Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pretension'

English Word: pretension

Key Russian Translations:

• претензия [prʲɪˈtʲenʲzʲɪjə] - [Formal, often used in legal or official contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in formal writing, legal discussions, and everyday complaints, but not as frequent in casual conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and formal language structures, per CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

претензия: /prʲɪˈtʲenʲzʲɪjə/

Note on претензия: The stress is on the third syllable ("ten"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft consonants. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A claim, demand, or assertion, often in a legal or formal context (e.g., a complaint about rights or quality).

Translation(s) & Context:

• претензия - Used in formal settings like business, law, or customer service to denote a formal complaint or claim.

Usage Examples:

• Он подал претензию в суд на производителя из-за бракованного товара.

  He filed a pretension in court against the manufacturer due to the defective product.

• Компания получила претензию от клиента по поводу задержки доставки.

  The company received a pretension from the client regarding the delivery delay.

• В претензии она указала все недостатки услуги.

  In her pretension, she outlined all the shortcomings of the service.

• После претензии менеджер предложил компенсацию.

  After the pretension, the manager offered compensation.

Meaning 2: Pretentiousness or unfounded self-importance (e.g., acting superior without basis).

Translation(s) & Context:

• претензия - Used metaphorically in informal contexts to criticize someone's arrogance, though less common than in legal senses.

Usage Examples:

• Его претензия на знание всего мира раздражает друзей.

  His pretension to know everything about the world annoys his friends.

• В её поведении чувствуется претензия, но без реального основания.

  In her behavior, there's a sense of pretension, but without any real basis.

• Такая претензия часто встречается среди начинающих артистов.

  Such pretension is often seen among novice artists.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Претензия" is a feminine noun in the first declension group. It follows standard Russian noun patterns with regular inflections for cases and numbers. Below is a table of its declensions:

Note: This word does not have irregular forms, making it straightforward for learners once basic declension rules are understood.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • жалоба (complaint; more general and less formal)
  • требование (demand; emphasizes insistence)
• Antonyms:
  • удовлетворение (satisfaction; implies resolution of a claim)
  • принятие (acceptance; opposite in the sense of self-importance)

Note: "Жалоба" is often interchangeable with "претензия" in everyday contexts but carries a slightly more emotional tone.

Related Phrases:

• Подать претензию - To file a complaint (Used in legal or customer service scenarios to initiate a formal claim).
• Отклонить претензию - To reject a pretension (Common in business when denying a claim).
• Претензия к качеству - Pretension regarding quality (Refers to complaints about product standards).

Usage Notes:

"Претензия" directly corresponds to the legal or formal sense of "pretension" in English, but English speakers should note that in Russian, it's primarily used in official contexts like contracts or customer disputes. For the self-importance meaning, it's less common and may sound awkward; consider "высокомерие" instead. Always pay attention to case endings—e.g., use the genitive "претензии" after prepositions like "о" (about). In informal speech, opt for simpler synonyms to avoid sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "претензия" without proper declension, e.g., saying "о претензия" instead of "о претензии".
  Correct: "О претензии" (with genitive case).
  Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case; this error can make the sentence grammatically incorrect and confusing.
• Mistake: Confusing it with "претензия" in the self-importance sense, leading to overuse in casual talk.
  Correct: Use "самоуверенность" for pretentiousness.
  Explanation: Overliteral translation from English can result in unnatural Russian; context matters greatly.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "претензия" is often associated with bureaucratic processes, reflecting a historical emphasis on formal complaints in Soviet and post-Soviet systems. For instance, filing a "претензия" is a common way to address consumer rights, highlighting a cultural norm of written documentation over verbal disputes.

Related Concepts:

• иск (lawsuit)
• жалоба (complaint)
• требование (demand)