Russian Verbs

Infinitive

In Russian most infinitives end in –ть
For example: работать (to work), пить (to drink), советовать (to advise)

Some infinitives end in -ти or -чь
For example: принести (to bring), помочь (to help)

Reflexive verbs

In Russian reflexive verbs are formed by adding:

• the suffix –ся after consonants
• the suffix –сь after vowels

For example:
мыться – wash oneself
я моюсь – I wash myself
ты моешься – you wash yourself
он/она моется – he/ she washes him-/herself
мы моемся – we wash ourselves
вы моетесь – you wash yourself (plural or polite)
они моются – they wash themselves

Russian Aspects

Students of Russian often have difficulties understanding
Russian verbal aspects. No wonder as there are no aspects in English.

In Russian most verbs build aspect pairs. The difference between the two aspects is basically the way the speaker thinks about the action.

The imperfective aspect describes an incomplete action which is happening at the moment or happens repeatedly. An incomplete action can be performed at present, in the past and in future. So the imperfective aspect has present, past and future forms.
In Russian the imperfective verb answers the question
что делать?

For example:
Я пишу тебе письмо. – I am writing you a letter.
Он читал газету каждый день. – He used to read the newspaper every day.
Она будет часто ездить в Россию. – She will travel to Russia often.

The perfective aspect describes an action that has been or will be completed. It can be a result, a start or a single action. A completed action cannot be taking place at present. So the perfective aspect has only past and future forms.
In Russian the perfective verb answers the question
что сделать?

For example:
Я напишу тебе письмо. – I will write you a letter. (I will write the letter to the end.)
Он прочитал газету. – He has read the newspaper.
Она впервые приедет в Россию. – She will come to Russia for the first time.

The perfective aspect of most verbs can be formed by adding different prefixes. But there are also other cases.
Here are some examples:

Russian Verb Tenses

PRESENT TENSE

There are two conjugation types in Russian:

• First e-conjugation
  Endings: -у (-ю), -ешь, -ет, -ем, -ете, -ут (-ют)
• Second i (и)-conjugation
  Endings: -у(-ю),-ишь, -ит, -им, -ите, -ат(-ят)

! Some verbs change a consonant in the 1st person singular (я = I)

Following verbs are conjugated according to the first e-conjugation:

• all monosyllabic verbs ending in -ить (and all which are derived from them). In this case, the letter -и- in the verb stem changes into -ь-.
  пить (drink), бить (beat), etc.
• all verbs ending in -оть, -уть
  молоть (grind, mill), пороть (flog, birch, whip), отдохнуть (rest)
• all verbs ending in -сти, -зти
  нести (carry), везти (convey, carry), etc.
• most verbs ending in -ать, -ять
  дать (give), читать (read), гулять (go for a walk), поздравлять (congratulate), работать (work), etc.
• most verbs ending in –еть
  болеть (be ill/sick), жалеть (feel/be sorry), etc.

Following verbs are conjugated according to the second i (и)-conjugation

• all polysyllabic verbs ending in–ить (except for стелить (make a bed), зиждиться (old Russian: be based / founded))
  любить (love), говорить (talk), etc.
• four verbs ending in -ать, -ять
  гнать (urge, chase, pursue), держать (hold), слышать (listen), дышать (breathe)
• seven verbs ending in –еть
  видеть (see), смотреть (look), ненавидеть (hate), терпеть (endure, stand, have patience), обидеть (offend), вертеть (spit, turn (round and round)), зависеть (depend on)

Some Russian verbs belong to the mixed conjugation.
Examples:

FUTURE TENSE

Imperfective verbs have a compound future form:
быть + an infinitive

Future forms of perfective verbs are the same as their present forms. 
Example:

PAST TENSE

In Russian past tense is quite simple. It is formed by adding following suffixes to the verb stem:

• Masculine:  -л
• Feminine:  -ла
• Neuter:  -ло
• Plural (all genders) -ли

Example: работать (work)

Conjunctive

In Russian the conjunctive is formed as follows:
Past tense form + the particle бы

Он поехал бы в Россию. - He would go to Russia.
Что бы ты сделал? – What would you do?
Она могла бы часами больтать по-телефону. -  She could talk on the phone for hours.

Learn Russian

• Russian Language Exercises online (some with audio samlples)
• Russian language course
• Russian pronunciation
• Russian nouns
• Russian adjectives
• Russian pronouns
• Russian verbs