منتديات لغاتى التعليمية - المضارع في اللغة الروسية Russian Verbs

Russian Verbs - Present Tense

You will be pleased to know that Russian has only one present tense. In Russian there is only one way of saying "I work", "I am working" and ""I do work".

Russian verbs change their endings depending on the subject. This happens a little in English, but not as much. (Example: I work, he works). This happens according to two different patterns known as the first conjunction, and the second conjunction. Both these patterns are quite similar, and once you get the hang of it, it is not too difficult.

First conjunction

To form the verb for each person you need to drop the last two letters of the infinative (normally "ть"), and add the appropriate ending ("ю", "ешь", "ет", "ем", "ете" or "ют"). For example the verb: работать (to work).

работать - To work. (infinative, dictionary form)
Я работаю - I work
Ты работаешь - You work
Он, Она, Оно работает - He, She, It works.
Мы работаем - We work
Вы работаете - You work.
Они работают - They work.

Second conjunction

Verbs where the infinative ends in "ить" use the second conjunction. There are also other verbs that use this conjunction. The second conjunction uses the endings "ю" (or "у") "ишь" "ит" "им" "ите" "ят" (or "ат"), which replace "ить".

Reminder: Spelling Rule 1: "Never write Ы, Ю, or Я after the letters 'Г, К, Ж, Х, Ч, Ш, Щ' instead use И, У, А".

When using the second conjunction, sometimes the last letter of the stem (infinitive without "ить") for the first person singular (Я) chages. Change this letter acording to the following table:
д becomes ж
з becomes ж
c becomes ш
ct becomes щ
т becomes ч
б, в, м, п, ф add the letter л
Remember, this only applies to the first-person singular (Я).

говорить - To speak. (infinative, dictionary form)
Я говорю - I speak.
Ты говоришь - You speak.
Он, Она, Оно говорит - He, She, It Speaks.
Мы говорим - We speak.
Вы говорите - You speak.
Они говорят - They speak