Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'offend'

English Word: offend

Key Russian Translations:

• обижать [ɐˈbʲiʐətʲ] - [Informal, Commonly used in everyday speech]
• оскорблять [ɐˈskɐrblʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often in legal or serious contexts]

Frequency: Medium (The verb is encountered in daily conversations and literature but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like 'to be' or 'to go').

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and aspectual pairs, which can be challenging for learners beyond beginner level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

обижать: [ɐˈbʲiʐətʲ]

оскорблять: [ɐˈskɐrblʲɪtʲ]

Note on обижать: The 'ж' sound is a soft palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure' in English, but it may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Note on оскорблять: Stress falls on the second syllable; misplacing it can alter the word's perceived formality.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To cause someone to feel upset, annoyed, or insulted

Translation(s) & Context:

• обижать - Used in informal settings, such as personal relationships or casual discussions, to describe emotional hurt without implying severe insult.
• оскорблять - Applied in more formal or intense contexts, like public speeches or legal disputes, where the offense is deliberate and profound.

Usage Examples:

• Он часто обижает своих коллег шутками. (He often offends his colleagues with jokes.)

  He often offends his colleagues with jokes. (This example shows 'обижать' in an informal workplace context, highlighting everyday emotional impact.)

• Её слова оскорбляют достоинство других. (Her words offend the dignity of others.)

  Her words offend the dignity of others. (Here, 'оскорблять' is used in a formal setting to emphasize a deeper, more serious insult.)

• Не обижай меня такими замечаниями. (Don't offend me with such remarks.)

  Don't offend me with such remarks. (This illustrates 'обижать' in a direct, interpersonal dialogue, common in casual Russian conversations.)

• Газетная статья оскорбляет память героя. (The newspaper article offends the memory of the hero.)

  The newspaper article offends the memory of the hero. (This example demonstrates 'оскорблять' in a public or historical context, showing its formal application.)

• Дети иногда обижают друг друга в играх. (Children sometimes offend each other during play.)

  Children sometimes offend each other during play. (This uses 'обижать' to depict innocent or accidental offense in a childlike scenario, varying the grammatical structure.)

To violate rules or standards (e.g., moral or social)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обижать - Less common in this sense, but can imply minor violations in informal contexts.
• оскорблять - Often used for more serious breaches, such as offending public decency.

Usage Examples:

• Его поведение обижает традиции семьи. (His behavior offends the family's traditions.)

  His behavior offends the family's traditions. (This shows 'обижать' in a cultural or familial context.)

• Такие действия оскорбляют закон. (Such actions offend the law.)

  Such actions offend the law. (This example uses 'оскорблять' to indicate a formal violation.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'обижать' and 'оскорблять' are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Обижать' is irregular in some forms due to its stem changes, while 'оскорблять' follows more standard patterns.

Note: These verbs have perfective counterparts ('обидеть' for 'обижать' and 'оскорбить' for 'оскорблять'), which indicate completed actions. They remain unchanged in infinitive form but conjugate fully in other tenses.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • задевать (to hurt or touch upon, often emotionally; less intense than обижать)
  • унижать (to humiliate; implies deeper degradation)
• Antonyms:
  • уважать (to respect; used in contexts where no offense occurs)
  • хвалить (to praise; the opposite of causing upset)

Related Phrases:

• обижать кого-то (to offend someone) - A common phrase for describing personal emotional harm in conversations.
• оскорблять честь (to offend honor) - Used in formal or legal contexts to refer to attacks on personal dignity.
• не обижайся (don't be offended) - An idiomatic expression to soften potential offense in dialogue.

Usage Notes:

'Обижать' is the more direct equivalent to 'offend' in everyday English, but it carries a connotation of emotional hurt rather than legal violation. Use 'оскорблять' for situations involving deliberate insult, as it aligns with formal English contexts. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system: pair with perfective forms like 'обидеть' for one-time events. In informal speech, 'обижать' is preferred, while 'оскорблять' suits written or official language. Learners should consider the subject's gender and number for accurate conjugation.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'обижать' with 'оскорблять': English learners often use 'обижать' in formal contexts where 'оскорблять' is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Он обижает закон" instead of "Он оскорбляет закон" (Correct: He offends the law). This dilutes the severity; explanation: 'Обижать' implies lighter emotional offense, while 'оскорблять' denotes a deeper breach.

• Misconjugating verbs: Beginners might say "Я обижает" (incorrect) instead of "Я обижаю" (correct for first person). This stems from ignoring person-based endings; always check the full conjugation table for accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, offending someone ('обижать' or 'оскорблять') can relate to deeply ingrained social norms, such as respecting elders or maintaining group harmony. For instance, direct criticism might be seen as more offensive than in Western cultures, leading to phrases like 'не обижайся' to preserve relationships. Historically, this ties to collectivist values in Russian society, where personal affronts can affect community dynamics.

Related Concepts:

• извиняться (to apologize)
• уважение (respect)
• достоинство (dignity)