In Russian, it’s really important to learn how to change verbs. This helps you communicate better. In this post, we’ll focus on two types of verbs: regular -ать verbs and irregular verbs in the present tense. Understanding how they work will help you create sentences that make sense.

Changing Regular -ать Verbs

Regular -ать verbs change in a specific way when we use them in the present tense.

To change these verbs, just take off the -ать ending and add different endings based on who is doing the action.

Here’s a simple guide:

1. Identify the subject pronoun (who is involved):

   • я (I)
   • ты (you, informal singular)
   • он/она/оно (he/she/it)
   • мы (we)
   • вы (you, formal/plural)
   • они (they)

2. Conjugation pattern:

   • For я, add -ю.
   • For ты, add -ишь.
   • For он/она/оно, add -ит.
   • For мы, add -им.
   • For вы, add -ите.
   • For они, add -ят.

Example with the verb "играть" (to play):

• я играю (I play)
• ты играешь (you play)
• он/она/оно играет (he/she/it plays)
• мы играем (we play)
• вы играете (you play, formal/plural)
• они играют (they play)

Changing Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs are different because they don’t follow the same pattern as regular verbs. Each irregular verb changes in its own way.

Some common irregular verbs are "быть" (to be), "идти" (to go), and "сказать" (to say).

Let’s see how we change "идти" in the present tense.

1. Present tense conjugation of "идти":
   • я иду (I go)
   • ты идешь (you go)
   • он/она/оно идет (he/she/it goes)
   • мы идем (we go)
   • вы идете (you go, formal/plural)
   • они идут (they go)

Key Differences Between Regular and Irregular Verbs

1. Predictable vs. Unpredictable:

   • Regular -ать verbs are easier because they follow a clear pattern.
   • Irregular verbs are harder because they need to be memorized.

2. Conjugation Endings:

   • Regular -ать verbs have the same endings.
   • Irregular verbs change in unique ways for each pronoun.

3. Examples of Irregular Conjugation:

   • The verb "сказать" (to say) changes like this:
     • я скажу (I will say)
     • ты скажешь (you will say)
     • он/она/оно скажет (he/she/it will say)
     • мы скажем (we will say)
     • вы скажете (you will say, formal/plural)
     • они скажут (they will say)

Practice Exercises

1. Change the following regular verb to the present tense:

   • "ждать" (to wait) for all subject pronouns.

2. Identify and change this irregular verb to the present tense:

   • "брать" (to take) for all subject pronouns.

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between regular -ать verbs and irregular verbs is very important for speaking Russian well. With practice and a bit of memorization, you can master these changes. This will help you share your thoughts and actions more easily in different situations.