-núť / -ieť
Verbs of Becoming
starý → starnúť / zostarnúť (grow old), chudý → chudnúť / schudnúť (lose weight), bohatý → bohatnúť / zbohatnúť (get rich), múdry → múdrieť / zmúdrieť (grow wiser), šedivý → šedivieť / ošedivieť (go grey), červený → červenieť / sčervenieť (turn red, blush).
How It Works
From adjective to verb. Slovak turns many adjectives into verbs of becoming:
- -núť: starý → starnúť, chudý → chudnúť, bohatý → bohatnúť, slabý → slabnúť, bledý → blednúť, hlúpy → hlúpnuť (short -nuť after a long syllable)
- -ieť: múdry → múdrieť, šedivý → šedivieť, červený → červenieť, silný → silnieť
Process and result. The unprefixed verb is imperfective: Všetci starneme. (We are all getting older.) A prefix gives the perfective for the completed change: zostarnúť, schudnúť, zbohatnúť, zoslabnúť, zblednúť, zmúdrieť, ošedivieť, sčervenieť, zosilnieť.
Forms. The -núť verbs go starnem, starneš, and their past drops -nu-: zostarol, schudla, zbohatli. The -ieť verbs follow the rozumieť type (múdriem, múdrejú) and form the past in -el: zmúdrel, ošedivela.
Instead of stať sa. Slovak prefers these verbs to a phrase with stať sa: say zostarol rather than stal sa starým.
Examples (6)
- Otec za posledný rok veľmi zostarol.
My father has aged a lot in the past year.
Word by Word: Father over last year very aged.
- Od januára som schudla päť kíl.
Since January I have lost five kilos.
Word by Word: Since January I-have lost-weight five kilos.
- Zbohatol na predaji nehnuteľností.
He got rich selling property.
Word by Word: He-got-rich on sale of-properties.
- S vekom zmúdrel a upokojil sa.
With age he grew wiser and calmer.
Word by Word: With age he-grew-wiser and calmed self.
- Keď ju pochválili, sčervenela.
When they praised her, she blushed.
Word by Word: When her they-praised, she-turned-red.
- Všetci pomaly starneme.
We are all slowly getting older.
Word by Word: All slowly we-grow-old.
The unprefixed verb is imperfective and describes an ongoing process.
Common Mistakes
Keeping -nu- in the standard past tense.
Schudnul som tri kilá.Schudol som tri kilá.The standard past of schudnúť is schudol, schudla.
Forming the past of an -ieť verb with -iel.
Za tie roky zmúdriel.Za tie roky zmúdrel.Verbs in -ieť form the past with -el: zmúdrel, ošedivel.
Translating "become old" word for word.
Môj pes sa stal starý.Môj pes zostarol.Slovak uses a verb of becoming here. Stať sa with a bare adjective in the nominative does not work.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Verbs of Becoming, learn Single Actions in -núť. -núť is also used for change of state.
Related Patterns
- Aspect Pairs With a Prefix
The prefixed perfectives zostarnúť, schudnúť and zmúdrieť form ordinary aspect pairs.
Level 2 - -iem / -ejúPresent Verbs Like Rozumieť
The -ieť verbs conjugate like rozumieť: múdriem, múdrejú.
Level 1 - Past Forms by Gender and Number
Past forms such as zostarol, schudla and zmúdreli.
Level 2 - stať sa + InstrumentalBecoming Something
The general "become" construction, which these verbs often replace.
Level 3 - Comparing Adjectives
These verbs describe moving to a higher degree of a quality, like the comparative.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice -núť / -ieť in Bubblegum
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