Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pretence'

English Word: pretence

Key Russian Translations:

• притворство [prʲɪtˈvɔrnstvə] - [Formal, often used in literary or serious contexts]
• предлог [prʲɪdˈlɔk] - [Informal, specifically for an excuse or pretext in everyday speech]
• лицемерие [lʲɪtsʲɪˈmʲɛrʲɪjə] - [Formal, implying hypocrisy or insincerity]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, discussions, and narratives, but not in casual everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; Requires understanding of nuanced contexts; For 'притворство', it's B1; For 'предлог', it's A2 due to its dual meaning as 'preposition' in grammar)

Pronunciation (Russian):

притворство: [prʲɪtˈvɔrnstvə]

предлог: [prʲɪdˈlɔk]

лицемерие: [lʲɪtsʲɪˈmʲɛrʲɪjə]

Note on притворство: The stress falls on the third syllable ('vɔrn'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The act of pretending or feigning something, often to deceive.

Translation(s) & Context:

• притворство - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe deliberate deception or false appearance.
• предлог - Applied in informal settings as a false reason or excuse, but avoid confusion with its grammatical meaning.
• лицемерие - Employed when pretence involves hypocrisy, such as in moral or social situations.

Usage Examples:

• Он скрывал свои истинные намерения под маской притворства.

  He hid his true intentions behind a mask of pretence.

• Её притворство в дружбе было очевидным для всех, кто знал её.

  Her pretence of friendship was obvious to everyone who knew her.

• Используя предлог усталости, он избежал встречи.

  Using tiredness as a pretence, he avoided the meeting.

• Лицемерие политиков часто проявляется в их притворстве.

  The hypocrisy of politicians often shows in their pretence.

• В повседневной жизни притворство может привести к разочарованию.

  In everyday life, pretence can lead to disappointment.

Meaning 2: A false claim or excuse made for a purpose.

Translation(s) & Context:

• предлог - Common in casual conversations for excuses, but ensure it doesn't overlap with grammatical usage.
• притворство - Less common here, reserved for more elaborate deceptions.

Usage Examples:

• Его предлог о болезни не убедил начальство.

  His pretence of illness didn't convince the management.

• Под предлогом важного звонка она вышла из комнаты.

  Under the pretence of an important call, she left the room.

• Притворство в работе часто маскирует лень.

  Pretence in work often masks laziness.

• Лицемерие в отношениях начинается с мелких предлогов.

  Hypocrisy in relationships starts with small pretences.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Most key translations like 'притворство' and 'лицемерие' are neuter nouns, while 'предлог' can function as a masculine noun in this context. Russian nouns inflect for case, number, and gender. Below is a table for 'притворство' as an example; 'предлог' has similar patterns but with variations due to its common use as a preposition.

For 'предлог', it is invariable in its pretext meaning but changes in grammatical contexts (e.g., предлога in genitive). 'Лицемерие' follows a similar neuter pattern but is less commonly pluralized.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: симуляция [sʲɪmʊˈlatsɨjə] - More formal, implying simulation or feigning; обман [ɐbˈman] - General deception, with a broader scope than pretence.
• Antonyms: искренность [ɪsˈkrʲɪnnəstʲ] - Sincerity, directly opposite in meaning; честность [ˈt͡ɕɛstnəstʲ] - Honesty, emphasizing truthfulness.

Related Phrases:

• Под маской притворства - Under a mask of pretence; Meaning: Hiding true feelings or intentions in social interactions.
• Ложный предлог - False pretence; Meaning: A fabricated excuse, often used in legal or everyday contexts to avoid responsibility.
• Маска лицемерия - Mask of hypocrisy; Meaning: A common expression for deceptive behavior in relationships or politics.

Usage Notes:

'Притворство' is the most direct translation for 'pretence' in formal English contexts, emphasizing deception, while 'предлог' is better for excuses and may confuse learners due to its grammatical double meaning. Choose based on context: use 'лицемерие' for hypocritical pretence. In Russian, these words often appear in narrative or descriptive sentences, and they are gender-neutral but inflect with cases. Avoid overusing in casual speech, as it can sound overly dramatic.

• Grammar note: Always consider case agreement when using in sentences.
• Context guidance: In business or social settings, 'предлог' is more conversational, whereas 'притворство' suits literature.

Common Errors:

English learners often mistake 'предлог' for its grammatical meaning (a preposition like 'of' or 'for'), leading to incorrect usage. For example, incorrect: "Его предлог - это ошибка" (meaning "His preposition is a mistake"), when intending pretence. Correct: "Его предлог был просто оправданием" (His pretence was just an excuse). Another error is overgeneralizing 'притворство' to mean any lie; it's specifically for feigned behavior, not general deception like 'обман'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, themes of pretence and hypocrisy are prevalent in literature, such as in the works of Anton Chekhov or Fyodor Dostoevsky, where characters often use pretence to navigate social hierarchies or hide emotions. This reflects historical contexts like the Soviet era, where public facades were common, adding a layer of irony to everyday interactions.

Related Concepts:

• обман
• маска
• симуляция