душа

Belarusian

Etymology

From Old East Slavic доуша (duša, “soul”), from Proto-Slavic *duša.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [duˈʂa]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

душа́ • (dušá) f inan (genitive душы́, nominative plural ду́шы, genitive plural душ)

1. soul, spirit

Declension

Declension of душа́ (inan hard fem-form accent-d)

	singular	plural
nominative	душа́ dušá	ду́шы dúšy
genitive	душы́ dušý	душ duš
dative	душы́ dušý	ду́шам dúšam
accusative	душу́ dušú	ду́шы dúšy
instrumental	душо́й, душо́ю dušój, dušóju	ду́шамі dúšami
locative	душы́ dušý	ду́шах dúšax
count form	—	душы́1 dušý1

¹Used with the numbers 2, 3, 4 and higher numbers after 20 ending in 2, 3, and 4.

References

• “душа” in Belarusian–Russian dictionaries and Belarusian dictionaries at slounik.org

Bulgarian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Church Slavonic доуша (duša), from Proto-Slavic *duša.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [doˈʃa̟]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ду‧ша́

Noun

душа́ • (dušá) f

1. soul
2. (figurative) spirit, heart
3. (figurative, colloquial) person, soul
4. breath

Declension

Declension of душа́

	singular	plural
indefinite	душа́ dušá	души́ duší
definite	душа́та dušáta	души́те dušíte
vocative form	ду́шо dúšo	души́ duší

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *dušiti.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [doˈʃɤ̟]

Verb

душа́ • (dušá) first-singular present indicative, impf

1. (transitive) to strangle, to choke, to suffocate
2. (figurative) to oppress

Conjugation

    Conjugation of душа́ (conjugation 2.1, imperfective, transitive)

participles		present active participle	past active aorist participle	past active imperfect participle	past passive participle	verbal noun	adverbial participle
masculine	indefinite	душа́щ, душе́щ1 dušášt, dušéšt1	души́л dušíl	душа́л, душе́л1 dušál, dušél1	душе́н dušén		душе́йки dušéjki
	definite subject form	душа́щият, душе́щият1 dušáštijat, dušéštijat1	души́лият dušílijat	—	душе́ният dušénijat
	definite object form	душа́щия, душе́щия1 dušáštija, dušéštija1	души́лия dušílija	—	душе́ния dušénija
feminine	indefinite	душа́ща, душе́ща1 dušášta, dušéšta1	души́ла dušíla	душа́ла, душе́ла1 dušála, dušéla1	душе́на dušéna
	definite	душа́щата, душе́щата1 dušáštata, dušéštata1	души́лата dušílata	—	душе́ната dušénata
neuter	indefinite	душа́що, душе́що1 dušášto, dušéšto1	души́ло dušílo	душа́ло, душе́ло1 dušálo, dušélo1	душе́но dušéno	душе́не dušéne
	definite	душа́щото, душе́щото1 dušáštoto, dušéštoto1	души́лото dušíloto	—	душе́ното dušénoto	душе́нето dušéneto
plural	indefinite	душа́щи, душе́щи1 dušášti, dušéšti1	души́ли dušíli	душа́ли, душе́ли1 dušáli, dušéli1	душе́ни dušéni	душе́ния, душе́нета dušénija, dušéneta
	definite	душа́щите, душе́щите1 dušáštite, dušéštite1	души́лите dušílite	—	душе́ните dušénite	душе́нията, душе́нетата dušénijata, dušénetata

