Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'befall'

English Word: befall

Key Russian Translations:

• случиться [ˈslutʃitʲsə] - [Neutral, Commonly used for events or incidents]
• постигнуть [pɐsʲˈtʲiɡnutʲ] - [Formal, Often used for negative events or fate]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "случиться"; C1 (Advanced) for "постигнуть"

Pronunciation (Russian):

случиться: [ˈslutʃitʲsə]

Note on случиться: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "ч" sound is a soft "ch" as in "church."

постигнуть: [pɐsʲˈtʲiɡnutʲ]

Note on постигнуть: Stress on the second syllable. The "г" is pronounced softly due to the following "н."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To happen or occur (general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• случиться - Used for neutral or unexpected events in everyday contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Что с тобой случилось?

  What happened to you?

• Это может случиться с каждым.

  This can happen to anyone.

• Ничего страшного не случилось.

  Nothing terrible has happened.

2. To befall as a misfortune or fate (formal or literary sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• постигнуть - Used in formal or literary contexts, often implying a negative outcome or destiny.

Usage Examples:

• Его постигла страшная участь.

  A terrible fate befell him.

• Беда постигла всю семью.

  Misfortune befell the entire family.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

случиться (Verb, Perfective): This verb is perfective and used for completed actions. It does not have an imperfective pair in the same root for frequent use; instead, "происходить" (to occur) is often used for ongoing or repeated events. Below is the conjugation for "случиться" in the past tense:

Person	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Past	случился	случилась	случилось	случились

постигнуть (Verb, Perfective): This verb is also perfective, used for completed actions, often with a sense of fate or consequence. Below is the conjugation for "постигнуть" in the past tense:

Person	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Past	постиг	постигла	постигло	постигли

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "случиться":

• произойти
• статься

Note: "произойти" is often used for events or incidents, while "статься" is more archaic or literary.

Synonyms for "постигнуть":

• настигнуть
• обрушиться

Note: "настигнуть" implies catching up or overtaking (often negative), while "обрушиться" suggests a sudden impact or collapse.

Antonyms: None directly applicable due to the nature of the verb.

Related Phrases:

• случиться беда - "Trouble happens" (used to describe misfortune).
• постигнуть участь - "To meet one's fate" (often negative or tragic).

Usage Notes:

• "случиться" is the more common and neutral choice for everyday situations when something happens or occurs unexpectedly.
• "постигнуть" is formal and often carries a sense of inevitability or fate, typically used in written language or serious contexts, especially with negative events.
• Both verbs are perfective, meaning they describe a one-time, completed action. If you need to express a repeated or ongoing action, consider using imperfective verbs like "происходить" for "случиться."

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "постигнуть" in casual conversation for neutral events.
  Incorrect: "Меня постигла встреча с другом." (A meeting with a friend befell me.)
  Correct: "Я случайно встретился с другом." or "Со мной случилось встреча с другом." (I happened to meet a friend.)
  Explanation: "постигнуть" is too formal and dramatic for neutral or positive events.
• Error: Confusing perfective and imperfective aspects.
  Incorrect: "Это часто случилось." (This often happened.)
  Correct: "Это часто происходило." (This often happened.)
  Explanation: "случиться" is perfective and cannot be used for repeated actions.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of fate or inevitability is often tied to verbs like "постигнуть." This reflects a cultural tendency to attribute significant life events to destiny, especially in literature or historical narratives. Using "постигнуть" may evoke a sense of gravitas or tragedy that is absent in the more neutral "случиться."

Related Concepts:

• судьба (fate)
• участь (lot, destiny)
• происшествие (incident)