Thread: Is there a word like "set" in Russian that can be used for tons of stuff?

From one dictionary: v. put, place; determine; fix in place; assign, post, appoint a person for a role; cause to be in a particular condition; arrange, prepare; adjust, align, calibrate to a specific position or setting; insert, inlay


These great and varied definitions of the word "set" makes it quite useful. You can use "set" for so many stuff! Is there such a word in Russian?

ah, so you want an easy way out, huh ?

i don't think so, Russian verbs are quite varied due to use of prefixes, so different types of actions are usually denoted by different verbs, which nevertheless may have common stem

when I try to think of my own vocabulary nothing comes to mind I'd be using universally

English is relatively rich in such words: go, get, fix, put, press, stand probably because it lacks the mechanism of word formation through prefixes, so it needs another method
but the method of prefixes is both blessing and curse, cause as it seems to me, at a certain point it starts to stiffen the development of lexicon

speaking of prefixes and stems, here're some translations of 'to set':

вставлять
выставлять
переставлять
подставлять
приставлять
проставлять

http://multitran.ru/c/m.exe?l1=2&l2=1&s=set

Each language have some words with a giant quantity of meanings. I personally don't feel like such words are convenient for foreigners because many meanings are rather far from the original root and can be confusing.

And yes, In English there is a mechanism of adding prepositions after the known verb to obtain new meaning. Set up, set in, set off, set out etc. etc. The Russian equivalent is adding prefix so technically you get a new word, but the effect is the same. It ends up with many small words in English sentence vs few bigger words in Russian sentence.

With the same example as of LXNDR:
ставить - to set, to put, to position
отставить - to put off, to recover,
заставить - to force, to make smb. do smth., to fill some space with some objects
выставить - to set out, to kick out
обставить - to furnish (a room), to outplay
доставить - to deliver, to afford some positive feeling to smb.
etc. etc.

Does that help or confuse?

ah, so you want an easy way out, huh ?

*grins*

Yea, looking for some cheats

Does that help or confuse?

That helps, and the pattern is quite easy in both of your examples.

отставить - to put off, to recover,
выставить - to set out, to kick out

Can you use those words in a sentence please? (After a comma normally comes a synonym, but those words after the comma in your definitions are not synonymous so they got me a tad confused)

доставить - to deliver, to afford some positive feeling to smb.

Second definition, like "cheer someone up"? BTW the second definition for this word doesn't appear in my dictionary, only "to deliver" from some reason

Originally Posted by Valda

Can you use those words in a sentence please? (After a comma normally comes a synonym, but those words after the comma in your definitions are not synonymous so they got me a tad confused)

Yes, I pointed out different meanings of those new verbs, not synonymous. There are too many meanings to make here full description for each.

belay that! — отставить!
Recover! — отставить!
to revoke a command — отставить приказание
to drop smb. from command — отставить кого-л. от командования
to put off the glass - отставить стакан

to display goods in a shop-window — выставить товары в витрине магазина
to turn smb. out of doors — выставить кого-л. за дверь
he bummed me for $5 — он выставил меня на пять долларов
to air the bedding — выставить на солнце /сушить/ постельные принадлежности
to set a guard on a bridge — выставить охранение на мосту

(again it is a mixture of different possible meanings but they have something in common - the way of thinking about it)

For доставить as "to afford some positive feeling to smb." one should point out the feeling: "Доставить радость", "доставить удовольствие". In fact it is a series of set phrases rather than a function of verb itself.

От командования нельзя отставить. Можно только отстранить.

belay that! — отставить!

Belay that? Are we pirates?

to put off the glass - отставить стакан

Put away, you mean? Put off is postpone.

For доставить as "to afford some positive feeling to smb." one should point out the feeling: "Доставить радость", "доставить удовольствие". In fact it is a series of set phrases rather than a function of verb itself.

Duly noted!

(again it is a mixture of different possible meanings but they have something in common - the way of thinking about it)

Thanks for letting me know

Originally Posted by Valda

Belay that? Are we pirates?

Copy-pasted from a dictionary. They say it is a military term.

Copy-pasted from a dictionary. They say it is a military term.

Ohh...right on then and thanks!

... Set up, set in, set off, set out....

Also: upset, inset, offset, outset, reset, preset, subset, onset, &c.