mon endings for infinitives are -ти and -чь. There are no other infinitive endings possible in Russian. Past Tense Formation The formation of the past tense is very uncomplicated: First, remove the infinitive ending (-ть) and replace it with the ending -л. Then, adjust for gender.Russian verbs agree in gender and number with their sub- jects. Therefore, the full endings will be -л (masculine), -ла (feminine), -ло (neuter), -ли (plural). For the plural forms мы, вы, and они, plural verbs are used, even when вы refers to only one person: Îлия Ûковлевна, где вы родилñсь? (Yuliya Yakovlevna, where were you born?). For verbs in -ся, disregard this particle while you form the past tense, and then return it to the verb in the correct form: -ся after consonants and -сь after vowels (он родñлся, онá родилáсь). Even the so-called irregular verbs in Russian are formed regularly according to this rule: дал, хот éл, and бежáл. One exception is the verb есть, which has the past tense ел, éла, éло, éли. Special Cases 1. There are a few verbs that end in a consonant plus -ть, such as грызть, красть, and прочéсть, whose past tense is unpredictable and will therefore be provided.The past tense of the above verbs is грπз/ла, крáл/а, прочёл/прочлá. 2. Some infinitives in -нуть and -ереть drop this ending completely in the past tense: достñгнуть, достñг/ла; and умерéть, ÿмер/умерлá. Other common verbs of this type are исчéзнуть, мёрзнуть, погñбнуть, and привπкнуть. 3. And what if an infinitive does not end in -ть? In that case, the past tense will be provided for you in the glossary. Some examples of verbs of this type: идтñ шёл, шла, шло, шли нестñ нёс, неслá, несл ó, неслñ везтñ вёз, везлá, везлó, везлñ вестñ вёл, велá, велó, велñ зайтñ зашёл, зашлá, зашлó, зашлñ 90 RUSSIAN: A Self-Teaching Guide растñ рос, рослá, рослó, рослñ 1 грестñ грёб, греблá, греблó, греблñ Since many of these verbs are verbs of motion and/or are used with numerous prefixes, they are not a problem for native speakers. You, however, will have to memorize these forms. A not insignificant group of verbs has an infinitive ending in -чь. Throughout their conjugation, these verbs show an underlining к or г that alternates with ч or ж when appearing before the vowel -е The past tense,coincidentally, turns out to be the stem of the present tense: Infinitive печь стричь First-person singular пекÿ стригÿ Second-person singular печёшь стрижёшь Third-person plural пекÿт стригÿт Past masculine пёк стриг Past feminine пеклá стриглá All verbs of the above types are end stressed both in the conjugation and in the past-tense forms. Stress Patterns Verbs have three stress patterns in the past tense:always stem,always ending, and shifting stress. In this last pattern, the stress falls on the stem, except for the femi- nine form, which takes the stress on the ending: жить жил, жилá, жñло, жñли взять взял, взялá, взûло, взûли Most verbs in -нять and -дать also have a shifting stress pattern, but in the masculine,neuter, and plural the stress falls on the prefix.Here are a few examples: понûть пóнял, понялá, пóняло, пóняли занûть зáнял, занялá, зáняло, зáняли принûть пр ñнял, принялá, прñняло, прñняли продáть прóдал, продалá, прóдало, прóдали задáть зá дал, задалá, зáдало, зáдали The Verb 91 1 Note the vowel change from -а- in the present-tense stem to -о- in the past tense. All other irregularities in stress will be given in the glossary. It is essential to remember that in order to form the past tense you must work with the infinitive and not the conjugated form or present-tense stem. In order to emphasize the importance of this process, you are presented with a challenging exercise below. TEST FOR MASTERY 1 Change the following sentences from the present tense to the past tense. Be sure that your verb agrees in gender and number with the subject. 1. Мы ждём автóбус. 2. Офéлия живёт в Грÿзии. 3. Профéссор Пáвлов, где вы преподаёте? 4. Пáмела говорñт по телефóну весь день. 5. Дéти сидûт у себû вкóмнате и пñшут сочинéния. 6. Рáда хорошóÿчится. 7. Этерéя прекрáсно читáет по-китáйски. 