Present tense: first and second conjugation of common verbs
How it works
In Russian there are two main groups of verb conjugation in the present tense: the first and the second conjugation. In the first conjugation, for example ‹читать›, the typical endings are ‹-ю/-у›, ‹-ешь›, ‹-ет›, ‹-ем›, ‹-ете›, ‹-ют/-ут›. In the second conjugation, for example ‹говорить›, they are ‹-ю/-у›, ‹-ишь›, ‹-ит›, ‹-им›, ‹-ите›, ‹-ят/-ат›. The form depends on person, number, and the verb’s conjugation class; this can often be recognized from the infinitive, but for some common verbs you have to learn the form as well.
Choose the correct verb form in the present tense by recognizing whether the verb belongs to the first or second conjugation, and use the appropriate ending for person and number.
An example
What is the correct present tense form in ‹Он ... книгу.› (‹читать› – to read)?
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50 Exercises
To the learning unit →Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: Russian. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.