person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present		душа́ dušá	души́ш dušíš	души́ duší	души́м duším	души́те dušíte	душа́т dušát
imperfect		душа́х, душе́х1 dušáh, dušéh1	душе́ше dušéše	душе́ше dušéše	душа́хме, душе́хме1 dušáhme, dušéhme1	душа́хте, душе́хте1 dušáhte, dušéhte1	душа́ха, душе́ха1 dušáha, dušéha1
aorist		души́х dušíh	души́ duší	души́ duší	души́хме dušíhme	души́хте dušíhte	души́ха dušíha
future	pos.	Use ще followed by the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́ма да followed by the present indicative tense
future in the past	pos.	Use the imperfect indicative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́маше да followed by the present indicative tense
present perfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
past perfect		Use the imperfect indicative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future perfect		Use the future indicative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future perfect in the past		Use the future in the past indicative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
renarrative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and душа́л/душе́л1 m, душа́ла/душе́ла1 f, душа́ло/душе́ло1 n, or душа́ли/душе́ли1 pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past renarrative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
dubitative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and душа́л/душе́л1 m, душа́ла/душе́ла1 f, душа́ло/душе́ло1 n, or душа́ли/душе́ли1 pl
aorist		Use the aorist renarrative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect dubitative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало било́ да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		none
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past dubitative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
conclusive		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and душа́л/душе́л1 m, душа́ла/душе́ла1 f, душа́ло/душе́ло1 n, or душа́ли/душе́ли1 pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало е да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past conclusive tense of съм and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
conditional		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
		Use the first aorist indicative tense of бъ́да and души́л m, души́ла f, души́ло n, or души́ли pl
imperative		-	ти	-	-	вие	-
			души́ duší			душе́те dušéte

¹Largely fallen into disuse.

Etymology 3

From Proto-Slavic *dušiti.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈduʃɐ]

Verb

ду́ша • (dúša) first-singular present indicative, impf

1. to sniff

   Synonym: мири́ша (miríša)

2. (figurative, derogatory, informal) to scout around

Conjugation

    Conjugation of ду́ша (conjugation 2.1, imperfective, transitive)

participles		present active participle	past active aorist participle	past active imperfect participle	past passive participle	verbal noun	adverbial participle
masculine	indefinite	ду́шещ dúšešt	ду́шил, души́л1 dúšil, dušíl1	ду́шел dúšel	ду́шен dúšen		ду́шейки dúšejki
	definite subject form	ду́шещият dúšeštijat	ду́шилият, души́лият1 dúšilijat, dušílijat1	—	ду́шеният dúšenijat
	definite object form	ду́шещия dúšeštija	ду́шилия, души́лия1 dúšilija, dušílija1	—	ду́шения dúšenija
feminine	indefinite	ду́шеща dúšešta	ду́шила, души́ла1 dúšila, dušíla1	ду́шела dúšela	ду́шена dúšena
	definite	ду́шещата dúšeštata	ду́шилата, души́лата1 dúšilata, dušílata1	—	ду́шената dúšenata
neuter	indefinite	ду́шещо dúšešto	ду́шило, души́ло1 dúšilo, dušílo1	ду́шело dúšelo	ду́шено dúšeno	ду́шене dúšene
	definite	ду́шещото dúšeštoto	ду́шилото, души́лото1 dúšiloto, dušíloto1	—	ду́шеното dúšenoto	ду́шенето dúšeneto
plural	indefinite	ду́шещи dúšešti	ду́шили, души́ли1 dúšili, dušíli1	ду́шели dúšeli	ду́шени dúšeni	ду́шения, ду́шенета dúšenija, dúšeneta
	definite	ду́шещите dúšeštite	ду́шилите, души́лите1 dúšilite, dušílite1	—	ду́шените dúšenite	ду́шенията, ду́шенетата dúšenijata, dúšenetata

person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present		ду́ша dúša	ду́шиш dúšiš	ду́ши dúši	ду́шим dúšim	ду́шите dúšite	ду́шат dúšat
imperfect		ду́шех dúšeh	ду́шеше dúšeše	ду́шеше dúšeše	ду́шехме dúšehme	ду́шехте dúšehte	ду́шеха dúšeha
aorist		ду́ших, души́х1 dúših, dušíh1	ду́ши, души́1 dúši, duší1	ду́ши, души́1 dúši, duší1	ду́шихме, души́хме1 dúšihme, dušíhme1	ду́шихте, души́хте1 dúšihte, dušíhte1	ду́шиха, души́ха1 dúšiha, dušíha1
future	pos.	Use ще followed by the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́ма да followed by the present indicative tense
future in the past	pos.	Use the imperfect indicative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́маше да followed by the present indicative tense
present perfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
past perfect		Use the imperfect indicative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future perfect		Use the future indicative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future perfect in the past		Use the future in the past indicative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
renarrative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and ду́шел m, ду́шела f, ду́шело n, or ду́шели pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past renarrative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
dubitative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and ду́шел m, ду́шела f, ду́шело n, or ду́шели pl
aorist		Use the aorist renarrative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect dubitative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало било́ да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		none
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past dubitative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
conclusive		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and ду́шел m, ду́шела f, ду́шело n, or ду́шели pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало е да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past conclusive tense of съм and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
conditional		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
		Use the first aorist indicative tense of бъ́да and ду́шил/души́л1 m, ду́шила/души́ла1 f, ду́шило/души́ло1 n, or ду́шили/души́ли1 pl
imperative		-	ти	-	-	вие	-
			души́ duší			душе́те dušéte

