Understanding Russian Verbs: Perfective vs. Imperfective
When you learn Russian, it's important to understand a key idea called "aspect." Aspect tells us if an action is finished or still going on. There are two main types of verbs based on aspect: perfective and imperfective. Knowing these will help you speak and write better in Russian.
Perfective verbs are used for actions that are completed. When you use a perfective verb, you're answering the question, "What was done?" These verbs look at the action as a whole and don't focus on how long it took.
You can’t use perfective verbs in simple past or present tense. Usually, they are formed by adding extra parts to the verb or changing it a little.
Examples:
Imperfective verbs describe actions that are ongoing, happen regularly, or are repeated. They answer the question, "What is being done?" These verbs give more details, like how long something takes or how often it happens.
Unlike perfective verbs, imperfective verbs can be used in different tenses because they don’t show if the action is finished.
Examples:
Here are some examples of imperfective and perfective verb pairs:
| Imperfective Verb | Perfective Verb | Meaning | |-------------------|------------------|----------------------------------| | Говорить | Сказать | to say/speak | | Смотреть | Посмотреть | to watch/see | | Работать | Поработать | to work (ongoing)/to finish work | | Заказывать | Заказать | to order (ongoing)/to finish ordering |
Think of something you did yesterday using a perfective verb.
Think of something you are doing right now with an imperfective verb.
By learning the differences between perfective and imperfective verbs, you can express actions more clearly in Russian. This will help you become more fluent and understand the language better!
Understanding Russian Verbs: Perfective vs. Imperfective
When you learn Russian, it's important to understand a key idea called "aspect." Aspect tells us if an action is finished or still going on. There are two main types of verbs based on aspect: perfective and imperfective. Knowing these will help you speak and write better in Russian.
Perfective verbs are used for actions that are completed. When you use a perfective verb, you're answering the question, "What was done?" These verbs look at the action as a whole and don't focus on how long it took.
You can’t use perfective verbs in simple past or present tense. Usually, they are formed by adding extra parts to the verb or changing it a little.
Examples:
Imperfective verbs describe actions that are ongoing, happen regularly, or are repeated. They answer the question, "What is being done?" These verbs give more details, like how long something takes or how often it happens.
Unlike perfective verbs, imperfective verbs can be used in different tenses because they don’t show if the action is finished.
Examples:
Here are some examples of imperfective and perfective verb pairs:
| Imperfective Verb | Perfective Verb | Meaning | |-------------------|------------------|----------------------------------| | Говорить | Сказать | to say/speak | | Смотреть | Посмотреть | to watch/see | | Работать | Поработать | to work (ongoing)/to finish work | | Заказывать | Заказать | to order (ongoing)/to finish ordering |
Think of something you did yesterday using a perfective verb.
Think of something you are doing right now with an imperfective verb.
By learning the differences between perfective and imperfective verbs, you can express actions more clearly in Russian. This will help you become more fluent and understand the language better!