Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| враг | vrag | [vrak] (narrow) | masculine |
| проти́вник | protívnik | masculine | |
| проти́вница | protívnica | feminine | |
| неприя́тель | neprijátelʹ | masculine | |
| неприя́тельница | neprijátelʹnica | feminine | |
| не́друг | nédrug | masculine | |
| во́рог | vórog | dated, masculine, poetic |
Russian offers several ways to express the concept of an enemy or opponent, ranging from a person with deep-seated hatred to a neutral competitor in a game.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the intensity of the relationship: враг implies a deep-seated, often existential or mortal enmity, such as a lifelong foe or an enemy in war. проти́вник is a more neutral term used for an opponent in a competition, game or debate, rather than someone with malicious intent. неприя́тель serves as a more formal or literary term for an adversary or foe. Finally, не́друг is a litotes meaning 'not-friend', describing an adversary without the heavy emotional weight of враг.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
враг is a standard, formal term for 'enemy'. неприя́тель is a more formal or literary choice. The word во́рог is an archaic or poetic form used in high-style speech and literature.
How does it change in a sentence?
For the word meaning opponent, use the masculine проти́вник for a single male or a group of mixed gender, while the feminine проти́вница is used for a female opponent. For the word meaning adversary, the feminine form is неприя́тельница.
How do you pronounce it?
vrag
Did you know?
- The poetic word во́рог is a linguistic sibling to враг, meaning they both come from the same ancient Proto-Slavic root but entered the modern language through different paths.
- In Russian, the term проти́вник is used for opponents in sports or chess, whereas враг would imply that the athletes actually hate each other personally.
- The word неприя́тель is often used in military contexts to refer to the opposing force without necessarily attributing personal hatred to the soldiers.
Examples in context
- Я вам не враг.I am not your enemy.This sentence is useful for clarifying that you do not hold enmity toward the listener using враг.Tatoeba #3275046 by marafon, translation #1841275 by Spamster
- Ты ей не враг.You aren't her enemy.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is not the enemy of a female subject using враг.Tatoeba #12055449 by marafon, translation #12055460 by ddnktr
- Вы ей не враг.You're not her enemy.This sentence is useful for stating that you are not the enemy of a female subject using враг.Tatoeba #12055450 by marafon, translation #12056585 by sundown
- Враг лжётThe enemy is lying
- Они всегда были неприятелямиThey have always been enemies
- 265 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sergei and Ekaterina are discussing a character in a historical novel.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЭтот персонаж настоящий враг.Etot personazh nastoyashchiy vrag.This character is a true enemy.
- Сергей SergeyДа, он очень опасен.Da, on ochen' opasen.Yes, he is very dangerous.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСергей, ты согласен со мной?Sergey, ty soglasen so mnoy?Sergei, do you agree with me?
- Сергей SergeyСовершенно верно, Екатерина.Sovershenno verno, Ekaterina.Absolutely, Ekaterina.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enemy” translations and entries враг, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries враг, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
