In this lesson, we will learn how to change the verb "смотреть," which means "to watch" or "to look," into the present tense for different pronouns.

"Смотреть" is called an imperfective verb. This just means it describes actions that are happening right now or things we do often, not actions that are finished. Knowing how to change (or conjugate) verbs like "смотреть" is important for making sentences that make sense and chatting in Russian.

Conjugation Table for "смотреть"

Here’s a table showing how "смотреть" changes for different pronouns in the present tense:

| Pronoun | Conjugation | |------------------|----------------| | Я (I) | смотрю | | Ты (You, singular, informal) | смотришь | | Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It) | смотрит | | Мы (We) | смотрим | | Вы (You, plural/formal) | смотрите | | Они (They) | смотрят |

Conjugation Breakdown

1. Я (I) - смотрю

   • Example: Я смотрю телевизор. (I am watching TV.)

2. Ты (You, singular, informal) - смотришь

   • Example: Ты смотришь фильм? (Are you watching a movie?)

3. Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It) - смотрит

   • Example: Он смотрит на птицу. (He is looking at the bird.)
   • Example: Она смотрит в окно. (She is looking out the window.)
   • Example: Оно смотрит на вас. (It is looking at you.)

4. Мы (We) - смотрим

   • Example: Мы смотрим хоккей. (We are watching hockey.)

5. Вы (You, plural/formal) - смотрите

   • Example: Вы смотрите новое шоу? (Are you watching the new show?)

6. Они (They) - смотрят

   • Example: Они смотрят за детьми. (They are watching the children.)

Notable Patterns

• For "Я" (I), we add -ю to the base verb.
• For "Ты" (You, informal), we add -ишь.
• For "Он/Она/Оно" (He/She/It), we use -ит.
• For "Мы" (We), it ends in -им, and for "Вы" (You, plural/formal), it ends in -ите.
• For "Они" (They), the ending is -ят.

Common Mistakes

1. Mixing up ты and вы: Remember, "ты" is for informal, singular situations. "Вы" can be formal for one person or used when talking to multiple people. Choose the right one based on who you’re talking to.

2. Forgetting the endings: Always use the right endings for each pronoun. Leaving them out can confuse the meaning!

Practice Sentences

Here are some sentences you can practice with:

1. Я смотрю на море. (I am looking at the sea.)
2. Ты смотришь презентацию. (You are watching the presentation.)
3. Он смотрит за собакой. (He is watching the dog.)
4. Мы смотрим один фильм каждый уикенд. (We watch one movie every weekend.)
5. Вы смотрите спортивные новости? (Are you watching the sports news?)
6. Они смотрят на звёзды. (They are looking at the stars.)

Conclusion

Getting good at changing verbs like "смотреть" in the present tense helps you make meaningful sentences in everyday conversations. Practice these forms with different pronouns so you can feel more comfortable and confident with Russian verbs!