Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dislike'

English Word: dislike

Key Russian Translations:

• не нравиться [nʲɪ narʲaˈvʲit͡sə] - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday conversations to express personal feelings]
• неприязнь [nʲɪprʲiˈaznʲ] - [Formal, Noun, Used in written or serious contexts to denote a general aversion]

Frequency: Medium - This word and its translations are commonly encountered in daily Russian communication, especially in personal or emotional discussions.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Learners at this level can grasp the basic verb forms, but nuances in formal vs. informal usage may require practice. For 'неприязнь' as a noun, it remains B1; for 'не нравиться' as a verb, it might lean towards A2 for simple conjugations.

Pronunciation (Russian):

не нравиться: [nʲɪ narʲaˈvʲit͡sə]

Note on не нравиться: The stress falls on the second syllable of "нравиться" [narʲaˈvʲit͡sə]. Be mindful of the soft sign (ь) which softens the preceding consonant, a common challenge for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may alter vowel sounds slightly.

Audio: []

неприязнь: [nʲɪprʲiˈaznʲ]

Note on неприязнь: Pronounce the initial "н" as palatalized [nʲ], and the final "нь" with a soft nasal quality. This word is less commonly spoken, so focus on clear enunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To feel aversion or not like something (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• не нравиться - Used in informal settings to express personal dislike, often in response to questions about preferences.

Usage Examples:

• Мне не нравится этот фильм. (Mne ne nravitsya etot fil'm.)

  I don't like this movie. (Context: Expressing personal opinion in a casual conversation.)

• Ему не нравятся шумные вечеринки. (Yemu ne nravjatsja shumnyje večerinki.)

  He doesn't like noisy parties. (Context: Describing habitual dislikes in everyday dialogue.)

• Детям не нравится есть овощи. (Detjam ne nravitsja jest' ovoschi.)

  Children don't like eating vegetables. (Context: Generalizing about preferences in a family setting.)

• Почему тебе не нравится эта музыка? (Pocemu tebe ne nravitsja èta muzyka?)

  Why don't you like this music? (Context: Inquiring about someone's taste in an informal chat.)

Meaning 2: A feeling of aversion or hostility (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• неприязнь - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe a deeper, more enduring dislike, often implying resentment.

Usage Examples:

• Его неприязнь к начальству очевидна. (Jego nepriyazn' k načal'stvu očevidna.)

  His dislike of the management is obvious. (Context: Discussing workplace tensions in a formal report.)

• Эта неприязнь возникла из-за прошлого конфликта. (Èta nepriyazn' voznikla iz-za prošlogo konflikta.)

  This dislike arose from a past conflict. (Context: Explaining the origins of interpersonal issues in a narrative.)

• Неприязнь к нововведениям часто тормозит прогресс. (Nepriyazn' k novovvedenijam často tormozit progress.)

  Dislike of innovations often hinders progress. (Context: In an essay or debate about societal change.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'не нравиться' (verb, imperfective aspect), it is a reflexive verb that conjugates based on person, number, and tense. It follows standard first-conjugation patterns with irregularities in reflexive forms.

For 'неприязнь' (noun, feminine), it declines as a first-declension noun with no irregularities:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • не любить - Slightly more intense, implying a lack of love rather than mere dislike.
  • отвращение - Used for stronger repulsion, often physical.
• Antonyms:
  • любить - To love or like.
  • нравиться - To please or be liked.

Related Phrases:

• Не испытывать симпатии - To not feel sympathy; used in formal contexts to express mild dislike.
• Иметь отвращение - To have aversion; a stronger phrase implying deep dislike.
• Не по душе - Not to one's liking; an idiomatic expression for casual dislike.

Usage Notes:

'Не нравиться' directly corresponds to the verb form of 'dislike' and is the most common choice in spoken Russian, while 'неприязнь' aligns with the noun form for more formal writing. Always consider context: use informal verbs in daily conversations and nouns in essays. Note that Russian often requires the dative case for the subject in reflexive verbs like 'не нравиться'. When choosing between translations, opt for 'не нравиться' for personal emotions and 'неприязнь' for abstract or interpersonal dynamics.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'не нравиться' without the correct reflexive particle (e.g., saying 'не нравится' incorrectly as a non-reflexive verb). Correct: Ensure it's always reflexive, as in 'Мне не нравится'. Explanation: This particle is essential for the verb's meaning in Russian, unlike English verbs.

• Error: Confusing 'неприязнь' with 'неприязненный' (adjectival form). Correct: Use 'неприязнь' as a noun only. Example of error: *Его неприязненный к работе* (incorrect); Correct: Его неприязнь к работе. Explanation: Learners often mix noun and adjective forms, leading to grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing dislike openly, as with 'не нравиться', is common in personal relationships but may be softened in professional settings to maintain harmony. This reflects a cultural emphasis on indirect communication in formal contexts, where words like 'неприязнь' might appear in literature to describe historical resentments, such as in 19th-century novels by Tolstoy.

Related Concepts:

• симпатия (sympathy)
• отвращение (aversion)
• нелюбовь (lack of love)