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Russian Verb Conjugation: Complete Guide to Conjugating Russian Verbs
Russian verb conjugation: present, past & future. Endings, patterns and exceptions. Complete guide for beginners learning Russian grammar.
Mastering Russian verb conjugation is essential when you learn Russian. Verbs are the backbone of Russian sentences, and understanding how they change based on person, number, and tense is crucial for speaking correctly. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about Russian verb conjugation, from basic patterns to complex exceptions.
If you're just starting out, make sure you've mastered the Russian alphabet and learned some essential Russian keywords first. Once you understand verb conjugation, you'll be ready to learn about future tense and past tense in detail.
What is Russian Verb Conjugation?
Russian verb conjugation is the process of changing a verb to match the subject (who is doing the action) and the tense (when the action happens). Unlike English, where most verbs only change in the third person (he/she/it), Russian verbs change for all persons (I, you, he/she/it, we, you plural, they).
Key Concept: Every Russian verb has 6 forms in each tense - one for each person (я, ты, он/она, мы, вы, они).
For example, the verb говорить (to speak) conjugates differently for each person:
- Я говорю (I speak)
- Ты говоришь (You speak)
- Он/Она говорит (He/She speaks)
- Мы говорим (We speak)
- Вы говорите (You speak - formal/plural)
- Они говорят (They speak)
Russian Verb Conjugation: The Two Conjugation Types
Russian verbs belong to one of two conjugation groups, which determine their endings. Understanding these groups is the foundation of Russian verb conjugation.
First Conjugation (-ать, -ять, -еть, -уть, -оть)
Most Russian verbs belong to the first conjugation. These verbs typically end in -ать, -ять, -еть, -уть, or -оть in their infinitive form.
Present Tense Endings for First Conjugation:
Second Conjugation (-ить, -еть, -ать)
The second conjugation includes verbs ending in -ить (most common), some -еть verbs, and a few -ать verbs.
Present Tense Endings for Second Conjugation:
Tip: To determine which conjugation a verb belongs to, look at the infinitive ending. Most verbs ending in -ить are second conjugation, while most verbs ending in -ать, -ять, -еть are first conjugation. However, there are exceptions!
How to Conjugate Russian Verbs: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Identify the Infinitive
Start with the infinitive form of the verb (the dictionary form ending in -ть). For example: читать (to read), говорить (to speak), делать (to do).
Step 2: Remove the Infinitive Ending
Remove the -ть ending to get the verb stem. For example:
- читать → чита-
- говорить → говори-
- делать → дела-
Step 3: Add the Appropriate Ending
Add the ending that matches the person and conjugation type. For example, with читать (first conjugation):
- Я читаю (I read)
- Ты читаешь (You read)
- Он читает (He reads)
- Мы читаем (We read)
- Вы читаете (You read)
- Они читают (They read)
Russian Verb Conjugation: Common Irregular Verbs
Some Russian verbs don't follow the standard conjugation patterns. Here are the most important irregular verbs:
Быть (to be)
The verb быть is highly irregular in present tense. In fact, it's often omitted in present tense!
- Я (есть) - I am (usually omitted)
- Ты (есть) - You are (usually omitted)
- Он/Она/Оно (есть) - He/She/It is (usually omitted)
- Мы (есть) - We are (usually omitted)
- Вы (есть) - You are (usually omitted)
- Они (есть) - They are (usually omitted)
However, быть is fully conjugated in future tense and past tense.
Хотеть (to want)
This verb mixes first and second conjugation patterns:
- Я хочу
- Ты хочешь
- Он/Она хочет
- Мы хотим
- Вы хотите
- Они хотят
Бежать (to run)
Another irregular verb with mixed patterns:
- Я бегу
- Ты бежишь
- Он/Она бежит
- Мы бежим
- Вы бежите
- Они бегут
Russian Verb Conjugation: Past Tense
Past tense conjugation in Russian is simpler than present tense! Past tense verbs change based on gender and number, not person. Learn more in our detailed guide to Russian past tense.
Past Tense Endings:
- Masculine: -л (он читал - he read)
- Feminine: -ла (она читала - she read)
- Neuter: -ло (оно читало - it read)
- Plural: -ли (они читали - they read)
Russian Verb Conjugation: Future Tense
Future tense in Russian can be formed in two ways: using the verb быть (to be) + infinitive, or using perfective verbs. For a complete guide, see our article on Russian future tense.
Future Tense Examples:
- Я буду читать (I will read - imperfective)
- Я прочитаю (I will read - perfective)
Common Mistakes in Russian Verb Conjugation
Mistake 1: Confusing First and Second Conjugation
Many beginners mix up the endings. Remember: first conjugation uses -ешь/-ет/-ем/-ете, while second conjugation uses -ишь/-ит/-им/-ите.
Mistake 2: Forgetting Irregular Verbs
Verbs like быть, хотеть, and бежать don't follow standard patterns. You need to memorize their forms.
Mistake 3: Not Learning Verb Aspects
Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective aspects, which affect conjugation. This is an advanced topic, but important to understand eventually.
How to Practice Russian Verb Conjugation
1. Start with Common Verbs
Practice conjugating the most common Russian verbs first:
- делать (to do)
- говорить (to speak)
- читать (to read)
- писать (to write)
- идти (to go on foot)
- любить (to love)
2. Create Conjugation Tables
Write out full conjugation tables for each verb you learn. This helps with memorization.
3. Practice with Sentences
Don't just memorize forms - use them in sentences:
- Я читаю книгу (I'm reading a book)
- Ты говоришь по-русски? (Do you speak Russian?)
- Мы делаем уроки (We're doing homework)
4. Use Flashcards
Create flashcards with the infinitive on one side and all 6 conjugated forms on the other.
