ата́ка
atákafeminine
The English word attack can be translated into Russian as either ата́ка (atáka) or нападе́ние.
Meaning: attempt to cause damage, injury, or death (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ата́ка | atáka | feminine |
| нападе́ние | napadénije | neuter |
Both terms refer to an attempt to cause damage, injury or death. You can also use related verbs like атакова́ть or напада́ть to express the action of applying violent force, or критикова́ть and напада́ть when the attack is an aggressive challenge using words.
Which one should you use?
While both words mean attack, нападе́ние is the more common, general term for a physical assault or an act of aggression. In contrast, ата́ка often implies a specific, planned military or strategic maneuver.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the neuter noun нападе́ние is нападе́ния, while the plural form of the feminine noun ата́ка is ата́ки. When using the verb to describe an ongoing process or repeated instances of attacking, use the imperfective form напада́ть.
How do you pronounce it?
atáka
Did you know?
- In Russian medical contexts, a heart attack is called сердечный приступ, which literally translates to 'heart seizure'. The word ата́ка is rarely used for medical emergencies unless referring to a specific 'attack' of a chronic disease.
- The term напа́сть (the perfective root related to these words) is often found in traditional Russian folk tales to describe a sudden stroke of misfortune or an unexpected calamity.
- The Russian word for a 'forward' or 'striker' in sports is напада́ющий. This word is a present participle derived from the verb напада́ть, meaning the player is literally 'the one who is attacking'.
Examples in context
- враг атаковал нашу позициюThe enemy attacked our position
- произошло нападение на полицейскихAn attack on the police occurred
- не набрасывайся на меняDon't attack me
- Во время войны враги атаковали нашу территорию.During the war, the enemies attacked our territory.
- Противник совершил нападение на нашу команду.The opponent launched an attack on our team.
- Не набрасывайся на людей, это нехорошо.Don't attack people, it's not nice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “attack” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
