Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Contrary'

English Word: contrary

Key Russian Translations:

• противоположный [prətʲɪvəˈpoləʐnɨj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• наоборот [nəəbəˈrot] - [Informal, Adverb]
• вопреки [vəprʲɪˈkʲi] - [Formal, Preposition]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "наоборот"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "противоположный" and "вопреки"

Pronunciation (Russian):

противоположный: [prətʲɪvəˈpoləʐnɨj]

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

наоборот: [nəəbəˈrot]

Note on наоборот: Stress on the third syllable. The "о" sounds are reduced in unstressed positions.

вопреки: [vəprʲɪˈkʲi]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Opposite or Contradictory (Adjective)

Translation(s) & Context:

• противоположный - Used to describe something directly opposite or contrary in nature, often in formal or written contexts.

Usage Examples:

• У нас противоположные взгляды на эту проблему.

  We have contrary views on this issue.

• Они выбрали противоположное направление.

  They chose the contrary direction.

• Его мнение противоположно моему.

  His opinion is contrary to mine.

2. On the Contrary (Adverb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• наоборот - Used to contradict a statement or expectation, common in spoken and informal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Я думал, что будет сложно, но, наоборот, всё оказалось просто.

  I thought it would be difficult, but on the contrary, everything turned out to be easy.

• Это не плохо, а наоборот, очень хорошо!

  This isn’t bad; on the contrary, it’s very good!

3. Contrary to (Prepositional Phrase)

Translation(s) & Context:

• вопреки - Used in formal contexts to indicate opposition to expectations or rules, often followed by a dative case noun.

Usage Examples:

• Вопреки прогнозам, погода была отличной.

  Contrary to the forecasts, the weather was excellent.

• Он действовал вопреки правилам.

  He acted contrary to the rules.

• Вопреки ожиданиям, проект завершился успешно.

  Contrary to expectations, the project was completed successfully.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

противоположный (Adjective): Declines according to standard adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	противоположный	противоположная	противоположное	противоположные
Genitive	противоположного	противоположной	противоположного	противоположных

наоборот (Adverb): Does not inflect; remains unchanged regardless of context.

вопреки (Preposition): Does not inflect; always used with the dative case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for противоположный:

• противный
• обратный

Note: "противный" can also mean "disgusting" depending on context, so use with caution.

Antonyms for противоположный:

• одинаковый
• сходный

Related Phrases:

• наоборот, чем - "On the contrary, than"; used for comparisons in informal speech.
• вопреки всему - "Contrary to everything"; used to emphasize defiance or unexpected outcomes.
• противоположная сторона - "The contrary side"; often used metaphorically or literally.

Usage Notes:

• "противоположный" is primarily an adjective and is more formal, often used in academic or written contexts to describe opposing ideas or directions.
• "наоборот" functions as an adverb and is conversational, ideal for contradicting a previous statement or expectation.
• "вопреки" is a preposition requiring the dative case and is used in formal contexts to express opposition to rules, expectations, or predictions.
• Choosing between these translations depends on the grammatical role and tone of the sentence. For example, use "наоборот" in spoken contradictions, but "вопреки" when discussing formal opposition.

Common Errors:

• Incorrect use of "вопреки" without dative case: English learners often forget to use the dative case after "вопреки". Incorrect: "Вопреки прогноз" (nominative); Correct: "Вопреки прогнозу".
• Confusing "наоборот" with "противоположный": "наоборот" is not an adjective and cannot describe nouns. Incorrect: "У нас наоборот мнения"; Correct: "У нас противоположные мнения".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian discourse, the use of "наоборот" often appears in debates or casual conversations as a way to politely contradict someone, reflecting a cultural tendency to soften disagreement. Similarly, "вопреки" may carry a tone of resilience or defiance, often tied to historical narratives of overcoming adversity.

Related Concepts:

• контраст
• различие
• несоответствие