всупереч + Dative
Всупереч with Dative
Use всупереч (or усупереч) to express that an action happens in direct opposition to a rule, expectation, or advice. It always takes the dative case.
How It Works
The preposition всупереч is an advanced tool for expressing opposition.
1. Case Government:
It strictly governs the dative case. This is a common point of error for learners who might try to use the genitive or accusative.
2. Phonological Alternation:
Like many Ukrainian prepositions, it follows the euphonic alternation rules:
- Всупереч: Used after a vowel (e.g., Вона всупереч...).
- Усупереч: Used at the start of a sentence or after a consonant (e.g., Він діяв усупереч...).
3. Usage Context:
It is frequently found in formal writing, journalism, and literature, but it is also common in standard speech when discussing logic, laws, or forecasts. It is more specific than попри because it implies a direct clash with the object it governs.
Examples (4)
- Усупереч прогнозам, погода була чудовою.
Contrary to the forecasts, the weather was wonderful.
Word by Word: Contrary to-forecasts, weather was wonderful.
Here, 'прогнозам' is the dative plural of 'прогноз'. The sentence starts with 'Усупереч' to follow Ukrainian euphony rules for sentence-initial positions.
- Він діяв усупереч моїй пораді.
He acted contrary to my advice.
Word by Word: He acted contrary my advice.
'Пораді' is the dative singular of 'порада'. 'Усупереч' is used here because the preceding word 'діяв' ends in a consonant, ensuring a smooth transition between words.
- Усупереч закону, вони продовжували будівництво.
Contrary to the law, they continued the construction.
Word by Word: Contrary to-law, they continued construction.
'Закону' is the dative singular of 'закон'. This demonstrates the use of the pattern in a formal context, starting with 'У' for euphony.
- Усупереч очікуванням, фільм виявився нудним.
Contrary to expectations, the movie turned out to be boring.
Word by Word: Contrary to-expectations, film turned-out boring.
'Очікуванням' is the dative plural of 'очікування'. The preposition starts the sentence, so 'усупереч' is the preferred form.
Common Mistakes
Using the genitive case instead of the dative.
Усупереч прогнозів...Усупереч прогнозам...Learners often mistakenly use the genitive case because other prepositions like 'без' or 'до' require it. Always use the dative with 'всупереч/усупереч'.
Using the accusative case (confusing it with 'попри').
Усупереч всі перешкоди...Усупереч усім перешкодам...While 'попри' takes the accusative, 'всупереч' must take the dative. Ensure both the adjective and noun are in the dative form.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use the preposition 'всупереч' correctly, a learner must first be comfortable with the dative case (давальний відмінок) for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, as this preposition specifically requires the dative to express opposition or contradiction.
- Dative Recipient
Understanding the basic forms and endings of the dative case is essential since 'всупереч' governs this case.
Level 2 - Adjective Case Agreement
Learners need to know how to decline adjectives in the dative case to use them with nouns following 'всупереч'.
Level 2 - Personal Pronoun Case Forms
Knowledge of personal pronoun forms in the dative is necessary for expressions like 'всупереч йому' (contrary to him/it).
Level 2
Related Patterns
- в/у та з/із/зі (милозвучність)Euphonic Alternation of В/У and З/ІЗ/ЗІ
Explains why we alternate between 'всупереч' and 'усупереч' depending on the surrounding sounds.
Level 6 - попри те щоПопри Те Що Concessive Clause
A related concessive construction meaning 'despite the fact that', though it uses a different grammatical structure.
Level 5 - Animate and Inanimate Accusative
Contrast this with 'всупереч'; other prepositions like 'попри' use the accusative case instead of the dative.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice всупереч + Dative in Bubblegum
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