Svetlana Flemming - Colloquial Russian - The Next Step in Language Learning

A considerable number of common verbs have no imperfective gerund. These include many verbs with monosyllabic infinitives: bit; , brat; (berq´ exists but is rarely used), est; , 'dat; , pet; , pit; and irregular verbs: be' a´t; , e´xat; , pisa´t; , xote´t;.

Where a verb does not have an imperfective gerund, it may be possible to form the gerund from one of its compounds without altering the meaning too much: (pit;) vypiva´t; – vypiva´q ‘drinking up’; ('dat;) o'ida´t; – o'ida´q ‘waiting for, expecting’.

How to use imperfective gerunds

An imperfective gerund is used to express an action performed at the same time and by the same subject as the main verb of the sentence: Razgovaŕivaq s ruśskimi ka´'dyj den;, on mno´go

uznae¨t o 'iźni v Rossií.

Talking to Russians every day he learns a lot about life in Russia.

The alternative construction, using an adverbial clause instead of a gerund would read:

Vybory v Dumu

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243

1111

Tak kak on razgovaŕivaet s ruśskimi ka´'dyj den;, on

2

mno´go uznae¨t o 'iźni v Rossií.

3

Since he talks to Russians every day, he learns a lot about life in 4

Russia.

5

It would also be possible to express the same idea using two main 6

clauses:

7

8111

On razgovaŕivaet s ruśskimi ka´'dyj den; i mno´go

9

uznae¨t o 'iźni v Rossií.

10

He talks to Russians every day and learns a lot about life in 1

Russia.

2

Provided the action of the gerund takes place at the same time as the 3

action of the main verb, an imperfective gerund may be used in a 4

sentence referring to events in the past and future, as well as the 5

present:

6

7

Razgovaŕivaq s ruśskimi ka´'dyj den;, on mno´go uznavaĺ 8

o 'iźni v Rossií.

9

Talking to Russians every day he was learning a lot about life 20111

in Russia.

1

Razgovaŕivaq s ruśskimi ka´'dyj den;, on mno´go bu´det 2

uznava´t; o 'iźni v Rossií.

3

Talking to Russians every day he will be learning a lot about life 4

in Russia.

5

6

There are some further examples in the text Neo'i ´dannaq pobe ´da 7

of imperfective gerunds:

8

Ito´gi vy

´ borov obsu'da´[tsq v preśse, podverga´qs;

9

raźnym oceńkam i vyzyva´q spoŕy.

30

The results of the elections are being discussed in the press, 1

subjected to (subjecting themselves to) varied assessment and 2

giving rise to arguments.

3

4

The above example shows that a Russian gerund will not always be 5

neatly translated by the English -ing form.

6

Note the use of the negative gerund to translate ‘without . . . ing’: 7

Oniśozdaĺi paŕti[, ne ime´q nikako´j opredele¨nnoj

8

progra´mmy.

9

They created a party without having any set programme.

40

1

Ona´ vy

´ wla iz ko´mnaty, ne govorqńi slo´va.

421111

She left the room without saying a word.

244

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Elections to the Duma

Exercise 5

Form the imperfective gerund from the following verbs.

vspomina´t;, rasshi´tyvat;, sozdava´t;, hu´vstvovat;, blagodari´t;, idti´, prixodi´t;, nesti´, vozvra]a´t;sq, puteweśtvovat;, oka´-

zyvat;sq, l[bova´t;sq, stanovi´t;sq, golosova´t;, nabira´t;, byt;, naxodi´t;sq,

Exercise 6

Replace the adverbial clauses with imperfective gerunds.

1 Kogda´ q naxo'uś; v Rossií, q vsegda´ putewestvu´[ po

. 2 Xotqón 'il vs[ 'izn; v Ameŕike, on ostavaĺsq ruśskim pisa´telem. 3 Kogdaóniśozdavaĺi no´vu[

paŕti[, oniŕazrabo´tali no´vu[ progra´mmu. 4 Kogda´ dire´ktor razgovaŕivaet so studeńtami, on vsegdaśove´tuet mno´go rabo´tat;.

5 Kogdaón vozvra]aĺsq iz Moskvy´, on vspo´mnil, hto on zabyĺ paśport. 6 Pokaónaślu´waet muźyku, onaźabyvaét obo vse¨m.

7 Tak kak on uhiĺsq i rabo´tal za granićej, on ne znal rossi´jskix proble´m. 8 Tak kak on nenavi´del vojnu´, on otkazaĺsq uhaśtvovat; v nej. 9 Xotqónaĺ[

´ bit sla´dkoe, ona´ p;e¨t ko´fe bez sa´xara.

The perfective gerund

You will also find the perfective gerund referred to as the past gerund.