Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'build'

English Word: build

Key Russian Translations:

• строить [ˈstroɪtʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Used for constructing buildings or abstract concepts]
• построить [pɐˈstroɪtʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Perfective form, indicates completed action]
• создавать [sɐzˈdavətʲ] - [Formal, Often used for creating or building abstract things like relationships]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "строить" and "построить"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "создавать" due to nuanced usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

строить: [ˈstroɪtʲ]

Note on строить: Stress falls on the first syllable; the 'р' is rolled, and 'о' sounds like the 'o' in 'core'.

построить: [pɐˈstroɪtʲ]

Note on построить: Stress on the second syllable; the initial 'по-' is unstressed and reduced.

создавать: [sɐzˈdavətʲ]

Note on создавать: Stress on the second syllable; the 'з' is voiced like 'z' in 'zebra'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To construct (a physical structure)

Translation(s) & Context:

• строить - Used for ongoing construction (imperfective).
• построить - Used for completed construction (perfective).

Usage Examples:

• Они строят новый дом в центре города.

  They are building a new house in the city center.

• Мы построили мост за два года.

  We built a bridge in two years.

• Кто строит эту дорогу?

  Who is building this road?

2. To create or develop (abstract concepts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• создавать - Used for building relationships, plans, or ideas.
• строить - Occasionally used for abstract concepts like "building a career".

Usage Examples:

• Мы создаём доверие между командами.

  We are building trust between teams.

• Она строит свою карьеру с нуля.

  She is building her career from scratch.

• Нужно создавать прочные отношения.

  It’s necessary to build strong relationships.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

строить (imperfective verb): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses.

Person	Present	Past (M/F/N)	Future
Я (I)	строю	строил / строила / строило	буду строить
Ты (You, sing.)	строишь	строил / строила / строило	будешь строить
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	строит	строил / строила / строило	будет строить

построить (perfective verb): Used for completed actions; follows similar conjugation patterns but lacks a present tense form.

создавать (imperfective verb): Regular conjugation, similar to "строить".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for строить/построить:

• возводить (more formal, often for large structures)
• конструировать (technical, for designing structures)

Synonyms for создавать:

• формировать (to form, often abstract)
• разрабатывать (to develop, often plans or ideas)

Antonyms:

• разрушать (to destroy)
• ломать (to break)

Related Phrases:

• строить планы - to make plans (lit. to build plans)
• построить будущее - to build a future
• создавать условия - to create conditions

Usage Notes:

• "строить" is imperfective and used for ongoing or habitual actions, while "построить" is perfective and indicates a completed action. Choose based on the context of completion.
• "создавать" is more abstract and formal compared to "строить"; it is often used for non-physical building, such as creating ideas or relationships.
• Pay attention to the aspect (perfective/imperfective) when using these verbs, as it significantly affects meaning in Russian.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "строить" when a completed action is implied. Incorrect: "Я строю дом в прошлом году." Correct: "Я построил дом в прошлом году." (I built a house last year.)
• Error: Confusing "создавать" with "строить" in physical contexts. Incorrect: "Мы создаём дом." Correct: "Мы строим дом." (We are building a house.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "building" often extends metaphorically to personal growth or societal development. Phrases like "строить жизнь" (to build a life) are common and carry a sense of deliberate effort and planning.

Related Concepts:

• конструкция (construction)
• здание (building/structure)
• развитие (development)