Explanation at your level:
To suffer means to feel pain. If you are sick, you suffer. If you are sad, you suffer. It is not a happy word. You use it when things are hard for you. For example, 'I suffer from a cold.' It means you feel bad because of the cold.
When someone suffers, they have a bad experience. It could be physical pain, like a broken leg, or a bad situation, like being very tired. We often say 'suffer from' to talk about health problems or bad feelings. It is a serious word that we use to show we understand someone is having a difficult time.
The verb suffer is used to describe enduring pain, hardship, or distress. It is common to see it used with health conditions, such as 'she suffers from migraines.' Beyond health, it can describe the impact of negative events, like 'the business suffered a loss.' It is a useful word to express empathy or to describe the negative effects of a situation on a person or a group.
In B2 English, suffer is used to convey a deeper sense of adversity. It is frequently used in formal reports or discussions about social issues, such as 'the economy is suffering due to inflation.' It implies a sustained period of difficulty rather than a fleeting moment of unhappiness. Understanding the difference between 'suffering from' a condition and 'suffering' the consequences of an action is a key step in mastering this word.
At the C1 level, suffer can be used in more figurative and nuanced ways. You might describe a 'suffering reputation' or a 'suffering infrastructure,' where the word implies a decline in quality or integrity. It is often used in academic or literary contexts to describe the weight of existential or systemic burdens. The word carries a gravity that requires careful placement in your sentences to ensure the tone remains appropriate for the context.
Mastery of suffer involves understanding its etymological roots in 'bearing a burden' and applying that to complex scenarios. In high-level discourse, it can describe the 'suffering' of an art form or the 'suffering' of a political ideal under pressure. It is a word that bridges the gap between physical endurance and abstract decay. When used correctly, it adds a layer of profound empathy or critical analysis to your writing, reflecting a sophisticated command of the English language's emotional and structural depth.
30秒でわかる単語
- Means to experience pain or hardship.
- Commonly used with 'from' for conditions.
- Regular verb (suffered).
- Used in both medical and formal contexts.
When we say someone suffers, we are describing a moment where they are going through something difficult. It could be physical pain, like a headache, or emotional pain, like feeling lonely.
Think of it as the opposite of thriving. It is a word that carries a lot of weight because it describes the human experience of enduring through challenges. Whether it is a person, an animal, or even a system, if it is in a state of stress or harm, we say it is suffering.
The word suffer has a fascinating journey through time. It comes from the Old French word souffrir, which itself traces back to the Latin sufferre.
In Latin, sub meant 'under' and ferre meant 'to bear or carry.' So, originally, to suffer literally meant to carry something under or to endure the weight of a burden. It is a beautiful, albeit heavy, way to think about how we handle life's challenges today.
You will often hear this word used in medical or formal contexts, such as 'he suffers from allergies.' It is also very common in news reports when discussing the impact of natural disasters or economic crises.
While it is a neutral word in terms of register, it is quite serious. You wouldn't typically use it for small inconveniences; for example, you wouldn't say 'I suffer because I ran out of milk.' Save this word for when things are truly challenging or painful.
Idioms often use this word to emphasize patience or consequences. Suffer fools gladly means to be patient with people who are annoying or lack intelligence. Suffer in silence describes someone who keeps their pain to themselves.
Other expressions include suffer the consequences, meaning to accept the bad results of an action, and suffer a setback, which refers to a delay in progress. Finally, suffer from is the standard way to describe a chronic condition.
The verb suffer is regular, so its past tense and past participle are suffered. It is typically followed by the preposition 'from' when discussing a condition or 'the' when discussing a specific consequence.
In terms of pronunciation, the stress is on the first syllable: SUF-fer. It rhymes with words like buffer, duffer, and muffer. It is a straightforward word to pronounce, but watch out for the 'f' sound, which should be crisp.
Fun Fact
It shares a root with 'ferry', as both involve 'carrying' something.
Examples by Level
I suffer when I am sick.
suffer = feel pain
simple present
He suffers from a cold.
They suffer in the heat.
Do you suffer?
I do not want to suffer.
Animals suffer too.
She suffers from pain.
We suffer sometimes.
He suffers from bad allergies.
The plant suffers without water.
Did you suffer in the storm?
Many people suffer from stress.
The team suffered a defeat.
Don't let them suffer.
I hate to see you suffer.
She suffered a small injury.
The company suffered huge losses.
He suffers from chronic back pain.
The town suffered during the war.
She suffered in silence for years.
The crops suffered from the drought.
We suffered a major setback.
He doesn't suffer fools gladly.
They suffered the consequences of their actions.
The economy is suffering from inflation.
He suffered a nervous breakdown.
She suffered the indignity of being ignored.
The reputation of the firm suffered.
They suffered through a terrible winter.
He suffered a blow to his pride.
The infrastructure suffered from neglect.
She suffered from a lack of support.
The artistic integrity of the film suffered.
He suffered the burden of leadership.
The project suffered from poor planning.
She suffered a crisis of conscience.
The region suffered the ravages of time.
The argument suffered from a lack of logic.
He suffered the pangs of regret.
The system suffered a total collapse.
The legacy of the poet suffered from misinterpretation.
He suffered the slings and arrows of misfortune.
The narrative suffered from a lack of cohesion.
They suffered the weight of historical injustice.
The structure suffered from structural instability.
Her spirit suffered under the pressure.
The movement suffered from internal division.
He suffered the isolation of genius.
