The meaning and use of the russian verb sostoyat

The object of this paper is the Russian verb sostoyat ( consist of ) drawing attention to the analysis due to its wide semantic potential and a wide range of commonly used features in the Russian language. As the verb is used in Russian quite often, the author explores its various aspects. At the beginning of the paper the author briefly presents the etymology of this verb. In addition, the described lexicographic data indicate the possibility of its use in four different meanings and the corresponding forms of the given verb in the Serbian language. The author presents the limitations in the use of the personal forms and points to its use as a verbal ligament due to its close connection with the meaning of the verb byt (to be). The connection with the verb to be represents an opportunity to use this verb in the existential sense, and its limitations in using the verb form have been pointed out. The author lists the synonyms of the given verb, the stable combinations in which it is used and also presents its use in various meanings expressed in percents. The data presented in the paper can contribute to the theory and practice of teaching Russian as a foreign language (in this case - in the Serbian language environment), primarily in mastering the verbal subsystem due to its connection with other verbs that in some meanings have similar usage.