8. Œтот хулигáн всегдá крадёт моñ вéщи. 9. Мáма печёт пирожкñ. 10. Цветπ растÿтмéдленно. 11. Что ты рисÿешь? 12. Онá всегдá даёт дéньги бéдным. 13. Почемÿ Андрîша плáчет? 14. В œтом магазñне продаîткнñги. 15. Бернáрд посещáет музéи в Москвé. TEST FOR MASTERY 2 Culture Quiz. Place the names of the world-famous figures into the blanks, and change the verbs to the past tense. Чайкóвский, Толстóй, Пикáссо, Горбачёв, Чéхов , Марк Твейн, Лñнкольн, Сервáнтес, Вашингтóн, да Вñнчи, Ломонóсов, Шекспñр 92 RUSSIAN: A Self-Teaching Guide 1. (сотворñть) полñтику «Глáсность». 2. ______________ (написáть) «Войнÿ и мир». 3. ______________ (быть) пéрвый америкáнский президéнт. 4. ______________ (основáть) Москóвский университéт. 5. ______________ (написáть) ромáн «Дон Кихóт». 6. ______________ (написáть) пьéсу «Три сестрπ». 7. ______________ (написáть) пьéсу «Гáмлет». 8. ______________ (нарисовáть) картñну «Гуéрника». 9. ______________ (освободñть) америкáнских рабóв. 10. ______________ (написáть) балéт «Лебедñное óзеро». 11. ______________ (быть) америкáнский писáтель. 12. ______________ (нарисовáть) картñну «Мóна Лñса». Introduction to Verbs of Motion Verbs of motion will be covered more fully in a later chapter, but their formation and use in the past tense will serve as an appropriate introduction. Nonprefixed, indeterminate verbs of motion—that is, verbs whose basic meaning is the activity itself, with no destination or time frame specified—are syn- onymous in the past tense with the past tense of to be. Compare: Вчерá я был в библиотéке (Yesterday I was at the library) with Вчерá яходñл в библиотéку (Yesterday I went to the library). The first sentence specifies location, the second, motion. Both sentences convey the same information.The verb of motion implies that there was a round trip, that although yesterday you went to the library, you are no longer there and have returned. TEST FOR MASTERY 3 Change the following past-tense sentences from location to motion sentences. Be sure to change the object of motion to the accusative case. Remember to use ходил for most places but ездил for places that cannot logically be reached with- out using a vehicle, such as cities and countries. Some adverbs of time you may wish to review before doing this exercise are The Verb 93 вчерá (yesterday), когдá-нибудь (ever), вчера днём (yesterday afternoon), вчерá вéчером (last night), лéтом (in the summer), на прóшлой недéле (last week), сегóдня ÿтром (this morning), впрóшлом годÿ (last year). 1. Вчерá мы бπли в музéе. 2. Лéтом онá былá в Áнглии. 3. Где ты был вчерá вéчером? 4. Вы когдá-нибудь бπли в Афрñке? 5. На прóшлой недéле Бóря был в Кремлé. 6. В декабрé Галñна былá в Вашингтóне. 7. Сегóдня ÿтром мы бπливцéркви. 8. Вчерá днём онá былá вбÿлочной. 9. Гдевыбπливпрóшлом годÿ? 10. На день рождéния я былá в Парñже. CONVERSATION PRACTICE The teacher is asking the students where they went yesterday and how it was. Answer the teacher with the information provided. Here are some adjectives you will need: вéсело (fun), скÿчно (boring), интерéсно (interesting), тñхо (quiet), жáрко (hot), хóлодно (cold), шÿмно (noisy), влáжно (humid). Example: Yчñтель: Джон, где ты был вчерá? Джон:(музéй) Я ходñл в музéй. Там бπло скÿчно. 1. МŒри: МавзолéйЛéнина 6. Ñгорь:«Дéтский мир» 3 2. Магда: Пóльша 7. Káтя: Алûска 3. Áнна: Áфрика 8. Îлия: рабóта 4. Джéссика: мóре 9. Гр Ñша: библиотéка 5. Вáня и Táня: Третьякóвка 2 10. Пáмела: каток (ice skating rink) 94 RUSSIAN: A Self-Teaching Guide 2 The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is famous for its Russian art. 3 Children’s World, the largest store for children’s clothing and toys in Moscow. ANSWER KEY Vocabulary Practice 1. печь (not having to do with school) 2. родñться (not a verb of motion) 3. достñгнуть (not having to do with life) 4. красть (not irregular) 5. мёрзнуть (not transitive) 6. зайтñ (not having to do with growing) 7. плáкать (not a -нуть infinitive) 8. стричь (not a -ти infinitive) Test for Mastery 1 1. Мы ждáли автóбус. 2. Офéлия жилá вГрÿзии. 3. Профéссор Пáвлов, гдe вы преподавáли? 4. Пáмела говорñла по телефóну весь день. 5. Дéти сидéли у себû вкóмнате и писáли сочинéния. 