Understanding how to use regular verbs in Russian is really important for making clear sentences. Let's focus on the verb "говорить," which means "to speak," in the present tense. We’ll also cover some basic grammar to help you with everyday conversations.

Present Tense of "говорить"

"Говорить" is a regular verb. In the present tense, it changes like this:

• Я говорю (I speak)
• Ты говоришь (You speak - informal)
• Он/она/оно говорит (He/She/It speaks)
• Мы говорим (We speak)
• Вы говорите (You speak - formal or plural)
• Они говорят (They speak)

Noun Gender and Cases

In Russian, nouns (like "table," "book," and "window") have genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter. This affects how you use them with adjectives and verbs.

• Masculine: стол (table)
• Feminine: книга (book)
• Neuter: окно (window)

For example, when using the accusative case, you might say:

• Я вижу стол. (I see the table.) – "стол" (table) is masculine.
• Я читаю книгу. (I read the book.) – "книга" (book) is feminine.

Using "быть" (to be) in the Present Tense

In the present tense, we usually leave out the verb "быть." You can show who or what something is without it. For example:

• Это книга. (This is a book.)
• Он учитель. (He is a teacher.)

Sometimes, you might want to include "быть" for emphasis:

• Он есть учитель. (He is a teacher.) – This is correct, but not common.

Asking Questions

Knowing how to ask questions is very important for conversations. You can change how you phrase something at the end or use question words.

Question Words:

• Что? (What?)
• Кто? (Who?)
• Где? (Where?)
• Когда? (When?)

Examples of Questions:

• Что ты говоришь? (What do you speak?)
• Где они говорят? (Where do they speak?)

Adjective Agreement

In Russian, adjectives (words that describe nouns) need to agree with the gender, number, and case of the nouns they describe.

Examples:

• Masculine: хороший стол (good table)
• Feminine: хорошая книга (good book)
• Neuter: хорошее окно (good window)

Plural: хорошие столы (good tables), хорошие книги (good books)

Practice Sentences

Here are some sentences to practice what you've learned:

1. Я говорю по-русски. (I speak Russian.)
2. Ты говоришь, что она хороший учитель? (Do you say that she is a good teacher?)
3. Где они говорят о книге? (Where do they speak about the book?)

By understanding these parts of the language, you can have better conversations in Russian. Keep practicing how to use "говорить" and make sentences with nouns and questions. This will help you talk about more complex topics later on!