathetic, but it can also be used sarcastically to describe someone who is trying too hard to look impressive.
Examples in context
- Твоя попытка изобразить крутого парня была полностью отстойной.Your attempt to portray yourself as a cool guy was completely pathetic.
- Это был жа́лкий поступок.Eto byl zhalkiy postupok.It was a pathetic act.
Example conversation
Olga and Alexander are discussing a bad movie.
- Ольга OlgaЭтот фильм просто ужасен.Etot fil'm prosto uzhasen.This movie is just terrible.
- Александр AleksandrДа, и сюжет очень жа́лкий.Da, i syuzhet ochen' zhalkiy.Yes, and the plot is very pathetic.
- Ольга OlgaЯ зря потратил на него время.Ya zrya potratil na nego vremya.I wasted my time on it.
- Александр AleksandrСогласна, это было разочарование.Soglasna, eto bylo razocharovaniye.I agree, it was a disappointment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pathetic” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
