Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Apparently'

English Word: apparently

Key Russian Translations:

• по-видимому [pə vɪˈdʲiməmʊ] - [Formal, Neutral]
• видимо [ˈvʲidʲɪmə] - [Neutral, Common]
• кажется [ˈkaʒɨtsə] - [Informal, Conversational]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in both spoken and written Russian)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

по-видимому: [pə vɪˈdʲiməmʊ]

Note on по-видимому: Stress falls on the third syllable "ди". The prefix "по-" is unstressed.

видимо: [ˈvʲidʲɪmə]

Note on видимо: Stress on the first syllable "ви". Often used in shorter, casual sentences.

кажется: [ˈkaʒɨtsə]

Note on кажется: Stress on the first syllable "ка". The "ж" sound is a voiced fricative, similar to 's' in 'measure'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To indicate something seems to be true based on evidence or observation

Translation(s) & Context:

• по-видимому - Used in formal or written contexts to suggest a conclusion based on visible evidence.
• видимо - Neutral tone, often used in everyday speech for assumptions or deductions.

Usage Examples:

• По-видимому, он не придёт на встречу.

  Apparently, he won’t come to the meeting.

• Видимо, дождь скоро начнётся.

  Apparently, it’s going to rain soon.

• По-видимому, проект завершён успешно.

  Apparently, the project was completed successfully.

2. To express a personal impression or subjective opinion

Translation(s) & Context:

• кажется - Common in informal speech to express a personal feeling or impression.

Usage Examples:

• Кажется, я его где-то видел.

  Apparently, I’ve seen him somewhere before.

• Кажется, она не в настроении.

  Apparently, she’s not in the mood.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

по-видимому: This is an adverb and does not inflect. It remains unchanged regardless of context.

видимо: Also an adverb, invariable in form. It does not change with gender, number, or case.

кажется: This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb "казаться" (to seem). It can inflect based on tense, person, and number.

Conjugation of "казаться" (Present Tense)

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	кажусь [ˈkaʒʊsʲ]	кажемся [ˈkaʒɨmsʲə]
2nd	кажешься [ˈkaʒɨʂəsʲ]	кажетесь [ˈkaʒɨtʲɪsʲ]
3rd	кажется [ˈkaʒɨtsə]	кажутся [ˈkaʒʊtsə]

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• по всей видимости (in all likelihood, more formal)
• судя по всему (judging by everything, neutral)

Note: "по всей видимости" is more formal and often used in written texts, while "судя по всему" is more conversational.

Antonyms:

• определённо (definitely)
• точно (certainly)

Related Phrases:

• по-видимому, дело в том, что... - "Apparently, the thing is that..." (used to introduce an explanation)
• видимо, да - "Apparently, yes" (used to express tentative agreement)
• кажется, всё в порядке - "Apparently, everything is fine" (used to express a subjective observation)

Usage Notes:

• "по-видимому" is more formal and often appears in written or academic contexts. Use it when you want to sound precise or professional.
• "видимо" is a shorter, more neutral alternative that fits both spoken and written language, often implying a deduction based on evidence.
• "кажется" is conversational and reflects a personal impression or uncertainty. It should be avoided in formal writing.
• Be mindful of the context: "apparently" in English can sometimes carry a tone of surprise or skepticism, but none of these Russian translations inherently carry this nuance. You may need to adjust the tone with additional words if needed.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "кажется" in formal writing.
  Incorrect: В отчёте кажется, что данные неверны.
  Correct: В отчёте, по-видимому, данные неверны.
  Explanation: "кажется" is too informal for reports or academic writing. Use "по-видимому" instead.
• Error: Misusing "видимо" when expressing a personal feeling.
  Incorrect: Видимо, я устал.
  Correct: Кажется, я устал.
  Explanation: "видимо" suggests an observation based on evidence, not a personal impression.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressions like "видимо" or "по-видимому" are often used to soften statements or avoid sounding overly assertive, reflecting a cultural tendency to value indirectness in communication. Using these terms can help English speakers sound more polite or cautious when making assumptions in Russian conversations.

Related Concepts:

• наверное (probably)
• возможно (possibly)
• должно быть (must be)