Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Despise'

English Word: despise

Key Russian Translations:

• презирать [prʲɪˈzʲirətʲ] - [Formal, Often used in written or serious contexts]
• ненавидеть [nʲɪnəˈvʲidʲɪtʲ] - [Informal/Formal, Broader term for hatred, including despise]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in both literary and conversational contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "презирать"; A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "ненавидеть"

Pronunciation (Russian):

презирать: [prʲɪˈzʲirətʲ]

Note on презирать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'р' sound is rolled, and 'и' is pronounced as a short 'i'.

ненавидеть: [nʲɪnəˈvʲidʲɪtʲ]

Note on ненавидеть: Stress on the third syllable. The soft 'н' requires a slight palatalization before 'е'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To feel contempt or strong dislike (core meaning of despise)

Translation(s) & Context:

• презирать - Used when expressing disdain or looking down on someone/something, often with a moral or intellectual superiority.
• ненавидеть - Can be used for despise but often implies a stronger, more emotional hatred.

Usage Examples:

• Он презирает тех, кто лжёт. (On preziraet tekh, kto lzhët.)

  He despises those who lie.

• Она презирает лицемерие. (Ona preziraet litsemeriye.)

  She despises hypocrisy.

• Я ненавижу несправедливость, я её просто презираю. (Ya nenavizhu nespravedlivost', ya yeyo prosto prezirayu.)

  I hate injustice; I simply despise it.

• Некоторые люди ненавидят перемены. (Nekotoryye lyudi nenavidyat peremeny.)

  Some people despise (or hate) changes.

• Он ненавидит своего бывшего начальника. (On nenavidit svoyego byvshego nachal'nika.)

  He despises (or hates) his former boss.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

презирать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation in the first conjugation group. Below is the present tense conjugation:

ненавидеть (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation in the second conjugation group. Below is the present tense conjugation:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for презирать:

• пренебрегать (prenegregat') - Often implies neglect alongside contempt.
• гнушаться (gnushat'sya) - Stronger disdain, often with disgust.

Synonyms for ненавидеть:

• не выносить (ne vynosit') - Informal, to not stand someone/something.
• терпеть не могу (terpet' ne mogu) - Colloquial, "can't stand".

Antonyms:

• уважать (uvazhat') - To respect.
• любить (lyubit') - To love.

Related Phrases:

• презирать врагов (prezirat' vragov) - To despise enemies; common in literary or formal speech.
• ненавидеть всем сердцем (nenavidet' vsem serdtsem) - To hate (or despise) with all one’s heart; emotional expression.
• презирать слабость (prezirat' slabost') - To despise weakness; often used in moral discussions.

Usage Notes:

• "презирать" is more specific to contempt and disdain, often implying a sense of superiority. It is typically used in more formal or literary contexts compared to "ненавидеть".
• "ненавидеть" is broader and can mean both "to hate" and "to despise". It conveys stronger emotional intensity and is more versatile in conversational Russian.
• Choose "презирать" when the context involves looking down on someone/something, and "ненавидеть" when expressing deep dislike or hatred.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "презирать" interchangeably with "ненавидеть" in all contexts. For example, saying "Я презираю эту еду" (I despise this food) sounds unnatural; "ненавидеть" or "не люблю" (don't like) would be better.
• Correction: Reserve "презирать" for abstract or moral disdain, e.g., "презирать ложь" (to despise lies), and use "ненавидеть" for personal or emotional dislike, e.g., "ненавижу эту еду" (I hate this food).
• Error: Misconjugating verbs due to stress shifts or soft consonants, e.g., pronouncing "ненавижу" as [nenavizhu] without softening the 'н'.
• Correction: Practice palatalization for "ненавижу" [nʲɪnəˈvʲiʒu] with a soft 'н' before 'е'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing contempt or hatred openly (using "презирать" or "ненавидеть") can be seen as quite strong and emotionally charged. Russians may use softer expressions like "не люблю" (don't like) or "не выношу" (can't stand) in casual settings to avoid sounding overly harsh, especially in personal interactions.

Related Concepts:

• пренебрежение (prenegrezheniye) - Disdain, neglect.
• отвращение (otvrashcheniye) - Disgust, aversion.
• неприязнь (nepriyazn') - Dislike, hostility.