6. Рáда хорошó учñлась. 7. Этерéя прекрáсно читáла по-китáйски. 8. Œтот хулигáн всегдá крал моñ вéщи. 9. Мáма пеклá пирожкñ. 10. Цветπ раслñ мéдленно . 11. Что ты рисовáл(а)? 12. Онá всегдá давáла дéньги бéдным. 13. Почемÿ Андрîша плáкал? 14. В œтом магазñне продавáли кнñги. 15. Бернáрд посещáл музéи в Москвé. The Verb 95 Test for Mastery 2 1. Горбачёв сотворñл полñтику «Гласность». 2. Толстóй написáл «Войнÿ и мир». 3. Вашингтóн был пéрвый америкáнский президéнт. 4. Ломонóсов основáл Москóвский университéт. 5. Сервáнтес написáл ромáн «Дон Кихóт». 6. Чéхов написáлпьéсу «Три сестрπ». 7. Шекспñр написáлпьéсу «Гáмлет». 8. Пикáссо нарисовáл картñну «Гуéрника». 9. Лñнкольн освободñл америкáнских раб óв. 10. Чайкóвский написáл балéт «Лебедñное óзеро». 11. Марк Твейн был америкáнский писáтель. 12. Да Вñнчи нарисовáл картñну «Мóна Лñса». Test for Mastery 3 Did you remember to make sure that your verbs agreed in gender and number with the subject of the sentence? 1. Вчерá мы ходñли в музéй. 2. Лéтом онáéздила в Áнглию. 3. Кудá ты ходñл вчерá вéчером? 4. Вы когдá-нибудь éздили в Áфрику? 5. На прóшлой недéле Бóря ходñл в Кремль. 6. В декабрé Галñна éздила в Вашингтóн. 7. Сегóдня ÿтром мы ходñливцéрковь. 8. Вчерá днём онá ходñлавбÿлочную. 9. Кудá вы éздили в прóшлом годÿ? 10. На день рождéния я éздила в Пар ñж. 96 RUSSIAN: A Self-Teaching Guide Conversation Practice Your answers may differ from those below. 1. Я ходñла в МузéйЛéнина. Там бπло тñхо. 2. Я éздила в Пóльшу. Там бπло вéсело. 3. Я éздила в Áфрику. Там бπло жáрко. 4. Я éздила на мóре. Там бπло влáжно. 5. Мы ходñли в Третьякóвку. Там бπло интерéсно. 6. Я ходñлв«Дéтский мир». Там бπло шÿмно. 7. Я éздила в Алûску. Там бπло хóлодно. 8. Я ходñла на рабó ту. Там бπло, как всегдá, скÿчно. 9. Я ходñл в библиотéку. Там бπло тñхо. 10. Я ходñла на катóк. Там бπло вéсело. The Verb 97 6 The Prepositional Case Предлoжный падeж 98 Useful Vocabulary Transportation автóбус bus платфóрма platform аэропóрт airport пóезд train велосипéд bicycle самолёт plane вокзáл train station стáнция metro station метрó metro, subway стоûнка taxi stand останóвка bus stop таксñ taxi Points of the Compass юг south îго-зáпад southwest сéвер north îго-востóк southeast востóк east сéверо-зáпад northwest зáпад west сéверо-востóк northeast Events вπставка exhibit собрáние meeting занûтия class(es), school вечерñнка party лéкция lecture пóхороны funeral свáдьба wedding Places Вселéнная the Universe полушáрие hemisphere Млéчный путь the Milky Way пóчта post office нáбережная embankment, coast предпрñятие enterprise, business óзеро lake рай paradise пляж beach рπнок market полуóстров peninsula Verbs женñться (на) to marry (for men) игрáть (на) to play (an instrument) настáивать (на) to insist on находñться to be located нуждáться (в) to need обвинûться (в) to be accused of ошибáться (в) to be mistaken in подозревáть (в) to suspect of признавáться (в) to admit to сомневáться (в) to doubt убеждáть (в) to convince of уверûть (в) to assure of учáствовать (в) to take part in VOCABULARY PRACTICE Choose the correct prepositional phrase: 1. Нам бπло вéсело (на пóхоронах/на свáдьбе). 2. Он приéхал в Петербÿрг (на пóезде/на велосипéде). 3. Мы обπчно покупáем óвощи и фрÿкты (на рπнке/на пóчте). 4. Антáрктика нахóдится (на сéвере/на îге). 5. Бостóн нахóдится (на îго-зáпаде/на сéверо-востóке). 6. Спортсмéны (учáствуют в/признаîтся в) соревновáнии. 7. Гостñница «Укрáина» располóжена (на полуóстрове/на нáбережной) Москвπ-рекñ. The Prepositional Case 99 [...]