Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'contravene'

English Word: contravene

Key Russian Translations:

• Нарушать [IPA: nɐˈruʂətʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in legal contexts]
• Противоречить [IPA: prətʲivɐˈrʲɛtɕʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, implying contradiction rather than direct violation]

Frequency: Medium (This verb is frequently encountered in legal, administrative, and everyday discussions of rules and regulations in Russian media and literature.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and formal language, though the core meaning is straightforward for learners with basic vocabulary.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Нарушать: [IPA: nɐˈruʂətʲ] (The stress is on the second syllable; note the soft 'tʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to the rolled 'r' and palatalized consonants.)

Note on Нарушать: Pay attention to the palatalization in 'тʲ', which affects the pronunciation in fast speech. Variations may occur in regional dialects.

Противоречить: [IPA: prətʲivɐˈrʲɛtɕʲɪtʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'rʲ' is palatalized, making it sound softer than in English.)

Note on Противоречить: This word often has a more abstract connotation; the 'чʲ' ending can vary slightly in informal speech.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To act against or break a law, agreement, or rule (primary meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Нарушать - Used in contexts involving direct violation of rules, such as laws or contracts, in formal or official settings (e.g., legal documents, news reports).
• Противоречить - Applied when there's a contradiction to principles or statements, often in debates or philosophical discussions, but less common for strict legal breaches.

Usage Examples:

• Он часто нарушает правила дорожного движения. (He often contravenes traffic rules.)

  English: He often contravenes traffic rules.

• Эта политика противоречит международным соглашениям. (This policy contravenes international agreements.)

  English: This policy contravenes international agreements.

• Компания нарушила контракт, что привело к судебному разбиратству. (The company contravened the contract, leading to a lawsuit.)

  English: The company contravened the contract, leading to a lawsuit.

• Его действия противоречат этическим нормам. (His actions contravene ethical standards.)

  English: His actions contravene ethical standards.

• В контракте указано, что любое нарушение может повлечь штраф. (The contract states that any contravention may result in a fine.)

  English: The contract states that any contravention may result in a fine. This example shows the verb in a more passive, legal context.

To conflict with or go against something (secondary, less common meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Противоречить - Used in intellectual or argumentative contexts, such as debates or analyses.

Usage Examples:

• Его слова противоречат фактам. (His words contravene the facts.)

  English: His words contravene the facts.

• Это решение противоречит нашим ценностям. (This decision contravenes our values.)

  English: This decision contravenes our values.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For Нарушать, a first-conjugation verb, inflections follow standard patterns for imperfective verbs in Russian. It is irregular in some aspects due to its stem changes.

For Противоречить, another verb, it follows similar patterns but is less frequently conjugated in everyday speech. It remains unchanged in infinitive form and has standard past tense gender agreements (e.g., Противореčil for masculine).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Игнорировать (ignorirovat') - More neutral, implying disregard rather than active violation.
  • Преступать (prestuplat') - Specifically for crossing boundaries, often with a criminal connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • Соблюдать (soblyudat') - To observe or comply with rules.
  • Подчиняться (podchinyaetsya) - To submit or adhere to authority.

Related Phrases:

• Нарушать закон (To break the law) - A common phrase in legal contexts, referring to criminal or civil offenses.
• Противоречить себе (To contradict oneself) - Used in arguments or self-reflection, highlighting inconsistency.
• Нарушать договоренности (To contravene agreements) - Applies to business or personal pacts, emphasizing trust breaches.

Usage Notes:

Нарушать is the most direct equivalent to "contravene" in legal and formal English, but it emphasizes action over mere opposition. Use it in contexts where a rule is actively broken, such as in contracts or regulations. Противоречить is better for abstract contradictions. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system: "нарушать" is imperfective (ongoing action), so pair it with perfective forms like "нарушить" for completed actions. In formal writing, always conjugate verbs correctly based on subject gender and number.

• Choose нарушать for tangible violations and противоречить for ideological conflicts.
• In spoken Russian, these words are common in news and debates, but avoid them in casual conversations unless discussing serious topics.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse нарушать with противоречить, using the latter for legal contexts where нарушать is more appropriate. For example:

• Incorrect: Он противоречит закон (This implies a logical contradiction, not a breach).
• Correct: Он нарушает закон (Proper for breaking the law).
• Explanation: The error stems from over-literal translation; always consider the context—legal vs. intellectual—to select the right verb.

Another common mistake is improper conjugation, e.g., saying "нарушаеты" instead of "нарушаешь" for "you contravene," which can make the sentence sound ungrammatical.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like нарушать carry significant weight due to the historical emphasis on rules and authority in Soviet and post-Soviet society. For instance, contravening state laws has been a theme in literature and media, reflecting themes of rebellion or conformity, as seen in works by authors like Solzhenitsyn.

Related Concepts:

• Закон (Law)
• Преступление (Crime)
• Соглашение (Agreement)
• Этические нормы (Ethical standards)