стена

Bulgarian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stenàti.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈstɛnɐ]
• Rhymes: -ɛnɐ
• Syllabification^(key): сте‧на

Verb

сте́на • (sténa) first-singular present indicative, impf

1. (intransitive) to groan, to moan, to sigh (to produce a low, sorrowful, painful, or strained sound)

   Synonyms: пъ́шкам (pắškam), о́хкам (óhkam), възди́шам (văzdíšam)

   Болният тихо стенеше в леглото и не можеше да заспи.

   Bolnijat tiho steneše v legloto i ne možeše da zaspi.

   The sick man was quietly groaning in bed and could not fall asleep.

   Раненият войник стена от болка, докато лекарят превързваше раната му.

   Ranenijat vojnik stena ot bolka, dokato lekarjat prevărzvaše ranata mu.

   The wounded soldier moaned with pain while the doctor bandaged his wound.

2. (intransitive, literary) to lament, to bewail, to mourn (to express grief, sorrow, or suffering with groans or plaintive sounds)

   Synonyms: рида́я (ridája), опла́квам (oplákvam), жале́я (žaléja)

   Майката стенеше над гроба на сина си и не чуваше думите на хората около нея.

   Majkata steneše nad groba na sina si i ne čuvaše dumite na horata okolo neja.

   The mother lamented over her son’s grave and did not hear the words of the people around her.

   В тъмната къща жените стенеха за загиналите мъже.

   V tămnata kăšta ženite steneha za zaginalite măže.

   In the dark house, the women mourned the dead men.

3. (intransitive, figurative, literary) to groan, to creak, to strain (of an object, building, tree, wind, etc.: to make a low sound as if under pressure or suffering)

   Synonyms: скърца́ (skărcá), пъ́шка (pắška)

   Старите греди стенеха под тежестта на снега.

   Starite gredi steneha pod težestta na snega.

   The old beams groaned under the weight of the snow.

   Вятърът стенеше в комина през цялата нощ.

   Vjatărăt steneše v komina prez cjalata nošt.

   The wind moaned in the chimney all night.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of сте́на (conjugation 1.2, imperfective, intransitive)

participles		present active participle	past active aorist participle	past active imperfect participle	past passive participle	verbal noun	adverbial participle
masculine	indefinite	сте́нещ sténešt	сте́нал, стена́л1 sténal, stenál1	сте́нел sténel	—		сте́нейки sténejki
	definite subject form	сте́нещият sténeštijat	сте́налият, стена́лият1 sténalijat, stenálijat1	—	—
	definite object form	сте́нещия sténeštija	сте́налия, стена́лия1 sténalija, stenálija1	—	—
feminine	indefinite	сте́неща sténešta	сте́нала, стена́ла1 sténala, stenála1	сте́нела sténela	—
	definite	сте́нещата sténeštata	сте́налата, стена́лата1 sténalata, stenálata1	—	—
neuter	indefinite	сте́нещо sténešto	сте́нало, стена́ло1 sténalo, stenálo1	сте́нело sténelo	—	сте́нене sténene
	definite	сте́нещото sténeštoto	сте́налото, стена́лото1 sténaloto, stenáloto1	—	—	сте́ненето sténeneto
plural	indefinite	сте́нещи sténešti	сте́нали, стена́ли1 sténali, stenáli1	сте́нели sténeli	—	сте́нения, сте́ненета sténenija, sténeneta
	definite	сте́нещите sténeštite	сте́налите, стена́лите1 sténalite, stenálite1	—	—	сте́ненията, сте́ненетата sténenijata, sténenetata

person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present		сте́на sténa	сте́неш sténeš	сте́не sténe	сте́нем sténem	сте́нете sténete	сте́нат sténat
imperfect		сте́нех sténeh	сте́неше sténeše	сте́неше sténeše	сте́нехме sténehme	сте́нехте sténehte	сте́неха sténeha
aorist		сте́нах, стена́х1 sténah, stenáh1	сте́на, стена́1 sténa, stená1	сте́на, стена́1 sténa, stená1	сте́нахме, стена́хме1 sténahme, stenáhme1	сте́нахте, стена́хте1 sténahte, stenáhte1	сте́наха, стена́ха1 sténaha, stenáha1
future	pos.	Use ще followed by the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́ма да followed by the present indicative tense
future in the past	pos.	Use the imperfect indicative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́маше да followed by the present indicative tense
present perfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
past perfect		Use the imperfect indicative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future perfect		Use the future indicative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future perfect in the past		Use the future in the past indicative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
renarrative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and сте́нел m, сте́нела f, сте́нело n, or сте́нели pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм (leave it out in third person) and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past renarrative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
dubitative		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present/imperfect renarrative tense of съм and сте́нел m, сте́нела f, сте́нело n, or сте́нели pl
aorist		Use the aorist renarrative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect dubitative tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало било́ да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		none
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past dubitative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
conclusive		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
present and imperfect		Use the present indicative tense of съм and сте́нел m, сте́нела f, сте́нело n, or сте́нели pl
aorist		Use the present indicative tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future and future in the past	pos.	Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of ща followed by да and the present indicative tense
	neg.	Use ня́мало е да and the present indicative tense
present and past perfect		Use the present/imperfect conclusive tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
future perfect and future perfect in the past		Use the future/future in the past conclusive tense of съм and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
conditional		аз	ти	той/тя/то	ние	вие	те
		Use the first aorist indicative tense of бъ́да and сте́нал/стена́л1 m, сте́нала/стена́ла1 f, сте́нало/стена́ло1 n, or сте́нали/стена́ли1 pl
imperative		-	ти	-	-	вие	-
			стени́ stení			стене́те stenéte