¹Dialectally marked.

References

• “душа”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “душа”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010

Macedonian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *duša.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈduʃa]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ду‧ша

Noun

ду́ша • (dúša) f (plural ду́ши, relational adjective ду́шевен, diminutive ду́шичка or ду́шиче)

1. soul
2. spirit
3. (by extension) inhabitant or individual person/soul

   Пе́т души ― Pét duši ― Five people (literally, “Five souls”)

4. (term of endearment) honey, sweetie, darling, dearie (in the vocative)

   ду́шо мо́ја ― dúšo mója ― my darling

5. (figurative) engine

Declension

Declension of душа

	singular	plural
indefinite	душа	души
definite unspecified	душата	душите
definite proximal	душава	душиве
definite distal	душана	душине
vocative	душо	души

References

• “душа” in Дигитален речник на македонскиот јазик (Digitalen rečnik na makedonskiot jazik) [Digital dictionary of the Macedonian language] − drmj.eu

Old Church Slavonic

Noun

душа • (duša) f

1. Alternative form of доуша (duša)

Russian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old East Slavic доуша (duša, “soul”), from Proto-Slavic *duša.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [dʊˈʂa]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

душа́ • (dušá) f inan (genitive души́, nominative plural ду́ши, genitive plural душ, relational adjective душе́вный, diminutive ду́шка or ду́шечка or ду́шенька, pejorative душо́нка)

1. soul

   не по душе́ ― ne po dušé ― displeases (literally, “not according to the soul”)

   по душе́ ― po dušé ― pleasant (literally, “according to the soul”)

   от души́ ― ot duší ― from the heart

   душа́ нараспа́шку ― dušá naraspášku ― frank-hearted, heart on one's sleeve (literally, “soul wide-open”)

   в глубине́ души́ ― v glubiné duší ― deep in one's heart

   брать за́ ду́шу ― bratʹ zá dúšu ― touch the heart

   душа́ в ду́шу ― dušá v dúšu ― in perfect harmony/concord (literally, “soul for soul”)

   душа́ не на ме́сте ― dušá ne na méste ― anxious, worried (literally, “soul out of place”)

   криви́ть душо́й ― krivítʹ dušój ― to equivocate, prevaricate, bend the truth

   стоя́ть над душо́й ― stojátʹ nad dušój ― to annoy someone in a distractive way, e.g. by constant staring or asking (literally, “stand over (one's) soul”)

   душа́ в пя́тки ушла́ ― dušá v pjátki ušlá ― to have one's heart in one's mouth (literally, “soul went to (one's) heels”)

   залеза́ть в ду́шу кому́-либо ― zalezátʹ v dúšu komú-libo ― to worm oneself into someone's confidence

   души́ не ча́ять ― duší ne čájatʹ ― to adore a person, to dote (literally, “to not expect soul”)

   ско́лько душе́ уго́дно ― skólʹko dušé ugódno ― to one's heart's content (literally, “however pleasing to the soul”)

   с душо́й ― s dušój ― with spirit/feeling/zeal/gusto

   плева́ть в ду́шу ― plevátʹ v dúšu ― to trample on someone's feelings (literally, “spit on the soul”)

   береди́ть ду́шу ― beredítʹ dúšu ― to stir up old feelings

   изли́ть ду́шу ― izlítʹ dúšu ― to pour one's heart out

   на ду́шу населе́ния ― na dúšu naselénija ― per capita of the population

2. spirit
3. darling

   душа́ моя́! ― dušá mojá! ― my dear!

