Russian

Verb

стать • ‎(statʹ) pf ‎(imperfective станови́ться)

1. (with imperfective infinitive) to begin to

   Ста́нут ли гоня́ть они́ кры́с?‎ ― Stánut li gonjátʹ oní krýs? ― Do they begin to chase the rats?

2. (with imperfective infinitive) to come to pass

   Он стал писа́ть.‎ ― On stal pisátʹ. ― He began to write.

3. (with imperfective infinitive) to take to

   Он стал пить.‎ ― On stal pitʹ. ― He took to drinking.

4. (in negative, with imperfective infinitive) to be not going to; used to express a determined negative attitude

   Я не ста́ну э́того де́лать.‎ ― Ja ne stánu étovo délatʹ. ― I’m not going to do it.

5. (impersonal construction) to pass away

   Его́ не ста́ло.‎ ― Jevó ne stálo. ― He has passed away.

6. (impersonal construction) at all costs

   во что бы то ни ста́ло‎ ― vo što by to ni stálo ― at all costs

7. (impersonal construction) therefore

   ста́ло быть‎ ― stálo bytʹ ― therefore; consequently; and so

8. (with instrumental case) to become, to get, to grow

   Он стал лётчиком.‎ ― On stal ljótčikom. ― He became a pilot.

   Он стал седы́м.‎ ― On stal sedým. ― He became grey-haired.

   Я стал учи́телем.‎ ― Ja stal učítelem. ― I became a teacher.

   Всем ста́ло ску́чно.‎ ― Vsem stálo skúčno. ― Everyone was bored.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• ста́вить ‎(stávitʹ)
• стоя́ть ‎(stojátʹ)
• станови́ться ‎(stanovítʹsja)

Etymology 2

Noun

стать • ‎(statʹ) f inan ‎(genitive ста́ти, nominative plural ста́ти, genitive plural ста́тей)

1. build
2. trait, character, type

   Она ему́ под стать.‎ ― Ona jemú pod statʹ. ― She is a match for him.

3. need

   С како́й ста́ти?‎ ― S kakój státi? ― (colloquial) Why should I/you/he/she/it/we/they? For what reason?; why?

Declension

Related terms

• статный ‎(statnyj)

References

• Fasmer, Maks (1964–1973), “стать”, in Etimologičeskij slovarʹ russkovo jazyka [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), translated from German and supplemented by Trubačev O. N., Moscow: Progress