Tornar. What is the accurate use and why translate to the word render in English?

Portuguese Questions
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Hi guys. Not sure what to make of the word tornar. The translation says; to come back, make.
But if I look at the translation under the verb it says to render. Render what? Walls or computer screens, it can also mean in the sense of convert something like state of foods or states of expression.
Is it all of the above? I see that tornar-se is mostly translated as to become…

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There are a few translations for this verb - all of the above fall into it, although come back/return would be the least frequent (it’s rather old school, or literary). Think of render more in the sense of make or become.

  • Os soldados tornaram a casa. (The soldiers returned home) → The verbs ‘voltar’ and ‘retornar’ are more common alternatives
  • Vou tornar-te um profissional. (I’ll make a professional out of you)
  • Ele tornou-se mais sociável. (He became more sociable)
  • A tecnologia moderna tornou o telégrafo obsoleto. (Modern technology rendered the telegraph obsolete)
  • Elas tornaram-se monstros durante a competição. (They turned into monsters during the competition)
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Thanks for the explanation Joseph.

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