Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'contradict'

English Word: contradict

Key Russian Translations:

• противоречить [prətʲɪvəˈrʲetʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, General Use]
• возражать [vəzrɐˈʐatʲ] - [Neutral, Often in Debate or Discussion]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

противоречить: [prətʲɪvəˈrʲetʲɪtʲ]

Note on противоречить: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "р" sound is rolled, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

возражать: [vəzrɐˈʐatʲ]

Note on возражать: The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Russian. Practice pronouncing it with a buzzing sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To oppose or deny a statement or idea

Translation(s) & Context:

• противоречить - Used when something is inconsistent or in conflict with a statement or fact.
• возражать - Used when directly objecting to someone's opinion or argument.

Usage Examples:

• Его слова противоречат фактам.

  His words contradict the facts.

• Я не могу противоречить твоему мнению, но у меня есть сомнения.

  I cannot contradict your opinion, but I have doubts.

• Она всегда возражает, когда слышит критику.

  She always contradicts (objects) when she hears criticism.

• Не стоит возражать учителю на уроке.

  You shouldn’t contradict the teacher during class.

• Эти данные противоречат предыдущим исследованиям.

  This data contradicts previous studies.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

противоречить (Verb, Imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -ить. It is used in contexts of ongoing or habitual contradiction.

возражать (Verb, Imperfective): This verb also follows regular conjugation patterns. It implies an active objection or disagreement.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for противоречить:

• противиться
• не соответствовать

Note: "противиться" often implies resistance, while "не соответствовать" focuses on mismatch or inconsistency.

Synonyms for возражать:

• оспаривать
• опротестовывать

Antonyms for both:

• соглашаться
• подтверждать

Related Phrases:

• противоречить самому себе - To contradict oneself.
• возражать против решения - To object to a decision.
• не противоречить логике - To not contradict logic.

Usage Notes:

• "противоречить" is more commonly used for logical contradictions or inconsistencies, such as between statements or facts.
• "возражать" is often used in interpersonal contexts, implying a direct objection or disagreement with someone’s opinion.
• Both verbs are imperfective, indicating ongoing or habitual action. Perfective forms like "возразить" (to object once) may be used for completed actions.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up "противоречить" and "возражать": English speakers often use them interchangeably. For instance, saying "Я противоречу твоему мнению" is incorrect; it should be "Я возражаю против твоего мнения" when objecting to an opinion.
• Incorrect conjugation: Beginners often forget to conjugate verbs based on person and number, e.g., saying "Я противоречить" instead of "Я противоречу."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, directly contradicting or objecting ("возражать") to someone, especially an authority figure, can be seen as impolite unless done tactfully. It is often better to soften disagreement with phrases like "Я не совсем согласен" (I don’t quite agree) before using "возражать."

Related Concepts:

• спор (argument)
• несогласие (disagreement)
• опровержение (refutation)