Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Detest'

English Word: Detest

Key Russian Translations:

• ненавидеть [nʲɪnɐˈvʲidʲɪtʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Common]
• презирать [prʲɪzʲɪˈratʲ] - [Formal, Strong Disdain]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "ненавидеть"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "презирать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

ненавидеть: [nʲɪnɐˈvʲidʲɪtʲ]

Note on ненавидеть: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "е" is pronounced as a soft "ye" sound.

презирать: [prʲɪzʲɪˈratʲ]

Note on презирать: Stress on the third syllable. The "р" is rolled slightly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To Hate Intensely (General Dislike)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ненавидеть - Used for strong dislike or hatred in both personal and abstract contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Я ненавижу несправедливость.

  I detest injustice.

• Он ненавидит вставать рано утром.

  He detests getting up early in the morning.

• Мы ненавидим ложь и обман.

  We detest lies and deception.

2. To Despise (Contempt or Disdain)

Translation(s) & Context:

• презирать - Implies contempt or looking down on someone/something, often with a moral judgment.

Usage Examples:

• Она презирает людей, которые предают других.

  She detests (despises) people who betray others.

• Он презирает лесть и подхалимство.

  He detests flattery and sycophancy.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

ненавидеть (Verb, Imperfective): Regular verb of the second conjugation. Below is the present tense conjugation:

презирать (Verb, Imperfective): Also a regular verb of the first conjugation. Similar conjugation pattern in present tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for ненавидеть:

• не любить (less intense dislike)
• терпеть не мочь (informal, "can't stand")

Synonyms for презирать:

• гнушаться (formal, rare, "to scorn")

Antonyms:

• любить (to love)
• обожать (to adore)

Related Phrases:

• ненавидеть всей душой - "to detest with all one's soul" (intense hatred)
• презирать за слабость - "to despise for weakness" (specific cause of disdain)

Usage Notes:

• ненавидеть is the more general and commonly used term for "detest" or "hate." It can be applied to people, things, or abstract concepts.
• презирать carries a connotation of contempt or moral superiority and is often used when someone looks down on another person or behavior.
• Choose ненавидеть for everyday expressions of strong dislike; use презирать in formal or literary contexts to emphasize disdain.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up ненавидеть and презирать: English learners often use these interchangeably, but презирать implies contempt, not just hatred. For example, saying "Я презираю холодную погоду" (I despise cold weather) sounds odd because weather isn’t something one typically looks down on morally. Correct: "Я ненавижу холодную погоду."
• Incorrect verb aspect: Using the perfective form of ненавидеть (возненавидеть) in ongoing contexts. Incorrect: "Я возненавижу ложь" for a general statement. Correct: "Я ненавижу ложь" (ongoing feeling).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing strong emotions like hatred (ненавидеть) is often reserved for serious contexts, as it can sound overly dramatic in casual conversation. Russians might use softer expressions like "не люблю" (I don’t like) unless the dislike is profound. Additionally, презирать is tied to notions of honor and moral judgment, often appearing in literature or formal discourse.

Related Concepts:

• отвращение (disgust)
• неприязнь (aversion)
• презрение (contempt)