Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Athlete'

English Word: athlete

Key Russian Translations:

• спортсмен [spɐrtˈsmʲen] - [Masculine, Singular, Common Usage]
• спортсменка [spɐrtˈsmʲenkə] - [Feminine, Singular, Common Usage]
• спортсмены [spɐrtˈsmʲenɨ] - [Plural, Common Usage]

Frequency: High

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner to Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

спортсмен: [spɐrtˈsmʲen]

Note on спортсмен: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'р' is rolled, and 'с' is soft.

спортсменка: [spɐrtˈsmʲenkə]

Note on спортсменка: Stress on the second syllable. The final 'а' is unstressed and pronounced as a schwa sound.

спортсмены: [spɐrtˈsmʲenɨ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A person who competes in sports (General)

Translation(s) & Context:

• спортсмен/спортсменка - Used to refer to a male or female athlete respectively, in any sport or context.

Usage Examples:

• Он известный спортсмен в мире футбола.

  He is a famous athlete in the world of football.

• Она спортсменка, которая выиграла золотую медаль.

  She is an athlete who won a gold medal.

• Спортсмены готовятся к Олимпийским играм.

  Athletes are preparing for the Olympic Games.

• Этот спортсмен тренируется каждый день.

  This athlete trains every day.

• Спортсменка показала отличные результаты на соревнованиях.

  The female athlete showed excellent results at the competition.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

спортсмен (Masculine Noun): Follows the standard masculine declension pattern in Russian.

спортсменка (Feminine Noun): Follows the standard feminine declension pattern in Russian with the ending '-а'.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• атлет
• игрок (in team sports)

Note: 'атлет' often refers to athletes in track and field or strength sports, while 'игрок' is specific to players in team sports like football or hockey.

Antonyms:

• любитель (amateur, in some contexts)

Related Phrases:

• профессиональный спортсмен - Professional athlete
• олимпийский спортсмен - Olympic athlete
• молодой спортсмен - Young athlete

Usage Notes:

• In Russian, the gender of the noun must match the gender of the person being referred to: use 'спортсмен' for a male athlete and 'спортсменка' for a female athlete.
• The plural form 'спортсмены' is used when referring to a group of athletes, regardless of gender, though it is grammatically masculine.
• This word is widely used in both formal and informal contexts, making it versatile for various situations.

Common Errors:

• Gender Mismatch: English speakers often forget to adjust the noun based on gender. For example, using 'спортсмен' to refer to a female athlete is incorrect. Correct form: 'спортсменка'.
• Case Errors: Using the nominative case 'спортсмен' in sentences requiring other cases, e.g., saying 'Я вижу спортсмен' instead of 'Я вижу спортсмена' (Accusative case). Always match the case to the sentence structure.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, sports and athletes ('спортсмены') hold a significant place, especially due to the country's strong history in Olympic achievements and national pride in sports like hockey, figure skating, and gymnastics. Referring to someone as a 'спортсмен' often carries a tone of respect and admiration.

Related Concepts:

• спорт
• соревнование
• тренировка