¹Dialectally marked.

Derived terms

verbs

• застена pf (zastena), застенвам impf (zastenvam)
• изстена pf (izstena), изстенвам impf (izstenvam)
• простена pf (prostena), простенвам impf (prostenvam)
• разстена се pf (razstena se), разстенвам се impf (razstenvam se)

Related terms

• стон (ston) (action noun)

References

• “сте́на (гл.)”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “стена (3)”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010
• Nayden Gerov; Тодор Панчев (1904), “сте́нѫ, -ешь; -налъ”, in Рѣчникъ на Блъгарскꙑй язꙑкъ. Съ тлъкувание рѣчи-тꙑ на Блъгарскꙑ и на Русскꙑ. [Dictionary of the Bulgarian language] (in Bulgarian), volume 5, Plovdiv: Дружествена печꙗтница "Съгласие.", page 256
• Todorov, T. A., Racheva, M., editors (2010), “стена”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 7 (слòво – теря̀свам), Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 448
• “стенати”, in Старобългарски речник [Dictionary of Old Bulgarian] (in Bulgarian), https://histdict.uni-sofia.bg, 2011—2026

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stěna, reflecting an earlier *staiˀnāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- (“to stiffen”).

Noun

стена́ • (stená) f (dialectal, obsolete)

1. rock, crag

   Synonyms: скала́ (skalá), канара́ (kanará)

Declension

Declension of стена́

	singular	plural
indefinite	стена́ stená	стени́ stení
definite	стена́та stenáta	стени́те steníte

Alternative forms

• стено́ n (stenó)

References

• Todorov, T. A., Racheva, M., editors (2010), “стена”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 7 (слòво – теря̀свам), Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 447

Etymology 3

Either a secondary meaning of Etymology 2 or from a different *stěna, reflecting an earlier *stēˀgsnāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- (“to cover”). Many scholars do not draw etymological distinction between the two senses.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [stɛˈna]
• Rhymes: -na
• Syllabification^(key): сте‧на

Noun

стена́ • (stená) f (relational adjective сте́нен) (standard)

1. wall (of a building)

   стена на стая ― stena na staja ― a room's wall

   язовирна стена ― jazovirna stena ― a dam's wall

2. (geometry) wall; face (any of the flat bounding surfaces of a polyhedron)

   фигура с четири стени ― figura s četiri steni ― a figure with four faces

3. (figurative) wall (that which isolates and separates people socially)

Usage

стена (stena) refers to any sort of external surface, regardless of make-up. Hyponyms зид (zid), дувар (duvar) specifically denote built-up walls, made of stone or bricks.

Declension

Declension of стена́

	singular	plural
indefinite	стена́ stená	стени́ stení
definite	стена́та stenáta	стени́те steníte

Derived terms

• стено- (steno-) (in compounds)
  • стенола́зка (stenolázka, “wallcreeper”) (type of bird)
  • стенопи́с (stenopís, “fresco”)

References

• “стена́ (същ.)”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “стена (1)”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010
• Nayden Gerov; Тодор Панчев (1904), “стѣна́”, in Рѣчникъ на Блъгарскꙑй язꙑкъ. Съ тлъкувание рѣчи-тꙑ на Блъгарскꙑ и на Русскꙑ. [Dictionary of the Bulgarian language] (in Bulgarian), volume 5, Plovdiv: Дружествена печꙗтница "Съгласие.", page 280

Anagrams

• сатен (saten), стаен (staen), сенат (senat)

Macedonian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stěna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈstɛna]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

стена • (stena) f (plural стени)

1. rock (mass of projecting rock)

   Synonym: карпа (karpa)

2. (dialectal) wall

   Synonym: ѕид (dzid)

Declension

Declension of стена

	singular	plural
indefinite	стена (stena)	стени (steni)
definite unspecified	стената (stenata)	стените (stenite)
definite proximal	стенава (stenava)	стениве (stenive)
definite distal	стенана (stenana)	стенине (stenine)
vocative	стено (steno)	стени (steni)

Russian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stěna, see also English stone and stain.

