Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Become'

English Word: Become

Key Russian Translations:

• становиться [stɐˈnovʲɪtʲsə] - [Informal, General Use]
• стать [statʲ] - [Formal, Completed Action]

Frequency: High

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "становиться"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "стать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

становиться: [stɐˈnovʲɪtʲsə]

Note on становиться: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "о" is pronounced as a reduced "a" sound in unstressed positions.

стать: [statʲ]

Note on стать: A short, sharp pronunciation with a soft "т" sound due to the following soft sign.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To change into something or someone (process or result)

Translation(s) & Context:

• становиться - Used for an ongoing process of becoming something (e.g., gradual change).
• стать - Used for a completed action or result of becoming (e.g., a definitive change).

Usage Examples:

• Она становится всё более уверенной.

  She is becoming more and more confident.

• Он стал врачом после долгих лет учёбы.

  He became a doctor after many years of study.

• Погода становится холоднее с каждым днём.

  The weather is becoming colder every day.

• Я стал понимать её лучше.

  I have come to understand her better.

• Этот город стал моим домом.

  This city has become my home.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

становиться (Imperfective Verb): This verb is imperfective, indicating an ongoing process. It follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -ся (reflexive).

стать (Perfective Verb): This verb is perfective, indicating a completed action. It is used only in past and future tenses (no present tense form).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• превращаться (to transform into, often with a sense of dramatic change)
• делаться (to become, often used in colloquial contexts)

Note: "превращаться" often implies a more metaphorical or significant transformation compared to "становиться".

Antonyms:

• переставать (to cease being)

Related Phrases:

• становиться на ноги - "to get back on one's feet" (recover from difficulties)
• стать причиной - "to become the reason/cause" (to cause something)
• становиться лучше - "to become better" (to improve)

Usage Notes:

• "становиться" is used when describing a process or gradual change, while "стать" indicates a completed transformation or result.
• Both verbs are often followed by a noun in the instrumental case (e.g., "стать врачом" - to become a doctor) to indicate the result of becoming.
• Be mindful of the aspect (imperfective vs. perfective) when choosing between "становиться" and "стать", as it affects the meaning and tense usage.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "стать" in present tense. Incorrect: "Я стать врачом." Correct: Use "становлюсь" for present tense, as in "Я становлюсь врачом" (I am becoming a doctor).
• Error: Confusing the aspects and using "становиться" for a one-time completed action. Incorrect: "Он становился президентом в 1991 году." Correct: "Он стал президентом в 1991 году" (He became president in 1991).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "becoming" often carries a sense of personal growth or transformation, especially in literature and everyday speech. The choice between "становиться" and "стать" can subtly reflect attitudes toward change—whether it is seen as a journey or a definitive milestone.

Related Concepts:

• изменяться (to change)
• развиваться (to develop)
• преображаться (to be transformed)