よく使う組み合わせ
Idioms & Expressions
"suffer fools gladly"
to be patient with people who are stupid or annoying
She doesn't suffer fools gladly.
formal"suffer in silence"
to keep your pain to yourself
He suffered in silence for months.
neutral"suffer the consequences"
to accept the bad results of an action
If you break the rules, you suffer the consequences.
neutral"suffer a blow"
to experience a negative event
His confidence suffered a blow.
neutral"suffer a change of heart"
to change your opinion (rare usage)
He suffered a change of heart.
literary"suffer from wanderlust"
to have a strong desire to travel
She suffers from severe wanderlust.
casualEasily Confused
similar meaning
endure implies patience
I endured the wait.
similar meaning
tolerate is about acceptance
I tolerate the noise.
similar meaning
undergo is about processes
Undergo surgery.
noun form
sufferer is the person
He is a sufferer.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + suffer + from + noun
He suffers from flu.
Subject + suffer + noun
They suffered losses.
Subject + suffer + adverb
She suffered greatly.
Subject + suffer + in + noun
He suffered in silence.
Subject + suffer + through + noun
We suffered through the movie.
語族
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
関連
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
よくある間違い
We always use 'from' with the condition being suffered.
You can suffer pain directly, but you suffer FROM a disease.
We don't use 'suffering' as a transitive verb for minor ailments.
The verb requires a prepositional phrase or object.
Suffer doesn't mean 'put up with' in general social contexts.
Tips
Use 'from'
Always pair 'suffer' with 'from' for conditions.
Don't use 'of'
Avoid saying 'suffer of'.
Contextualize
Use it in medical news sentences.
Past tense
Remember the -ed ending.
Etymology
It means 'carrying under'.
Stress
Stress the first syllable.
Bible
Often seen in religious texts.
Visual
Think of a heavy load.
Synonyms
Use 'endure' for formal writing.
News
Common in headlines.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Suffer: 'Sub' (under) + 'fer' (carry). Carry the load under pressure.
Visual Association
A person carrying a heavy backpack uphill.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Write a sentence using 'suffer from' today.
語源
Latin
Original meaning: to bear or carry under
文化的な背景
Can be sensitive when talking about personal health.
Commonly used in medical and news contexts.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
medical
- suffer from allergies
- suffer from pain
- suffer a fracture
business
- suffer a loss
- suffer a decline
- suffer a setback
daily life
- suffer in silence
- suffer the consequences
- suffer a blow
news
- suffer damage
- suffer casualties
- suffer destruction
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever suffered from a bad cold?"
"Do you think it's better to suffer in silence?"
"What kind of setbacks can a business suffer?"
"Is it hard to suffer fools gladly?"
"How does the environment suffer from pollution?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you had to endure a difficult situation.
Describe a character who suffers in silence.
How do people suffer when they are stressed?
Reflect on a time you suffered the consequences of a mistake.
よくある質問
8 問Yes, it implies pain or hardship.
It is usually reserved for significant issues.
Suffered.
Yes.
Use 'suffer from'.
Yes, e.g., 'the car suffered damage'.
Yes.
It is neutral to formal.
自分をテスト
I ___ from a headache.
Subject-verb agreement.
Which means to feel pain?
Definition match.
We say 'suffer of' a disease.
We say 'suffer from'.
Word
意味
Collocation matching.
Correct structure.
スコア： /5
Summary
To suffer is to carry the weight of an unpleasant experience.
- Means to experience pain or hardship.
- Commonly used with 'from' for conditions.
- Regular verb (suffered).
- Used in both medical and formal contexts.
Use 'from'
Always pair 'suffer' with 'from' for conditions.
Don't use 'of'
Avoid saying 'suffer of'.
Contextualize
Use it in medical news sentences.
Past tense
Remember the -ed ending.
Related Content
healthの関連語
ache
A2体のどこかに感じる、鈍くて続く不快な痛み。
chemist
A2薬を作る専門家で、処方箋に基づいて薬を調剤してくれる人。薬屋さん（薬剤師さん）のことだよ。
Consultation
B2A meeting with an expert or professional, such as a doctor or specialist, in order to seek advice or information.
doctor
A1A doctor is a person who has been trained in medicine and is qualified to treat people who are ill or injured. They examine patients, give advice on health problems, and prescribe medication when necessary.
exercise
A2Physical activity that you do to make your body strong and healthy. It can include activities like running, swimming, or going to the gym to improve your fitness.
healthy
A2Healthy describes someone who is in good physical or mental condition and is not ill. It can also describe activities, food, or environments that help you stay well and strong.
hospital
A1A hospital is a large building where doctors and nurses provide medical care for people who are sick or injured. It contains specialized equipment and rooms for treatments, surgeries, and staying overnight while recovering.
medicine
A2Medicine is a substance used to treat, prevent, or cure an illness or injury. It can also refer to the science and practice of diagnosing and treating patients to improve their health.
under the weather
B1To feel slightly ill, unwell, or not as healthy as usual. It is typically used for minor ailments like a cold, headache, or general exhaustion rather than serious medical conditions.
fat
A2体に脂肪がたくさんあって、丸い体型をしている様子を表します。
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'u' sound, clear 'r' at the end.
Rhotic 'r' sound.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'u' like 'oo'
- Missing the 'f' sound
- Adding an extra syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to use
Easy to say
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
上級
Grammar to Know
Subject-verb agreement
He suffers.
Preposition usage
Suffer from.
Past tense formation
Suffered.
