Language/Russian/Grammar/Present-Tense-Conjugations

Russian → Grammar → Present Tense Conjugations

As a Russian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I understand how important it is to master Russian grammar, including the conjugation of verbs in the present tense. In this lesson, which is part of the "Complete 0 to A1 Russian Course," you will learn about present tense conjugations for regular and irregular verbs.

Present tense conjugations provide the foundation for analyzing verb tense in Russian. Whether you're traveling to Russia, studying Russian literature, or simply learning the language for personal enrichment, mastering these conjugations is an essential step toward achieving fluency.

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Present Tense & Noun Adjective Agreement.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs follow predictable conjugation patterns in the present tense, depending on the verb's infinitive ending. Let's take a look at how each category of verb conjugates in the present tense.

First Conjugation (-ать)

For regular verbs that end in -ать in the infinitive form, follow this pattern:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
разговаривать	rahz-gah-va-REE-vat'	to talk
гулять	goo-LYAT'	to walk

To conjugate a regular verb that ends in -ать in the present tense, drop the -ать and add the following endings:

Singular	Pronunciation	English	Plural	Pronunciation	English
Я разговариваю	ya rahz-gah-va-REE-vah-yu	I talk	Мы разговариваем	my rahz-gah-va-REE-va-yem	We talk
Ты разговариваешь	ty rahz-gah-va-REE-vah-eesh	You talk (informal)	Вы разговариваете	vy rahz-gah-va-REE-va-tye	You talk (formal or plural)
Он/она/оно разговаривает	on/ah-nah/AH-na rahz-gah-va-REE-va-yet	He/she/it talks	Они разговаривают	ah-NEE rahz-gah-va-REE-va-yut	They talk

Notice how the verb endings in the table above can be categorized as -у, -ешь, -ет, -ем, -ете, and -ют. Once these endings are learned, any -ать verb can be easily conjugated in the present tense.

Second Conjugation (-ить)

For regular verbs that end in -ить in the infinitive form, use the following pattern:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
учить	oo-CHIT'	to teach
писать	PEE-sat'	to write

To conjugate a regular verb that ends in -ить in the present tense, drop the -ить and add the following endings:

Singular	Pronunciation	English	Plural	Pronunciation	English
Я учу	ya oo-choo	I teach	Мы учим	my oo-cheem	We teach
Ты учишь	ty oo-CHEESH'	You teach (informal)	Вы учитe	vy oo-chee-TYE	You teach (formal or plural)
Он/она/оно учит	on/ah-nah/AH-nah OO-cheet	He/she/it teaches	Они учат	ah-NEE oo-CHAT	They teach

Again, notice the verb endings in the table above can be categorized as -у, -ишь, -ит, -им, -ите, and -ят. Once you learn these endings, you can conjugate any -ить verb in the present tense.

Third Conjugation (-еть, -ть)

For regular verbs that end in -еть or -ть in the infinitive form, use the following pattern:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
работать	rah-bah-TAT'	to work
готовить	gah-tah-VEE-ty	to cook

To conjugate a regular verb that ends in -еть or -ть in the present tense, drop the -ть or -еть and add the following endings:

Singular	Pronunciation	English	Plural	Pronunciation	English
Я работаю	ya rah-bah-TAH-yu	I work	Мы работаем	my rah-bah-TA-yeem	We work
Ты работаешь	ty rah-bah-TAH-eesh'	You work (informal)	Вы работаете	vy rah-bah-TA-tye	You work (formal or plural)
Он/она/оно работает	on/ah-nah/AH-na rah-bah-TA-yet	He/she/it works	Они работают	ah-NEE rah-bah-TA-yut	They work

As before, the verb endings in the table above follow a consistent pattern: -у, -ешь, -ет, -ем, -ете, and -ют.

Irregular Verbs

If you've already learned to recognize the patterns of Russian verb conjugation, you will find that irregular verbs are no more difficult than regular verbs. Instead of being subject to a predictable set of verb endings, irregular verbs often alter the stem of the verb itself. Let's take a look at some common examples of irregular present tense verb conjugation in Russian:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
идти	EED-tee	to go (by foot)
есть	YEST'	to eat
быть	BYT'	to be

To conjugate an irregular verb in the present tense, you will need to memorize the irregularities themselves. For example, the verb "идти" (to go) follows the pattern:

Singular	Pronunciation	English	Plural	Pronunciation	English
Я иду	ya EE-doo	I go	Мы идём	my EE-dyom	We go
Ты идёшь	ty EE-dyosh	You go (informal)	Вы идёте	vy EE-dyotye	You go (formal or plural)
Он/она/оно идёт	on/ah-nah/AH-na EE-dyot	He/she/it goes	Они идут	ah-NEE EE-doot	They go

As you can see, this conjugation is distinctly different from regular verb conjugation patterns. However, with practice, you can memorize these irregularities with ease.

Tips for Learning Present Tense Conjugations

Conjugation is a fundamental part of mastering the Russian language. Here are a few tips to help you learn and memorize Russian present tense conjugation patterns:

• Practice regularly: Like any skill, regular practice is essential for mastering verb conjugation. Spend at least a few minutes each day reviewing present tense conjugation to help enforce the patterns in your mind.
• Use flashcards: Flashcards can be an effective tool for memorizing verb conjugation patterns. Write the infinitive form of a verb on one side of the card and the conjugated forms on the other side. Quiz yourself frequently to reinforce your memory.
• Practice with audio materials: Listening to native Russian speakers is one of the best ways to learn proper pronunciation and intonation. Use audio materials accompanied by transcripts to practice present tense conjugation while learning to recognize the spoken form of verbs.
• Focus on memorizing high-frequency verbs: Memorizing the most commonly used verbs in present tense form can help you build a foundation for conjugating less common verbs down the road.

Sources

• Russian Present Tense - Russian Verbs
• Present Tense in Russian language | It's Very Simple Now

Other Lessons

• Nouns
• Кое То Нибудь
• Present Tense
• Use of the verb быть in the past
• Tricky Adverbs
• 0 to A1 Course
• Introduction to Pronouns
• A vs И
• To and же particles in Russian
• Conditional Mood