Úder může být forhend nebo bekhend.

A stroke can be a forehand or a backhand.

Breakdown of Úder může být forhend nebo bekhend.

• být: to be
• moci: can
• nebo: or
• úder: the stroke; shot

Questions & Answers about Úder může být forhend nebo bekhend.

Why are there two verbs in může být?

Because Czech, like English, uses a modal verb plus an infinitive.

• může = can / may / is able to
• být = to be

So může být literally means can be.

This is completely normal Czech structure:

• může přijít = can come
• může hrát = can play
• může být = can be

Why is it může and not some other form of moci?

Může is the 3rd person singular form of moci (to be able to / can).

It is může because the subject is úder, which is singular:

• úder může být... = the stroke can be...

If the subject were plural, you would use mohou:

• Údery mohou být forhend nebo bekhend. = Strokes can be forehand or backhand.

So the verb agrees with úder.

What case is úder in here?

Úder is in the nominative singular, because it is the subject of the sentence.

Basic breakdown:

• úder = subject
• může být = verb phrase
• forhend nebo bekhend = what the subject can be

Also, úder is a masculine inanimate noun.