手早い答え
prejudicar は広い意味の不利益・害、danificar は構造や機能への具体的な損傷です。
確実な見分け方は、英語から訳す前に、その単語の働きを見きわめることです。
それぞれの単語の働き
prejudicar
to harm, hinder, or put at a disadvantage
Use prejudicar for damaging someone’s interests, health, performance, rights, or chances.
danificar
to damage
Use danificar for causing physical or functional damage to an object, structure, or system.
選び方
- prejudicar: Choose prejudicar if the sentence points to damaging someone’s interests, health, performance, rights, or chances.
- danificar: Choose danificar if the sentence points to causing physical or functional damage to an object, structure, or system.
例文
O atraso prejudicou os passageiros.
The delay harmed the passengers.
A água danificou o computador.
The water damaged the computer.
よくある落とし穴
A broken machine is danificada. A person, plan, or result is usually prejudicado unless physical injury is the focus.
文脈の中で練習する
自分の実生活から文を一つ選び、二回書いてみましょう。一度はprejudicarで、もう一度はdanificarで。どちらも成り立ちそうなら、意味の違いを言葉にしてみましょう。