Language/Russian/Grammar/Use-of-the-verb-быть-in-the-past

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To use the verb to be in the past in Russian
To use the verb to be in the past in Russian

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Hello everybody,

In today's lesson you will learn some useful vocabulary about ¨HOW TO USE THE VERB TO BE IN THE PAST¨ in Russian.

Feel free to edit this page by adding new words and expressions!

Good learning! :)

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Some explanations for using the verb to be in the past in Russian

ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

ENGLISH

RUSSIAN PRONUNCIATION

BRAZILIAN

PORTUGUESE

BRAZILIAN

PORTUGUESE

I was Я  БЫЛ (A) Eu era / estava
You were TЫ  БЫЛ (A) Você era / estava
He was OH  БЫЛ Ele era / estava
She was OHA  БЫЛA Ela era / estava
We were MЫ  БЫЛИ Nós éramos / estávamos
You were BЫ  БЫЛИ Vocês eram / estavam
They were OHИ  БЫЛИ Eles eram / estavam

Elas eram / estavam

Examples :

ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

ENGLISH

RUSSIAN PRONUNCIATION

BRAZILIAN

PORTUGUESE

BRAZILIAN

PORTUGUESE

When was it? Когда это было?
It was yesterday. Это было вчера.
It was great! Это было здорово!
Where were you? Где ты был?
The book was interesting. Книга была интересной.
Yesterday we were at the theater. Вчера мы были в театре.

Very often, when they talk about the past, Russians use the past tense of быть:

The conjugation of the verb быть

  • я, ты, он был (male)
  • я, ты, она была (female)
  • оно было (neutral and impersonal)
  • они были (plural)

Examples (примеры):

  • Когда это было?

When was it?

  • Это было вчера.

It was yesterday.

  • Это было здорово!

It was great!

  • Где ты был?

Where were you?

  • Книга была интересной.

The book was interesting.

  • Вчера мы были в театре.

Yesterday we were at the theater.

How to say 'I had', 'you had', etc.

Do you remember how you say 'I have' in Russian? It's the same pattern for saying 'I had'.

Examples:

  • У меня была температура вчера. - I had a fever yesterday.
  • У него были проблемы, но сейчас всё хорошо. - He had problems, but now everything is fine.

Температура is a feminine word, so we use the feminine form of the verb быть. Проблемы is plural, so we use были.

In negative sentences, we always use было irrespective of gender of subject. Remember that in this case, the subject is still genitive.

  • У нас не было денег. - We did not have money.
  • У них не было документов. - They had no papers.
  • У него не было выхода. - He had no solution.
  • У меня никогда не было велосипеда. - I never had a bike.

Note that in this type of sentences, the Russians accentuate the particle не and do not put emphasis on the verb было.

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