Thread: созревать - созреть

Originally Posted by http://multilex.mail.ru/

созревать, созреть
ripen; mature (тж. перен.)
план созрел — the plan has matured

I don't understand how else to use this word... Can it be used about ripening fruit, for example?

Sure. And besides, it is the most common use of this verb. Not for fruits only.

Thanks Eugene!
So, how would I say:

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"The apples are slowly ripening on the apple trees in the orchard"
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?

(I am "collecting" sentences that helps me to learn grammar and vocabulary at the same time....)

Originally Posted by Hanna

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"The apples are slowly ripening on the apple trees in the orchard"
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Яблоки на яблонях в саду постепенно созревают.

Яблоки медленно созревают в саду на яблонях.
This would be closer.
Постепенно is gradually.

1)The most common usage is "to ripen" (about fruits, vegetables, etc.)

2) It can also be applied to people - literally (to mature physically) or figuratively (to be ready for something).
Он созрел для покупки ~ He is ready to buy (after some time of indecision or planning)

3) When applied to some abstract words it can mean "to take shape", "to form".
У него созрел план - His plan took shape.
(Maybe it's not the best example, because it could also be translated as "His pot ripened" )

У него созрел план - His plan took shape.
(Maybe it's not the best example, because it could also be translated as "His pot ripened" )

You probably ment "pLot"?
Otherwise it would mean that "His weed ripened". lol

Originally Posted by Eugene-p

Яблоки медленно созревают в саду на яблонях.
This would be closer.
Постепенно is gradually.

haha, yeah, but I already knew the word медленно, but not постепенно, so from that perspective Basil77's translation was very good.

Also the two of you are using a different word order. Why?
I don't believe the myth that "word order doesn't matter in Russian." Clearly it matters but in a different way from Western European langauges.

Thanks Gromozeka for the explanations!

There is a Swedish word that has the exact same meaning as созревать -- so the meaning is now entirely clear to me. (mature and ripen in the same word).

It's really nice to get plenty of examples of how to use new words.

Originally Posted by Schrödinger's cat

Otherwise it would mean that "His weed ripened". lol

Thank you. I felt that something was off with this one.

Also the two of you are using a different word order. Why?

First, I think "on the appletrees" statement is a tiny bit surplus, or should it be e.g. palmtrees for apples to ripen on?
And second:
"в саду" and "на яблонях" are qualifiers of place, so they can be put there in any order you wish. As well as "за деревней" or "около бани".

"Яблоки постепенно созревают на яблонях в саду за деревней" sounds like
"яблоки созревают на яблонях, которые находятся в саду, которЫЙ находИтся за деревней."
Like from the small particular location towards more general area.
This word order is preferrable within qualifiers, although native speakers can mix them up somehow, but that it still keeps on sounding well.

As to word order (subject->object etc), The basil's variant:
Яблоки на яблонях в саду постепенно созревают.
"на яблонях в саду" here is a qualifier for "the apples". Like apples, WHICH are located on the appletrees, are ...

And my variant:
Яблоки медленно созревают в саду на яблонях.
"в саду на яблонях" here is a qualifier for the whole phrase "яблоки медленно созревают". Like where the process of ripening goes on.

There cloud be also:
1. На яблонях в саду медленно созревают яблоки.
It sounds like driving one's attention to the "На яблонях в саду", rather than to the "медленно созревают яблоки".

2. В саду медленно созревают яблоки на яблонях
Like "В саду" is more important than "на яблонях".

Well, and so on. Hope you got the principle.