Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Backhand'

English Word: Backhand

Key Russian Translations:

• удар слева [ˈudər ˈslʲevə] - [Sports, Tennis]
• обратный удар [ɐbˈratnɨj ˈudər] - [General, Less Common]

Frequency: Medium (Common in sports contexts, especially tennis)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

удар слева: [ˈudər ˈslʲevə]

Note on удар слева: Pay attention to the stress on the first syllable of "удар" and the soft "л" sound in "слева".

обратный удар: [ɐbˈratnɨj ˈudər]

Note on обратный удар: The stress falls on the second syllable of "обратный".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Tennis Stroke (Sports Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• удар слева - Primarily used in tennis to describe a stroke made with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke.

Usage Examples:

• Его удар слева был невероятно мощным на этом матче.

  His backhand was incredibly powerful in this match.

• Она тренирует удар слева каждый день.

  She practices her backhand every day.

• Удар слева — её сильная сторона в игре.

  The backhand is her strong suit in the game.

2. General Reverse Strike (Broader Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обратный удар - Used more generally to describe a reverse or backhand strike, not necessarily in sports.

Usage Examples:

• Он нанёс обратный удар, чтобы защититься.

  He delivered a backhand strike to defend himself.

• Обратный удар может быть неожиданным для противника.

  A backhand strike can be unexpected for the opponent.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

удар слева (Noun Phrase):

"удар" is a masculine noun, and "слева" is an adverb. Below is the declension for "удар":

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	удар	удары
Genitive	удара	ударов
Dative	удару	ударам
Accusative	удар	удары
Instrumental	ударом	ударами
Prepositional	ударе	ударах

"слева" does not change as it is an adverb.

обратный удар (Adjective + Noun Phrase):

"обратный" is an adjective agreeing with "удар" (masculine). It changes based on case, number, and gender if used with other nouns. "удар" follows the same declension as above.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for удар слева:

• бэкхенд (borrowed term, used in tennis)

Note: "бэкхенд" is a direct transliteration of "backhand" and is often used by younger players or in international contexts.

Antonyms for удар слева:

• удар справа (forehand)

Related Phrases:

• двухручный удар слева - Two-handed backhand (common in modern tennis).
• одноручный удар слева - One-handed backhand (traditional style in tennis).

Usage Notes:

• "удар слева" is the standard and most widely recognized term in Russian for a backhand stroke in tennis. It is specific to sports contexts.
• "обратный удар" is less common and might be used in non-sports contexts to describe a reverse or backhand hit, such as in self-defense or casual speech.
• When discussing tennis, always prefer "удар слева" unless contextually inappropriate.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "удар сзади" (literally "strike from behind") to mean "backhand". This is incorrect and confusing as it implies a different motion.
• Correct Usage: Use "удар слева" for tennis contexts. Example: "Его удар слева был точным" (His backhand was precise).
• Error Explanation: "сзади" refers to something behind, not the backhand motion in tennis.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian sports culture, tennis terminology often borrows directly from English (e.g., "бэкхенд"), especially among younger generations or professional players. However, traditional Russian terms like "удар слева" are still dominant in formal commentary and coaching.

Related Concepts:

• удар справа (forehand)
• подача (serve)
• смеш (smash)