Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'grow'

English Word: grow

Key Russian Translations:

• расти [ˈrastʲɪ] - [Informal, Verb, Imperfective aspect, Used in everyday contexts for natural growth]
• выращивать [vɨˈraʂːɪvətʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Perfective aspect, Used for deliberate cultivation or farming]

Frequency: Medium - The verb 'расти' is commonly used in daily conversations, while 'выращивать' appears in more specific contexts like agriculture or biology.

Difficulty: B1 for 'расти' (Intermediate, as it involves basic verb conjugation); B2 for 'выращивать' (Upper-Intermediate, due to its aspectual nuances and less frequent use).

Pronunciation (Russian):

расти: [ˈrastʲɪ]

Note on расти: The stress falls on the first syllable; the 'т' is palatalized, which is a common feature in Russian verbs. Pronounce it with a soft 't' sound.

Audio: []

выращивать: [vɨˈraʂːɪvətʲ]

Note on выращивать: The stress is on the third syllable; note the rolled 'р' and the soft 'тʲ' at the end, which can be challenging for learners due to the verb's length and aspect.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To increase in size, quantity, or development (e.g., natural growth)

Translation(s) & Context:

• расти - Used in informal or neutral contexts for describing ongoing growth, such as plants, children, or economies.

Usage Examples:

• Дети быстро растут в летние месяцы.

  Children grow quickly during the summer months.

• Экономика страны продолжает расти несмотря на кризис.

  The country's economy continues to grow despite the crisis.

• Растения в саду растут, если их поливать регулярно.

  Plants in the garden grow if they are watered regularly.

• Мой интерес к русскому языку растет с каждым уроком.

  My interest in the Russian language grows with each lesson.

• Город растет, и новые здания появляются повсюду.

  The city is growing, and new buildings are appearing everywhere.

To cultivate or raise something deliberately (e.g., plants or animals)

Translation(s) & Context:

• выращивать - Used in formal or professional contexts, often implying human effort, such as in farming, gardening, or education.

Usage Examples:

• Фермеры выращивают овощи на больших полях.

  Farmers grow vegetables on large fields.

• В оранжерее мы выращиваем редкие цветы.

  In the greenhouse, we grow rare flowers.

• Родители стараются выращивать детей с хорошими манерами.

  Parents try to raise children with good manners.

• Ученые выращивают новые сорта зерна в лаборатории.

  Scientists grow new varieties of grain in the laboratory.

• В деревне люди выращивают скот для продажи.

  In the village, people raise livestock for sale.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'расти' and 'выращивать' are verbs and follow Russian conjugation patterns. 'Расти' is an imperfective verb, while 'выращивать' is perfective. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number.

Note: These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense. They are regular but require attention to stress shifts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • увеличиваться (uvelichivat'sya) - Similar to 'расти' but more formal, emphasizing increase.
  • развиваться (razvivat'sya) - For 'расти' in the context of personal or intellectual growth, with a nuance of development.
  • культивировать (kul'tivirovat') - A direct synonym for 'выращивать' in agricultural contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • уменьшаться (umenshat'sya) - Opposite of 'расти', meaning to decrease.
  • угасать (ugasat') - For contexts of growth, meaning to fade or decline.

Related Phrases:

• Растить детей - Raising children; often used in family contexts to mean nurturing over time.
• Выращивать урожай - Growing a harvest; common in agricultural discussions, implying planned cultivation.
• Растущий спрос - Growing demand; used in business or economics to describe increasing needs.
• Быстро расти - To grow quickly; emphasizes rapid development in various scenarios.

Usage Notes:

Russian translations of 'grow' depend on context: use 'расти' for natural, ongoing processes and 'выращивать' for intentional actions. 'Расти' is imperfective, focusing on the process, while 'выращивать' is perfective, highlighting completion. In formal writing or speech, prefer 'выращивать' for cultivation. Be mindful of aspect when conjugating, as Russian verbs often pair with their perfective counterparts (e.g., 'расти' with 'вырасти'). English speakers might confuse these with English phrasal verbs like 'grow up', which can translate to 'взрослеть' in Russian for personal maturation.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'расти' when a perfective verb is needed, e.g., saying "Я расти помидоры" instead of "Я выращиваю помидоры".
  Correct: "Я выращиваю помидоры" (I grow tomatoes), as it implies deliberate action. Explanation: Russian requires aspect agreement; 'расти' would imply ongoing natural growth, which is incorrect here.
• Mistake: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying "Я расту" to mean "I am growing plants" instead of "Я выращиваю".
  Correct: "Я выращиваю" for cultivation. Explanation: 'Расти' in first person present is "ро́сту", but it's not suitable for this meaning; learners often overlook aspect.
• Mistake: Forgetting stress changes, e.g., pronouncing 'расти' as [raˈsti] instead of [ˈrastʲɪ].
  Explanation: This can lead to misunderstandings; always emphasize the first syllable for accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'расти' and 'выращивать' often carry metaphorical weight in literature and proverbs, such as in the saying "Растет дерево, как растет человек" (A tree grows as a person grows), emphasizing personal development and resilience. This reflects Russia's agrarian history, where growth symbolizes endurance and nurturing, especially in rural or Soviet-era contexts.

Related Concepts:

• развиваться (development)
• увеличивать (to increase)
• взрослеть (to mature)
• культивировать (to cultivate)