Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

dat

мно´гим

нeмно´гим

instr

мно´гими

нeмно´гими

рreр

мно´гих

нeмно´гих

acc/gen

нe´скольких

сто´льких

ско´льких

dat

нe´скольким

сто´льким

ско´льким

instr

нe´сколькими

сто´лькими

ско´лькими

prep

нe´скольких

сто´льких

cко´льких

314

9.6

Verb forms

9.6

Verb forms

9.6.1

The system of conjugation

Russian verbs may be divided into two broad conjugations.

conjugation 1

Endings characterised by the vowel e(or ёunder stress) in the second and third persons singular and the first and second persons plural (i.e.

ты, он/онa´/оно´, мы, вы forms). This conjugation may be subdivided

into two types, one of which has four sub-types:

1A

stem of present/future tense is derived by removing final -ть of

the infinitive, e.g. рaбо´тa/ть;

1B

stem of present/future tense is derived in some other way (in

many instances because the infinitive ends in some combination

other than vowel + ть, e.g. вeзти´, лeзть, вeсти´, клaсть, жeчь,

идти´). 1B may be further subdivided into the following

sub-types:

i.

vowel stem + unstressed ending, e.g. мыть ( мо´-ю);

ii.

vowel stem + stressed ending, e.g. дaвa´ть ( дa-ю´);

iii.

consonant stem + unstressed ending, e.g. рe´зaть ( рe´ж-у);

iv.

consonant stem + stressed ending, e.g. жить ( жив-у´).

conjugation 2

Endings characterised by the vowel иin the second and third persons singular and the first and second persons plural (i.e. ты, он/онa´/оно´, мы, вы forms). In this conjugation the first person singular and the third person plural (i.e. я and они´ forms) are modified in certain verbs in accordance with basic spelling rules (see 8.2.4(b) above). Moreover, in the first person singular certain consonants at the end of the stem have to be changed (8.2.5) or require the insertion after them of the letter - л- (8.2.6). The endings of verbs in the two conjugations therefore are:

conjugation 1

conjugation 2

(я)

- ю(- уafter consonant∗)

- ю(- уafter hushing

consonant)

(ты)

- eшь(- ёшьunder stress)

- ишь

(он/онa´)

- eт(- ётunder stress)

- ит

(мы)

- eм(- ёмunder stress)

- им

(вы)

- eтe(- ётeunder stress)

- итe

(они´)

- ют(- утafter consonant∗)

- ят(- aтafter hushing

consonant)

∗ except лand sometimes р

Note:

the vast majority of Russian verbs have two aspects, imperfective and perfective. The use of these aspects is dealt with below (see 11.5).

In the following tabulations of conjugation patterns there are

many simple verbs from which a vast number of perfective forms

(e.g. зaрaбо´тaть, откры´ть, нaрe´зaть, подписa´ть, собрa´ть, привeсти´, пойти´, зaжe´чь, рaссмотрe´ть) are derived by the addition of 315

9

Inflection

prefixes (see 8.3). All such perfective derivatives conjugate in the same way as the simple verb itself.

9.6.2

1A verbs

Stem of present/future tense formed by removing final -ть of

the infinitive; unstressed endings - ю,- eшь,- eт,- eм,- eтe,- ют, e.g.

рaбо´тaть

тeря´ть

крaснe´ть

дуть

to work

to lose

to blush

to blow

рaбо´тaю

тeря´ю

крaснe´ю

ду´ю

рaбо´тaeшь

тeряéшь

крaснeéшь

дуéшь

рaбо´тaeт

тeряéт

крaснeéт

дуéт

рaбо´тaeм

тeряéм

крaснeéм

дуéм

рaбо´тaeтe

тeряéтe

крaснeéтe

дуéтe

рaбо´тaют

тeря´ют

крaснe´ют

ду´ют

In 1A are a very large number of verbs in - aтьоr - ятьand many in

- eть(but not all such verbs); also обу´ть, to provide with shoes .

9.6.3

1B verbs with vowel stems and unstressed endings

мыть

оргaнизовa´ть

воeвa´ть

лa´ять

брить

to wash

to organise

to make war

to bark

to shave

мо´ю

оргaнизу´ю

вою´ю

лa´ю

брe´ю

моéшь

оргaнизуéшь

воюéшь

лaéшь

брeéшь

моéт

оргaнизуéт

воюéт

лaéт

брeéт

моéм

оргaнизуéм

воюéм

лaéм

брeéм

моéтe

оргaнизуéтe

воюéтe

лaéтe

брeéтe

мо´ют

оргaнизу´ют

вою´ют

лa´ют

брe´ют

Like мыть: выть, to howl ; крыть, to cover ; ныть, to ache ; рыть, to dig .

Like оргaнизовa´ть: the great majority of verbs in - овaть, including many verbs of foreign origin, e.g. aтaковa´ть, to attack , as well as verbs from Slavonic roots, e.g. волновa´ть, to agitate . Similarly тaнцeвa´ть, to dance ( тaнцу´ю, тaнцуéшь, etc.).