Alternative forms

• стѣна́ (stěná) — pre-1918 spelling

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sʲtʲɪˈna]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

стена́ • (stená) f inan (genitive стены́, nominative plural сте́ны, genitive plural стен, relational adjective стенно́й, diminutive сте́нка or сте́ночка)

1. wall

   запере́ться в четырёх стена́х ― zaperétʹsja v četyrjóx stenáx ― to immure oneself (literally, “to lock up oneself up in four walls”)

   би́ться голово́й об сте́ну ― bítʹsja golovój ob sténu ― to beat one's head against the wall

   как об сте́ну горо́х ― kak ob sténu goróx ― like talking to a wall

   как за ка́менной стено́й ― kak za kámennoj stenój ― safe (literally, “like behind a stone wall”)

   • 1905, Фёдор Сологуб [Fyodor Sologub], chapter XX, in Мелкий бес; English translation from John Cournos and Richard Aldington, transl., The Little Demon, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1916:

     "Что ж, ка́жется, всё хорошо́: запрещённых кни́жек не ви́дно, лампа́дки те́плятся, ца́рские портре́ты вися́т на стене́, на почётном ме́сте".

     "Što ž, kážetsja, vsjo xorošó: zapreščónnyx knížek ne vídno, lampádki tépljatsja, cárskije portréty visját na stené, na počótnom méste".

     " Well, everything seems all right—there are no forbidden books visible, the ikon-lamps are alight, the Royal portraits are hanging in the place of honour on the wall."

Declension

Declension of стена́ (inan fem-form hard-stem accent-dʹ/fʹ) 

	singular	plural
nominative	стена́ stená	сте́ны stény
genitive	стены́ stený	сте́н stén
dative	стене́ stené	сте́нам, стена́м* sténam, stenám*
accusative	сте́ну sténu	сте́ны stény
instrumental	стено́й, стено́ю stenój, stenóju	сте́нами, стена́ми* sténami, stenámi*
prepositional	стене́ stené	сте́нах, стена́х* sténax, stenáx*

^* Dated.

Derived terms

• засте́нок m (zasténok), засте́нки m pl (zasténki)
• засте́нный (zasténnyj)
• насте́нный (nasténnyj)
• присте́нок m (pristénok)
• стено́й (stenój)

Compound words:

• стенгазе́та f (stengazéta)
• стеноби́тный (stenobítnyj)

Compounds:

• в четырёх стена́х (v četyrjóx stenáx)
• ле́зть на сте́ну impf (léztʹ na sténu)
• From сте́нка (sténka), сте́ночка (sténočka):
  • ста́вить к сте́нке impf (stávitʹ k sténke), поста́вить к сте́нке pf (postávitʹ k sténke)
  • сте́нка на сте́нку (sténka na sténku)
  • ходи́ть по сте́нке impf (xodítʹ po sténke), ходи́ть по сте́ночке impf (xodítʹ po sténočke)

Phrases

• как за ка́менной стено́й (kak za kámennoj stenój)

Proverbs

• до́ма и сте́ны помога́ют (dóma i stény pomogájut)
• и у стен есть у́ши (i u sten jestʹ úši)

Related terms

• засте́нчивый (zasténčivyj)

Borrowed

Related via Proto-Indo-European *steyh₂- (through German Stein):

• кронште́йн m (kronštéjn)

Descendants

• → Kildin Sami: сте̄нн (stienn)
• → Southern Yukaghir: иччэнаа (iččenā)
• → Yakut: истиэнэ (istiene)

References

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “стена”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Chernykh, P. Ja. (1999), “стена”, in Историко-этимологический словарь русского языка [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), 3rd edition, volume 2 (панцирь – ящур), Moscow: Russian Lang., →ISBN, page 201

Further reading

• Dal, Vladimir (1880–1882), “стена”, in Толковый Словарь живаго великорускаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Publication of the bookseller-typographer Wolf, M. O.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈstɛnə] (phonetic respelling: стэ́на)

Noun

сте́на • (stɛ́na) m inan

1. genitive singular of стен (stɛn)

Serbo-Croatian

Alternative forms

• стије́на (Ijekavian)
• stina (Ikavian)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *stěna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stěːna/
• Hyphenation: сте‧на

Noun

сте́на f (Latin spelling sténa)

1. rock (naturally occurring aggregate of solid mineral matter)

Declension

Declension of стена

	singular	plural
nominative	стена	стене
genitive	стене	стена
dative	стени	стенама
accusative	стену	стене
vocative	стено	стене
locative	стени	стенама
instrumental	стеном	стенама