Language/Russian/Grammar/Past-Tense-Conjugations
Introduction[edit | edit source]
In this lesson, we will learn how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the past tense. The past tense is used to talk about actions or events that have already happened. It is an essential part of the Russian language, and mastering it will greatly improve your ability to communicate in Russian. So let's dive in and explore the world of past tense conjugations!
Regular Verbs[edit | edit source]
Regular verbs in Russian follow predictable conjugation patterns in the past tense. The conjugation depends on the verb's infinitive ending. Let's take a look at the different conjugation patterns for regular verbs in the past tense:
First Conjugation: Verbs ending in -ать[edit | edit source]
Verbs that end in -ать belong to the first conjugation. To conjugate these verbs in the past tense, we remove the -ть ending and add the appropriate suffix based on the subject. Here is a table that shows the conjugation of the verb "говорить" (to speak) in the past tense:
Russian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
говорить | gahr-vee-TEER | to speak |
говорил | gah-VOH-reel | I spoke |
говорила | gah-vah-REE-lah | she spoke |
говорили | gah-vah-REE-lee | they spoke |
Second Conjugation: Verbs ending in -ить[edit | edit source]
Verbs that end in -ить belong to the second conjugation. The conjugation of these verbs in the past tense follows a similar pattern to the first conjugation. However, the suffixes used are different. Let's look at the conjugation of the verb "писать" (to write) in the past tense:
Russian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
писать | pee-SAHT' | to write |
писал | pee-SAHL | I wrote |
писала | pee-SAH-lah | she wrote |
писали | pee-SAH-lee | they wrote |
Third Conjugation: Verbs ending in -ить, -ыть or -ти[edit | edit source]
Verbs that end in -ить, -ыть, or -ти belong to the third conjugation. The conjugation of these verbs in the past tense can be a bit more irregular compared to the first and second conjugations. Let's take a look at the conjugation of the verb "делать" (to do) in the past tense:
Russian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
делать | dee-LAHT' | to do |
делал | dee-LAHL | I did |
делала | dee-LAH-lah | she did |
делали | dee-LAH-lee | they did |
Irregular Verbs[edit | edit source]
Irregular verbs in Russian do not follow the regular conjugation patterns in the past tense. Instead, they have unique conjugation forms that need to be memorized. Here are some common irregular verbs and their conjugation in the past tense:
быть (to be)[edit | edit source]
The verb "быть" is irregular in the past tense. Here is its conjugation:
Russian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
быть | BYT' | to be |
был | byl | I was |
была | by-LAH | she was |
были | by-LEE | they were |
идти (to go)[edit | edit source]
The verb "идти" is also irregular in the past tense. Here is its conjugation:
Russian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
идти | EET-tee | to go |
пошел | poh-SHYOL | I went (masculine) |
пошла | poh-SHLAH | she went |
пошли | poh-SHLEE | they went |
есть (to eat)[edit | edit source]
The verb "есть" is irregular in the past tense. Here is its conjugation:
Russian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
есть | YEST' | to eat |
ел | yel | I ate |
ела | ye-LAH | she ate |
ели | YE-lee | they ate |
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations! You have learned how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the past tense. This is a significant milestone in your journey to mastering the Russian language. Keep practicing and using the past tense in your conversations to solidify your understanding. In the next lesson, we will continue our exploration of Russian grammar by learning about another essential aspect of the language. Спасибо и удачи! (Thank you and good luck!)
Videos[edit | edit source]
Forming the Past Tense in Russian - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Russian conjugation: Present, Past and Future tense - YouTube[edit | edit source]
HOW TO FORM THE PAST TENSE IN RUSSIAN? EASY RUSSIAN ...[edit | edit source]
Russian grammar - Past Tense, прошедшее время - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Russian Past Tense - Russian Verbs
- Past Tense of the Verb - Learn Russian Grammar
- Russian/Grammar/Past tense - Wikibooks, open books for an open ...
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Present Tense Conjugations
- Give your Opinion
- Nouns
- Present Tense
- 0 to A1 Course
- Dative Case
- Nominative Case
- Adjectives
- The verb to have
- Noun Cases Overview