Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'complacent'

English Word: complacent

Key Russian Translations:

• самодовольный [səmədɐˈvolʲnɨj] - [Formal, Informal]
• довольный собой [dɐˈvolʲnɨj sɐˈboj] - [Informal, Phrase]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

самодовольный: [səmədɐˈvolʲnɨj]

Note on самодовольный: Stress falls on the fourth syllable ("vol"). The "ы" sound is a unique Russian vowel, pronounced as a short, closed "i".

довольный собой: [dɐˈvolʲnɨj sɐˈboj]

Note on довольный собой: Stress on "vol" in "довольный" and "boj" in "собой". Pay attention to the soft "лʲ" sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Satisfied with oneself or one's achievements (often excessively)

Translation(s) & Context:

• самодовольный - Used to describe someone who is smug or overly pleased with themselves, often in a negative tone.
• довольный собой - A more neutral or informal phrase, literally "pleased with oneself", often used in casual contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он выглядел самодовольным после победы в конкурсе.

  He looked complacent after winning the competition.

• Она всегда такая самодовольная, когда получает похвалу.

  She is always so complacent when she receives praise.

• Ты слишком довольен собой, нужно быть скромнее.

  You are too complacent; you need to be more humble.

• Его самодовольная улыбка раздражала всех вокруг.

  His complacent smile irritated everyone around him.

• После успеха он стал слишком доволен собой.

  After his success, he became overly complacent.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

самодовольный (Adjective): This adjective declines according to standard Russian adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

Note: Only key cases are shown above. The adjective also has short forms (e.g., самодоволен for masculine), though they are less common.

довольный собой (Phrase/Adjective + Reflexive Pronoun): "довольный" declines similarly to "самодовольный", while "собой" (instrumental case of "себя") remains unchanged in this context.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• заносчивый (arrogant, haughty - slightly stronger tone)
• надменный (haughty, disdainful - more formal)

Antonyms:

• скромный (modest)
• неуверенный (insecure)

Related Phrases:

• самодовольная улыбка - "complacent smile" (often with a negative connotation)
• быть довольным собой - "to be pleased with oneself" (neutral or positive depending on context)

Usage Notes:

• "самодовольный" often carries a negative connotation, implying smugness or arrogance, whereas "complacent" in English can sometimes be neutral. Use with caution in formal or polite contexts.
• "довольный собой" is a more neutral and conversational alternative, though less concise. It is often used in spoken language rather than formal writing.
• Both terms are adjectives or phrases describing a state of mind, so they are typically used attributively (describing a person) rather than predicatively in some contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "самодовольный" in a positive context.
  Incorrect: Он самодовольный, потому что хорошо справился. (He is complacent because he did well - sounds negative in Russian.)
  Correct: Он доволен собой, потому что хорошо справился. (He is pleased with himself because he did well.)
  Explanation: "самодовольный" often implies excessive self-satisfaction, so it may offend if used incorrectly.
• Error: Misusing adjective agreement with gender or case.
  Incorrect: Она самодовольный.
  Correct: Она самодовольная.
  Explanation: Adjectives in Russian must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, overt displays of self-satisfaction or complacency (as conveyed by "самодовольный") are often frowned upon, as modesty is highly valued. Using this term to describe someone can be perceived as a criticism unless clearly intended as neutral or humorous. English speakers should be mindful of this cultural nuance when choosing their words.

Related Concepts:

• гордость (pride)
• скромность (modesty)
• самоуверенность (self-confidence)