Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Allege'

English Word: allege

Key Russian Translations:

• утверждать [ʊtʲvʲɪrˈʐdatʲ] - [Formal, General Use]
• заявлять [zəjɪˈvlʲatʲ] - [Formal, Often in Legal or Official Contexts]
• предъявлять обвинение [prʲɪdʲjavˈlʲatʲ əbvʲɪˈnʲenʲɪjə] - [Formal, Legal Use]

Frequency: Medium (often used in legal, formal, or journalistic contexts)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "утверждать" and "заявлять"; C1 (Advanced) for "предъявлять обвинение" due to its specificity

Pronunciation (Russian):

утверждать: [ʊtʲvʲɪrˈʐdatʲ]

Note on утверждать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

заявлять: [zəjɪˈvlʲatʲ]

Note on заявлять: Stress on the second syllable. The soft "л" sound requires palatalization.

предъявлять обвинение: [prʲɪdʲjavˈlʲatʲ əbvʲɪˈnʲenʲɪjə]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To assert or claim without proof (general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• утверждать - Used in general or academic contexts to state something as true, often without evidence.
• заявлять - More formal, often used in statements or declarations, sometimes implying authority.

Usage Examples:

• Он утверждает, что видел это своими глазами.

  He alleges that he saw it with his own eyes.

• Она заявила, что не имеет к этому никакого отношения.

  She alleged that she had nothing to do with it.

• Некоторые утверждают, что это невозможно.

  Some allege that it is impossible.

2. To accuse or charge (legal or formal sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• предъявлять обвинение - Specifically used in legal contexts to present an accusation or charge.
• заявлять - Can also be used in legal or official statements of accusation.

Usage Examples:

• Прокурор предъявил обвинение в краже.

  The prosecutor alleged theft.

• Они заявили о нарушении своих прав.

  They alleged a violation of their rights.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

утверждать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation in the first conjugation group. Below is the present tense conjugation:

заявлять (verb, imperfective): Follows similar first conjugation patterns. Perfective form is "заявить".

предъявлять обвинение: "предъявлять" is a verb (imperfective) with regular conjugation; "обвинение" is a neuter noun with standard declension (e.g., Nominative: обвинение, Accusative: обвинение, Genitive: обвинения).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for утверждать/заявлять:

• говорить (to say, less formal)
• декларировать (to declare, very formal)

Note: "декларировать" is more formal and often used in official or written contexts compared to "утверждать".

Antonyms:

• отрицать (to deny)
• опровергать (to refute)

Related Phrases:

• утверждать с уверенностью - to allege with confidence
• заявлять о правах - to allege rights (often in a legal context)
• предъявить обвинение в суде - to allege in court (formal accusation)

Usage Notes:

• "утверждать" is the most neutral and widely applicable translation for "allege", suitable for general claims or assertions.
• "заявлять" carries a slightly more formal tone and is often used in official or public statements.
• "предъявлять обвинение" is highly specific to legal accusations and should only be used in such contexts.
• Unlike English "allege", which often implies a lack of proof, the Russian equivalents may not always carry this nuance unless explicitly stated.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "предъявлять обвинение" in casual conversation. This phrase is strictly legal and sounds out of place in informal settings.
  Incorrect: Я предъявляю обвинение, что ты опоздал.
  Correct: Я утверждаю, что ты опоздал. (I allege that you are late.)
• Error: Misusing "утверждать" in legal contexts where "предъявлять обвинение" is more appropriate.
  Incorrect: Суд утверждает преступление.
  Correct: Суд предъявляет обвинение в преступлении. (The court alleges a crime.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, making allegations, especially in formal or legal contexts, often carries significant weight. Using terms like "предъявлять обвинение" implies a serious accusation and may require evidence or formal proceedings. Russians may be more cautious with such terms compared to the relatively neutral tone of "allege" in English.

Related Concepts:

• обвинение (accusation)
• доказательство (proof)
• суд (court)