nastajati

Nastajati is a verb used in several South Slavic languages, including Slovenian, Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian. It means to come into being, to arise, to form, or to develop gradually. It is the imperfective aspect of the verb, with the perfective counterpart nastati used for a single onset or moment of beginning. The term is commonly employed to describe natural processes, social phenomena, or cultural developments, especially when changes happen over time rather than as a single instantaneous event. Examples include phrases like problems arising or new phenomena forming through interaction.

In grammatical use, nastajati denotes ongoing or repeated processes rather than completed events. The related noun nastajanje refers to the process of coming into being or formation, while nastanak denotes a specific instance of emergence or onset. The verb is productive in academic, journalistic, and descriptive prose, where it helps characterize gradual change, growth, or the appearance of features, patterns, or institutions.

Etymology-wise, nastajati derives from Proto-Slavic *nastati, formed with the prefix na- added to the root stati (to stand), conveying the sense of beginning to exist or to occur. This semantic core connects it to similar forms across related languages, all pointing to the emergence or development of something over time.

See also: nastanak, nastajanje, nastajati and nastati as related forms describing emergence, formation, or onset of events or phenomena in South Slavic linguistic contexts.