Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Conceit'

English Word: Conceit

Key Russian Translations:

• самомнение [səmɐmˈnʲenʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Common]
• тщеславие [tɕːɪsɨˈslavʲɪjə] - [Formal, Slightly Negative]
• заносчивость [zənɐˈsʲtɕɪvəsʲtʲ] - [Informal, Negative]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "самомнение" and "тщеславие"; C1 (Advanced) for "заносчивость"

Pronunciation (Russian):

самомнение: [səmɐmˈnʲenʲɪjə]

Note on самомнение: Stress falls on the third syllable ("nʲe"). The "о" sounds like a reduced "a" due to Russian vowel reduction.

тщеславие: [tɕːɪsɨˈslavʲɪjə]

Note on тщеславие: The initial "тщ" cluster can be tricky for non-native speakers; pronounce it as a soft "tch".

заносчивость: [zənɐˈsʲtɕɪvəsʲtʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Excessive Pride or Self-Confidence

Translation(s) & Context:

• самомнение - Often used neutrally or slightly negatively to describe overconfidence in one’s abilities.
• тщеславие - More formal, implies vanity or a desire for admiration, often with a negative connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Его самомнение мешает ему видеть свои ошибки.

  His conceit prevents him from seeing his mistakes.

• Её тщеславие заставляет её постоянно говорить о своих достижениях.

  Her vanity makes her constantly talk about her achievements.

• Такое самомнение может оттолкнуть друзей.

  Such conceit can push friends away.

2. Arrogance or Haughtiness

Translation(s) & Context:

• заносчивость - Used in informal contexts to describe arrogant or condescending behavior.

Usage Examples:

• Его заносчивость раздражает всех коллег.

  His arrogance annoys all his colleagues.

• Она говорила с такой заносчивостью, что никто не захотел продолжать разговор.

  She spoke with such haughtiness that no one wanted to continue the conversation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

самомнение (neuter noun): Regular declension for neuter nouns ending in -ие.

Case	Singular
Nominative	самомнение
Genitive	самомнения
Dative	самомнению
Accusative	самомнение
Instrumental	самомнением
Prepositional	о самомнении

тщеславие (neuter noun): Follows the same pattern as "самомнение".

заносчивость (feminine noun): Regular declension for feminine nouns ending in -ость.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for самомнение:

• гордыня
• самоуверенность

Note: "гордыня" has a stronger religious or moral connotation; "самоуверенность" is closer to overconfidence.

Antonyms for самомнение:

• скромность
• смирение

Related Phrases:

• страдать самомнением - To suffer from conceit (often used critically).
• тщеславие и гордость - Vanity and pride (a common pairing in formal or literary contexts).
• проявлять заносчивость - To show arrogance (used in interpersonal contexts).

Usage Notes:

• "самомнение" is the most neutral and commonly used term for "conceit" in everyday Russian. It can be used in both neutral and mildly critical contexts.
• "тщеславие" is more formal and often carries a negative connotation, associated with vanity or a desire for praise. It is common in written or literary language.
• "заносчивость" explicitly conveys arrogance or haughtiness and is used in informal, critical contexts. Choose this term when emphasizing negative behavior.
• Be cautious with tone and context, as directly accusing someone of "conceit" in Russian can sound harsher than in English.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Confusing "тщеславие" with "гордость".

Explanation: English learners often mix up "тщеславие" (vanity, conceit) with "гордость" (pride). While "гордость" can be positive (e.g., pride in achievements), "тщеславие" is almost always negative.

Incorrect: Я горжусь своими успехами, но это не тщеславие. (Intended: "I’m proud of my success, but it’s not conceit.")

Correct: Я горжусь своими успехами, но это не тщеславие. (Proper distinction maintained.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, overt displays of conceit or arrogance are often frowned upon, and terms like "заносчивость" may carry stronger negative weight than "conceit" does in English. Modesty ("скромность") is highly valued, and criticizing someone’s "самомнение" can be a serious social critique.

Related Concepts:

• гордость (pride)
• скромность (modesty)
• высокомерие (haughtiness)