отказывать vs отказать

otkazývat' vs otkazát' — refuse/deny habitually vs refuse/deny once

What it really means

Отказывать describes a repeated practice, an ongoing refusal, or a tendency to fail. Отказать marks one completed refusal, denial, or failure; a person is commonly in the dative and the requested thing follows в + prepositional.

Examples in natural speech

Он редко отказывает друзьям в помощи.
He rarely refuses to help his friends.
Банк отказал мне в кредите.
The bank denied me a loan.
Мотор иногда отказывает на морозе.
The engine sometimes fails in freezing weather.
Врач не отказал пациенту в приёме.
The doctor did not refuse to see the patient.
Система внезапно отказала.
The system suddenly failed.

Common mistakes

Do not use отказать merely for a polite, ongoing unwillingness: Я отказываюсь is “I refuse” about oneself, while магазин отказывает клиентам в возврате describes its usual policy. Choose отказать when one decision or breakdown has occurred.

Memory tip

Hear отказать as a door clicking shut once: the bank отказал. With отказывать, that door is repeatedly shut—or a machine repeatedly lets you down.

Frequently asked questions

Which case follows «отказать кому-то в чём-то»?

Use the dative for the person and в + prepositional for what is denied: отказать клиенту в возврате денег.

Can «отказать» describe equipment?

Yes. У двигателя отказали тормоза means the brakes failed; unlike a refusal, this use concerns malfunction.

How is «отказать» different from «отказаться»?

Отказать means deny something to someone; отказаться means decline or give up something oneself: отказаться от предложения.

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