Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Credibility'

English Word: Credibility

Key Russian Translations:

• Доверие [dɐˈvʲerʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Common in General Contexts]
• Кредит доверия [ˈkrʲedʲɪt dɐˈvʲerʲɪjə] - [Formal, Often Used in Political or Professional Contexts]
• Надёжность [nɐˈdʲoʐnəsʲtʲ] - [Neutral, Emphasizes Reliability]

Frequency: Medium (Common in formal and written contexts, less frequent in casual speech)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate - Доверие, Надёжность); B2-C1 (Intermediate to Advanced - Кредит доверия due to idiomatic usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Доверие: [dɐˈvʲerʲɪjə]

Note on Доверие: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "е" sounds like "ye" in "yes."

Кредит доверия: [ˈkrʲedʲɪt dɐˈvʲerʲɪjə]

Note on Кредит доверия: Stress on first syllable of "Кредит" and second syllable of "доверия." Pronounce distinctly as two words.

Надёжность: [nɐˈdʲoʐnəsʲtʲ]

Note on Надёжность: Stress on the second syllable. The "ё" is always stressed and pronounced like "yo."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Trustworthiness or Believability (General Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Доверие - Used for general trust or credibility in a person, institution, or information.

Usage Examples:

• Его слова вызывают доверие у всех.

  His words inspire credibility in everyone.

• Этот источник информации не внушает доверия.

  This source of information does not inspire credibility.

• Доверие к правительству падает.

  Credibility in the government is declining.

2. Reliability or Dependability (Functional Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Надёжность - Often used for the reliability of systems, data, or mechanisms, sometimes for people.

Usage Examples:

• Надёжность этих данных подтверждена экспертами.

  The credibility of this data has been confirmed by experts.

• Её надёжность как сотрудника не вызывает сомнений.

  Her credibility as an employee is beyond doubt.

3. Credit of Trust (Figurative or Formal Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Кредит доверия - Idiomatic expression used in formal contexts to denote a provisional trust or credibility given to someone.

Usage Examples:

• Мы дали ему кредит доверия, но он его не оправдал.

  We gave him a credit of credibility, but he failed to justify it.

• Политик получил кредит доверия от избирателей.

  The politician received a credit of credibility from the voters.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Доверие (Noun, Neuter): Declines regularly according to the second declension (neuter nouns ending in -е).

Case	Singular
Nominative	Доверие
Genitive	Доверия
Dative	Доверию
Accusative	Доверие
Instrumental	Доверием
Prepositional	О Доверии

Надёжность (Noun, Feminine): Declines regularly as a feminine noun ending in -ость.

Кредит доверия (Phrase): "Кредит" declines as a masculine noun, and "доверия" is the genitive form of "доверие." Used as a fixed expression.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for Доверие:

• Уверенность
• Вера

Note: "Уверенность" often implies confidence, while "Вера" can mean faith or belief, depending on context.

Antonyms for Доверие:

• Недоверие
• Сомнение

Related Phrases:

• Внушать доверие - To inspire credibility or trust.
• Потерять доверие - To lose credibility or trust.
• Кредит доверия исчерпан - The credit of trust is exhausted (used when someone has lost credibility).

Usage Notes:

• "Доверие" is the most neutral and widely applicable translation for "credibility" and can be used in personal, professional, and abstract contexts.
• "Кредит доверия" is a more formal, idiomatic expression and is often used in political or high-stakes contexts where trust is granted conditionally.
• "Надёжность" shifts the focus to reliability and is more common when discussing data, systems, or consistent performance rather than personal trust.
• Be mindful of context when choosing between these translations, as they are not always interchangeable.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "Кредит доверия" in casual or personal contexts. Incorrect: "Я дал ему кредит доверия в дружбе." Correct: "Я доверился ему в дружбе." (Explanation: "Кредит доверия" is too formal for personal relationships; use "довериться" or "доверие" instead.)
• Error: Misusing "Надёжность" for personal trust. Incorrect: "Его надёжность как друга важна." Correct: "Его доверие как друга важно." (Explanation: "Надёжность" is better for objects or professional reliability, not emotional trust.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "доверие" (trust/credibility) is highly valued, especially in personal and professional relationships. Losing "доверие" can have significant social consequences, and the concept of "кредит доверия" often appears in discussions of politics or leadership, reflecting a cultural emphasis on accountability.

Related Concepts:

• Честность (Honesty)
• Репутация (Reputation)
• Авторитет (Authority)