... used to translate at where English may also allow in Russian perceives the location as within an enclosed or circumscribed building or place rather than at a broader location, as does English The following phrases will all use в to translate at: at the university, at school, at the library, at Princeton, at the movies, at the drugstore, at the bank, and at the store NOTE: To translate “at” a person’s... that the preposition по in the second example may govern dative case as well 110 RUSSIAN: A Self- Teaching Guide The “Locative” Case Properly speaking, the locative case is a subcase of the prepositional In fact, some sources consider the locative—along with the partitive genitive, which also has endings separate from the standard genitive—as one of the eight cases of Russian, making life even harder... Russian into a false sense of security that all Russian verbs are easy and that everything conjugates the same way as the above verbs do Nothing could be further from the truth First-conjugation verbs are a royal mess They are so difficult to classify that most systems appear forced and wind up being more difficult to learn than the verbs themselves For the faint of heart, the best advice is to learn... RUSSIAN: A Self- Teaching Guide на Камчáтке на Украине3 на Гавайях на Крáсной плóщади на Урале на Кубе на Алûске на Корéйском полуóстрове на рπнке на востоке на юго-западе на пляже on Kamchatka in Ukraine in Hawaii on Red Square in the Urals on/in Cuba in Alaska on the Korean Peninsula at the market in the East in the Southeast at the beach 2 Use на to express the means of transportation and transportation... solar system is in the Milky Way Ha, ha And tell me, Mom, where is this Milky Way? It’s way over there, in the Universe You don’t say! The Prepositional Case The prepositional case is so named because it never occurs without a preposition You may find that in older Russian grammars this case is called the locative This is a falsely inclusive title, since the true locative—pertaining to location only and... prepositional, the locative is used only with prepositions—in this case в and на—and only to express location There are a limited number of masculine nouns in this category, and they must be memorized This is easier done than said, since most of them occur with great frequency throughout conversational Russian, and by the time students arrive at an explanation of these forms, they have already learned them... 1 04 above, the following might help you sort the various categories of nouns 1 Use на with certain geographical places or areas that do not have welldefined borders, such as mountain ranges, peninsulas, islands, or points of the compass The translation is usually in, although you will see both on and at used in the following expressions: на Кавкáзе на фрóнте in the Caucasus at the front 106 RUSSIAN: ... to обо: обо мне (about me), обо всём (about everything), обо всех (about everyone) 2 The preposition при is sometimes difficult to translate In its physical sense, it means in the area of, attached to, or may disappear in translation: столóвая при завóде (the factory[’s] cafeteria), При дóме был oгорóд (The house had a vegetable garden) It means under or at the time of in the temporal sense of during:... культÿры? Когдá? 119 120 RUSSIAN: A Self- Teaching Guide 24 Кáтя чáсто хóдит в кинó? 25 Чтó дéлает Кáтя в кÿхне? Когдá? Conversation Notes 1 On a Russian calendar, the week begins with Monday The seven days of the week, which are not capitalized, are понедéльник, втóрник, средá, четвéрг, пûтница, суббóта, воскресéнье To say on a given day of the week, use в plus the accusative case: в понедельник, во... to location only and masculine nouns only—is a subcase of the prepositional and will be discussed 102 RUSSIAN: A Self- Teaching Guide later in this chapter The five prepositions that govern this case will be dealt with separately in the sections that follow Endings Nouns In the singular, all masculine,1 feminine, and neuter2 nouns take the ending -е, except for the following: masculines in -ий, neuters . как! 100 RUSSIAN: A Self- Teaching Guide The Geography Lesson SPEAKERS: Know-Nothing Sasha Know-Everything Mom SASHA: Mom, where do we live? MOM: We live in a small apartment. S: Where is our apartment? M:. English may also allow in. Russian perceives the location as within an enclosed or circumscribed building or place rather than at a broader location, as does English.The following phrases will all. all use в to trans- late at: at the university, at school, at the library, at Princeton, at the movies, at the drugstore, at the bank, and at the store. NOTE: To translate “at” a person’s house,