Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Behind'

English Word: behind

Key Russian Translations:

• позади [pɐˈzadʲi] - [Formal, Often used for physical position]
• сзади [ˈszadʲi] - [Informal, Commonly used for location]
• за [za] - [Neutral, Preposition often used with objects]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, varies slightly by usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

позади: [pɐˈzadʲi]

Note on позади: Stress falls on the second syllable; the 'и' sounds like 'ee' in 'see.'

сзади: [ˈszadʲi]

Note on сзади: Stress on the first syllable; 'с' is a soft 's' sound.

за: [za]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Physical Position (at the back of something)

Translation(s) & Context:

• позади - Used for describing something or someone located at the back in a formal or literary context.
• сзади - Common in everyday speech for physical location behind something.
• за - Used as a preposition with a noun (e.g., behind the house).

Usage Examples:

• Машина стоит позади дома.

  The car is parked behind the house.

• Он шел сзади меня.

  He was walking behind me.

• Книга лежит за шкафом.

  The book is behind the wardrobe.

• Сзади послышался шум.

  A noise was heard from behind.

• Оставь это позади и иди дальше.

  Leave this behind and move on.

2. Figurative Meaning (lagging or overdue)

Translation(s) & Context:

• отставать - Used as a verb for falling behind in progress or time.

Usage Examples:

• Я отстаю по математике.

  I am behind in math.

• Мы отстаем от графика.

  We are behind schedule.

• Он отстает в развитии.

  He is behind in development.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

позади and сзади: These are adverbs and do not change form (invariable).

за: As a preposition, it does not inflect but requires the noun following it to be in the instrumental case (for location) or accusative case (for movement).

отставать: This is a verb and follows regular conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs of the first conjugation.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for позади/сзади (physical position):

• сзаду
• в тылу

Note: 'сзаду' is a slight variant of 'сзади,' often interchangeable; 'в тылу' is more formal or military-related.

Antonyms for позади/сзади:

• впереди
• спереди

Related Phrases:

• остаться позади - to stay behind or be left behind (physically or figuratively)
• идти сзади - to walk behind someone
• за спиной - behind one’s back (often used figuratively for secrecy or betrayal)

Usage Notes:

• 'позади' is more formal or literary compared to 'сзади,' which is conversational and widely used in daily speech.
• 'за' as a preposition must be followed by a noun in the appropriate case (instrumental for static position, accusative for movement).
• For figurative meanings like "behind schedule," use the verb 'отставать' rather than adverbs or prepositions.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using 'за' without adjusting the noun case.

Incorrect: за дом (nominative case)

Correct: за домом (instrumental case) - behind the house

Explanation: 'за' requires the instrumental case for location; failing to adjust the noun case is a frequent mistake for learners.

Error 2: Confusing 'позади' and 'сзади' in formal contexts.

Incorrect: Он шел сзади на церемонии (informal in a formal setting)

Correct: Он шел позади на церемонии (more appropriate for formal context)

Cultural Notes:

The phrase 'за спиной' (behind one’s back) often carries a negative connotation in Russian, implying deceit or gossip. It’s frequently used in contexts of betrayal or secrecy, so be cautious when using it in conversation.

Related Concepts:

• впереди (ahead)
• рядом (beside)
• около (near)