Science fiction (фантастика) loves to explore concepts like teleportation and time travel. But when we look at actual science, we often have to bring those ideas back down to earth and express extreme doubt.
Unlikelihood with "вряд ли"
To state that something is unlikely to happen or that you hardly believe it, use the particle вряд ли (unlikely / hardly).
Unlike the parenthetical words from the previous lesson, вряд ли does not require commas. It is a particle that is simply placed before the verb it modifies. The verb remains in its normal indicative form—whether past, present, or future.
| Science fiction is interesting, but we will hardly build a time machine. | Фантастика — это интересно, но мы вряд ли построим машину времени. |
| The scientist hardly believes that we can instantly travel to the past. | Учёный вряд ли верит, что мы можем мгновенно перемещаться в прошлое. |
Extreme Doubt with "едва ли"
For an even stronger or slightly more formal expression of doubt ("scarcely" or "highly unlikely"), use the particle едва ли.
It works exactly the same way as вряд ли, pairing directly with an indicative verb. It is the perfect phrase to use when debunking popular sci-fi tropes as pure fiction (вымысел).
| Teleportation is highly unlikely to become a reality soon. | Телепортация едва ли скоро станет реальностью. |
| A particle is highly unlikely to travel instantly through space. | Частица едва ли может мгновенно перемещаться сквозь космос. |