How to Conjugate Russian Verbs in Present Tense

Understanding Present Tense in Russian

The present tense in Russian reflects actions that are happening right now or habitual actions. It's an essential aspect for anyone beginning to learn the language.

Structure of Russian Verbs

Russian verbs are usually made up of a root, a suffix, and an ending. Slight changes in the ending can completely change the verb tense, affecting the sentence's meaning.

Aspect of Russian Verbs

Russian verbs have two aspects: imperfective (for ongoing actions) and perfective (for completed actions). However, the present tense is only formed from imperfective verbs.

Conjugation Patterns for Present Tense

To conjugate Russian verbs in the present tense, you need to adjust the verb ending based on the pronoun used. Here are a few basic patterns:

Common Endings for First Conjugation Verbs

• -ю
• -ешь
• -ет
• -ем
• -ете
• -ют

Common Endings for Second Conjugation Verbs

• -у
• -ешь
• -ит
• -им
• -ите
• -ят

Examples of Verb Conjugation

Let's practice with commonly used verbs:

Irregular Verbs

Just like many languages, Russian includes irregular verbs that do not follow standard conjugation rules. For example, the verb дать (to give) conjugates as даю, даёшь, даёт, etc.

Practice Makes Perfect

To master present tense conjugation, regularly practice with diverse verbs. Using resources like language apps, flashcards, or interacting with native speakers can be beneficial.