Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'incriminate'

English Word: incriminate

Key Russian Translations:

• Обвинить [ɐbˈvʲinʲitʲ] - [Formal, Legal contexts]
• Скомпрометировать [skəmprəmʲɪˈtʲirəvətʲ] - [Informal, when implying damage to reputation]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in legal, news, and everyday discussions, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "сказать").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "Обвинить"; B2 (Upper Intermediate) for "Скомпрометировать" due to its nuanced connotations and less common usage.

Pronunciation (Russian):

Обвинить: [ɐbˈvʲinʲitʲ]

Скомпрометировать: [skəmprəmʲɪˈtʲirəvətʲ]

Note on Обвинить: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'нʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers. Variations in fast speech may soften the vowels.

Note on Скомпрометировать: This word has a rolling 'р' and multiple syllables; practice breaking it into parts: s-kom-pro-me-ti-ro-vat'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To make someone appear guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Обвинить - Used in formal legal or accusatory contexts, such as courtrooms or investigations, to directly implicate someone.
• Скомпрометировать - Applied in informal or broader contexts where reputation is damaged, not always legally.

Usage Examples:

• Он обвинил меня в краже, но у него не было доказательств.

  He incriminated me in the theft, but he had no evidence.

• Доказательства обвиняют подозреваемого в совершении преступления.

  The evidence incriminates the suspect in committing the crime.

• Не стоит скомпрометировать себя ложными признаниями.

  Don't incriminate yourself with false confessions.

• В фильме главный герой был скомпрометирован своими бывшими коллегами.

  In the movie, the main character was incriminated by his former colleagues.

• Судебные записи обвиняют нескольких чиновников в коррупции.

  Court records incriminate several officials in corruption.

To indirectly suggest involvement in something negative.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Скомпрометировать - Often used metaphorically in social or professional settings to imply reputational damage.

Usage Examples:

• Её слова скомпрометировали репутацию компании.

  Her words incriminated the company's reputation.

• Он не хотел скомпрометировать друга, но факты говорили сами за себя.

  He didn't want to incriminate his friend, but the facts spoke for themselves.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Обвинить" and "Скомпрометировать" are verbs of the first conjugation in Russian, which means they follow regular patterns but have irregularities in certain forms. "Обвинить" is more commonly used and has standard infinitive, past, and future forms. "Скомпрометировать" is less frequent but conjugates similarly.

Note: These verbs do not change based on gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense. They are regular but require attention to stem changes in present tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Обвинять (obvinyat' - more general accusing, often ongoing action)
  • Инкриминировать (inkriminovat' - direct borrowing from English, used in formal legal contexts; implies precise evidence)
• Antonyms:
  • Оправдать (opravdat' - to justify or acquit)
  • Защитить (zashchitit' - to defend or protect)

Note: "Обвинять" is a synonym but is imperfective, implying a repeated action, whereas "Обвинить" is perfective for a completed action.

Related Phrases:

• Обвинить в преступлении - To accuse of a crime; used in legal accusations to formally charge someone.
• Скомпрометировать себя - To incriminate oneself; common in self-incrimination scenarios, often with a sense of regret.
• Обвинить без доказательств - To accuse without evidence; highlights the importance of proof in Russian legal discourse.

Usage Notes:

"Обвинить" directly corresponds to "incriminate" in legal English contexts, emphasizing evidence-based accusation, while "Скомпрометировать" is better for situations involving reputational harm. In Russian, these verbs are often used in formal writing or speech; avoid "Скомпрометировать" in strict legal settings as it may sound less precise. Choose based on context: use "Обвинить" for criminal implications and "Скомпрометировать" for social ones. Grammatically, both require the accusative case for the object, e.g., "обвинить кого-то" (accuse someone).

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse "Обвинить" with "Обвинять," using the perfective form where the imperfective is needed for ongoing actions. Error: "Я обвиняю его каждый день" (incorrect if meant as a single event). Correct: "Я обвинил его" for a completed accusation. Explanation: Russian verbs have aspect; perfective for finished actions.

• Misusing case endings, e.g., saying "Обвинить в" without proper accusative, like "Обвинить он" instead of "Обвинить его." Error: "Он обвинить в краже" (grammatically wrong). Correct: "Он обвинил меня в краже." Explanation: The object must be in the accusative case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and legal system, words like "Обвинить" carry significant weight due to the historical context of Soviet-era trials, where accusations could lead to severe consequences without solid evidence. This reflects a cultural emphasis on proof and fairness in accusations, often seen in literature like Dostoevsky's works, where wrongful incrimination is a common theme.

Related Concepts:

• Преступление (crime)
• Доказательство (evidence)
• Подозреваемый (suspect)