Feelings & Reactions in Russian
Хорошо and плохо got you through A2. Real feelings need finer tools — and each Russian emotion verb brings its own case to the party. Learn the pairings once; feel freely forever.
Glad, Happy, Tired
Short adjectives that agree with the speaker, exactly like the past tense:
| He says | She says | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Я рад | Я рада | I'm glad |
| Я счастлив | Я счастлива | I'm happy |
| Я устал | Я устала | I'm tired |
Я рад тебя видеть!
I'm glad to see you!
Note: рад + infinitive — the warmest of greetings.
Fear Takes the Genitive
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| Я боюсь собак. | I'm afraid of dogs. (genitive plural!) |
| Она боится темноты. | She's afraid of the dark. |
| Боюсь опоздать. | I'm afraid I'll be late. (+ infinitive) |
Missing Takes по
Я скучаю по дому. И по тебе.
I miss home. And you.
Note: скучать по + dative — the expat's verb. Don't confuse with мне скучно (I'm bored)!
Dative Moods
The weather pattern (мне холодно), turned inward:
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| Мне грустно. | I'm sad. |
| Мне весело. | I'm having fun. |
| Мне скучно. | I'm bored. |
| Не волнуйся! | Don't worry! |
Что с тобой? Ты какой-то грустный.
What's up? You seem sad.
Я скучаю по дому. И немного устал.
I miss home. And I'm a bit tired.
Не волнуйся. Пойдём пить чай — будет веселее!
Don't worry. Let's go have tea — you'll feel better!
Common Mistakes
- скучаю vs скучно. Я скучаю по тебе — I miss you. Мне скучно — I'm bored. Mixing them up changes a love letter into an insult.
- бояться + accusative. Fear feeds on the genitive: боюсь собак, not собаки.
- Я грустно. Moods are dative: мне грустно.
What You Can Do Now
You can express joy, fatigue, worry, longing and boredom — and comfort someone else's. Conversations just gained a heart.