Master Russian Verb Conjugations: Your Complete Resource
To master Russian verb conjugations, it is important to understand the key concepts of conjugation, verb groups, tense, person, gender, and aspects. Here is a complete guide to help grasp Russian verb conjugations:
What Is Verb Conjugation?
Verb conjugation involves changing the verb from its base form (infinitive) according to several factors: person (first, second, third), number (singular or plural), tense (present, past, future), aspect (imperfective or perfective), mood, and gender in some tenses. The infinitive is the basic dictionary form of the verb, usually ending in -ть or -ти. 1, 2
Russian Verb Conjugation Groups
Russian verbs mainly fall into two conjugation groups:
- First conjugation: Most verbs ending in -ать, -ять, -еть, -уть, -ты, etc. They typically have endings like -ю, -ешь, -ет, -ем, -ете, -ют in present tense.
- Second conjugation: Verbs ending primarily in -ить and some in -еть. They conjugate with endings like -у, -ишь, -ит, -им, -ите, -ат. 2, 3, 4
Present Tense Conjugation
Russian verbs are conjugated according to person and number which results in six different forms. For example, the verb “читать” (to read) conjugates as:
| Person | Ending | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person singular | -ю | я читаю | I read |
| 2nd person singular | -ешь | ты читаешь | you read |
| 3rd person singular | -ет | он/она/оно читает | he/she/it reads |
| 1st person plural | -ем | мы читаем | we read |
| 2nd person plural | -ете | вы читаете | you (plural) read |
| 3rd person plural | -ют | они читают | they read |
For second conjugation verbs like “спешить” (to hurry):
| Person | Ending | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person singular | -у | я спешу | I hurry |
| 2nd person singular | -ишь | ты спешишь | you hurry |
| 3rd person singular | -ит | он/она/оно спешит | he/she/it hurries |
| 1st person plural | -им | мы спешим | we hurry |
| 2nd person plural | -ите | вы спешите | you hurry |
| 3rd person plural | -ат | они спешат | they hurry |
Past Tense and Gender
In the past tense, Russian verbs change according to gender and number:
- Masculine: add -л (e.g., читал - he read)
- Feminine: add -ла (читала)
- Neuter: add -ло (читало)
- Plural: add -ли (читали) 1
Future Tense
Russian has two future forms:
- Simple future (for perfective verbs): conjugated similarly to the present tense but with perfective verbs (e.g., прочитать - to finish reading).
- Compound future: formed with a conjugated form of the verb быть (to be) + infinitive of an imperfective verb (e.g., я буду читать - I will be reading). 2
Verb Aspects
Aspects are crucial in Russian:
- Imperfective aspect: Used for ongoing, habitual, repeated, or incomplete actions.
- Perfective aspect: Used for actions that are completed or viewed as a whole.
Perfective verbs do not have present tense forms but conjugate normally in future and past tenses. 5, 2
Tips to Master Russian Verbs
- Learn verbs in the three principal forms: я (I), ты (you singular), and они (they). These forms help to understand patterns and stem changes. 6, 7
- Practice with common verbs regularly and in sentences rather than in isolation. 8
- Understand and recognize verb pairs of imperfective and perfective aspect (e.g., смотреть - посмотреть).
- Use flashcards and exercises to reinforce learning.
- Note that only a few verbs are truly irregular and require memorization (e.g., быть, дать, хотеть). 7
This guide covers the foundations and practical approach to mastering Russian verb conjugations effectively and is supported by examples and charts to help grasp and practice the system thoroughly.