Language/Russian/Grammar/Past-Tense-Conjugations

Russian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Past Tense Conjugations

Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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)

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)

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

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!)

Table of Contents - Russian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Cyrillic Alphabet
• Pronunciation Rules

  ---

Basic Phrases and Greetings

• Greetings and Introductions
• Everyday Phrases

  ---

Nouns and Gender

• Noun Gender
• Plurals

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Cases and Prepositions

• Nominative Case
• Prepositional Case

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships and Marital Status

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Dining Out

  ---

Russian Traditions and Holidays

• National Holidays
• Traditional Celebrations

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Hobbies
• Entertainment

  ---

Russian Literature and Arts

• Famous Writers
• Russian Art and Music

Sources

• 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

• 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