затеять

Russian

Alternative forms

• затѣ́ять (zatě́jatʹ) — Pre-reform orthography (1918)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *tějati. Cognate with Belarusian заце́яць (zacjéjacʹ, “to undertake”) and (with a different prefix) Ukrainian ви́тіяти (výtijaty, “to undertake”). Per Vasmer, the Proto-Slavic etymon is possibly related to Latvian tievêt (“to strive for”), tĩtît (“to be stubborn, to be annoyed”) (1sg. tĩtĩju), tītinât (“to tease, to annoy”), Lithuanian titinoti (“to brag”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [zɐˈtʲe(j)ɪtʲ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

зате́ять • (zatéjatʹ) pf (imperfective затева́ть)

1. (colloquial) to undertake, to start

   зате́ять недо́брое ― zatéjatʹ nedóbroje ― to misbehave, to be up to no good

   зате́ять дра́ку ― zatéjatʹ dráku ― to start a fight

2. (colloquial) to decide (to do something)
3. (colloquial) to venture

Conjugation

Conjugation of зате́ять (class 6a perfective transitive)

Note: For declension of participles, see their entries. Adverbial participles are indeclinable.

perfective aspect
infinitive	зате́ять zatéjatʹ
participles	present tense	past tense
active	—	зате́явший zatéjavšij
passive	—	зате́янный zatéjannyj
adverbial	—	зате́яв zatéjav, зате́явши zatéjavši
	present tense	future tense
1st singular (я)	—	зате́ю zatéju
2nd singular (ты)	—	зате́ешь zatéješʹ
3rd singular (он/она́/оно́)	—	зате́ет zatéjet
1st plural (мы)	—	зате́ем zatéjem
2nd plural (вы)	—	зате́ете zatéjete
3rd plural (они́)	—	зате́ют zatéjut
imperative	singular	plural
	зате́й zatéj	зате́йте zatéjte
past tense	singular	plural (мы/вы/они́)
masculine (я/ты/он)	зате́ял zatéjal	зате́яли zatéjali
feminine (я/ты/она́)	зате́яла zatéjala
neuter (оно́)	зате́яло zatéjalo

Related terms

• зате́я (zatéja)