A2adverb · frequent

rather

rath·er

скоріше, радше, краще, швидше

скорее, лучше, напротив, достаточно

eher, lieber, sondern, um genau zu sein

Used to specify a choice or preferenceUsed to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than)

ⓘⓘ

UK/ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/US/ˈɹæðɚ/

» I would rather stay at home.

Ich würde lieber zu Hause bleiben.

Я би краще залишився вдома.

Meaning

5 senses

(not comparable)Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than)
I'd rather not have spent all the money, but it really was an emergency.
I would like this one rather than the other one.
eher, lieber
лу́чшеlúčše, скоре́еskoréje
ра́дшеrádše, скорі́шеskoríše, кра́щеkrášče
(conjunctive, not comparable)Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary.
It wasn't supposed to be popular; rather, it was supposed to get the job done.
She didn't go along, but rather went home instead.
im Gegenteil, sondern
скоре́еskoréje, напро́тивnaprótiv
скорі́шеskoríše, навпаки́navpaký
on the contrary
(conjunctive, not comparable)Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.)
I didn't want to leave. Or rather I did, just not alone.
eher, um genau zu sein
верне́еvernéje
ра́дшеrádše
(not comparable)Somewhat, quite; to an unexpected degree.
It's been rather/quite a good meal overall, but this melon is rather too tasteless.
We had some rather worse news today.
eher, ziemlich, recht
дово́льноdovólʹno, доста́точноdostátočno
доста́тньоdostátnʹo, до́ситьdósytʹ
to a degree (not used with a negative)
(not comparable, obsolete)More quickly.

Examples

2396 sentences

I would rather stay at home.
Я би краще залишився вдома.
deIch würde lieber zu Hause bleiben.
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I've got some rather serious news.
У мене є досить серйозні новини.
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He is rather hard to please.
Йому досить складно догодити.
ruЕму довольно трудно угодить.
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I'd rather go today than tomorrow.
Я краще піду сьогодні, ніж завтра.
ruЯ предпочел бы пойти сегодня, а не завтра.
deIch möchte eher heute als morgen gehen.
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Tom is rather rich, isn't he?
Том доволі багатий, еге ж?
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Translations

9 languages

Українська

By meaning 3

preferably:

on the contrary:

somewhat, fairly:

Русский

By meaning 4

preferably:

on the contrary:

more precisely:

somewhat, fairly:

Deutsch

By meaning 4

preferably:

on the contrary:

more precisely:

somewhat, fairly:

Origin

From Middle English rather, from Old English hraþor, comparative of hraþe (“soon, early, f

From Middle English rather, from Old English hraþor, comparative of hraþe (“soon, early, fast”). More at rathe. Cognate with Dutch radder (“faster”), comparative of Dutch rad (“fast; quick”), German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), German gerade (“even; straight; direct”). By surface analysis, rathe + -er.

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