Declension

Declension of душа́ (inan fem-form sibilant-stem accent-dʹ) 

	singular	plural
nominative	душа́ dušá	ду́ши dúši
genitive	души́ duší	ду́ш dúš
dative	душе́ dušé	ду́шам dúšam
accusative	ду́шу dúšu	ду́ши dúši
instrumental	душо́й, душо́ю dušój, dušóju	ду́шами dúšami
prepositional	душе́ dušé	ду́шах dúšax

Pre-reform declension of душа́ (inan fem-form sibilant-stem accent-dʹ) 

	singular	plural
nominative	душа́ dušá	ду́ши dúši
genitive	души́ duší	ду́шъ dúš
dative	душѣ́ dušě́	ду́шамъ dúšam
accusative	ду́шу dúšu	ду́ши dúši
instrumental	душо́й, душо́ю dušój, dušóju	ду́шами dúšami
prepositional	душѣ́ dušě́	ду́шахъ dúšax

Related terms

nouns

• великоду́шие (velikodúšije)
• доброду́шие (dobrodúšije)
• ду́шенька (dúšenʹka)
• ду́шечка (dúšečka)
• ду́шка (dúška)
• малоду́шие (malodúšije)
• равноду́шие (ravnodúšije)

 

adjectives

• безду́шный (bezdúšnyj)
• великоду́шный (velikodúšnyj)
• двоеду́шный (dvojedúšnyj)
• доброду́шный (dobrodúšnyj)
• душевнобольно́й (duševnobolʹnój)
• душе́вный (dušévnyj)
• душераздира́ющий (dušerazdirájuščij)
• единоду́шный (jedinodúšnyj)
• задуше́вный (zadušévnyj)
• малоду́шный (malodúšnyj)
• равноду́шный (ravnodúšnyj)

 

Descendants

• → Buryat: дүүшэ (düüše)
• → Yakut: дууһа (duuha)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈduʂə]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

ду́ша • (dúša) m inan

1. genitive singular of душ (duš)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [dʊˈʂa]

• Audio:

  (file)

Participle

душа́ • (dušá)

1. present adverbial imperfective participle of души́ть (dušítʹ)

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *duša.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dǔːʃa/
• Hyphenation: ду‧ша

Noun

ду́ша f (Latin spelling dúša)

1. soul
2. spirit
3. (by extension) individual person or inhabitant
4. term of endearment; darling, dear

Declension

Declension of душа

	singular	plural
nominative	ду́ша	ду̑ше
genitive	душе	душа
dative	души	душама
accusative	ду̑шо	душе
vocative	душо	душе
locative	души	душама
instrumental	душом	душама

Related terms

• ду̏х

Further reading

• “душа”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024

Ukrainian

Etymology

From Old East Slavic доуша (duša, “soul”), Proto-Slavic *duša.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [dʊˈʃa]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

душа́ • (dušá) f inan (genitive душі́, nominative plural ду́ші, genitive plural душ)

1. soul, spirit

Declension

Declension of душа́ (inan semisoft fem-form accent-d')

	singular	plural
nominative	душа́ dušá	ду́ші dúši
genitive	душі́ duší	душ duš
dative	душі́ duší	ду́шам dúšam
accusative	ду́шу dúšu	ду́ші dúši
instrumental	душе́ю dušéju	ду́шами dúšamy
locative	душі́ duší	ду́шах dúšax
vocative	ду́ше dúše	ду́ші dúši

Derived terms

• спорі́днена душа́ f (sporídnena dušá)

Related terms

• душе́вний (dušévnyj)
• душевнохво́рий (duševnoxvóryj)

 

Further reading

• Bilodid, I. K., editor (1970–1980), “душа”, in Словник української мови: в 11 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 11 vols] (in Ukrainian), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka
• Shyrokov, V. A., editor (2010–2023), “душа”, in Словник української мови: у 20 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 20 vols] (in Ukrainian), volumes 1–14 (а – префере́нція), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka; Ukrainian Lingua-Information Fund, →ISBN
• “душа”, in Горох – Словозміна [Horokh – Inflection] (in Ukrainian)
• “душа”, in Kyiv Dictionary (in English)
• “душа”, in Словник.ua [Slovnyk.ua] (in Ukrainian)