Good news – the Russian present tense is simpler than the present tense in English! The Russian present tense just has one form. This means that saying я работаю can take the multiple meanings, “I work,” “I do work,” "I am working," and "I have been working." The main thing to learn with the present tense is the two main conjugation groups.
The Russian present tense is used to express:
Actions which are happening at the time of speaking
Actions which occur regularly
Habitual actions
Actions which began in the past and are still happening or just stopped
1st conjugation verbs have the following suffixes before the infinitive ending, -ть:
To form the present tense, drop the infinative ending, -ть, and add the appropriate endings: "ю", "ешь", "ет", "ем", "ете" or "ют." For example:
читать | to read |
---|---|
я читаю | I read |
ты читаешь | you read |
он читает | he reads |
мы читаем | we read |
вы читаете | you read |
они читают | they read |
гулять | to walk |
---|---|
я гуляю | I walk |
ты гуляешь | you walk |
он гуляет | he walks |
мы гуляем | we walk |
вы гуляете | you walk |
они гуляют | they walk |
расти | to grow |
---|---|
я расту | I grow |
ты растёшь | you grow |
он растёт | he grows |
мы растём | we grow |
вы растёте | you grow |
они растут | they grow |
путешествовать | to travel |
---|---|
я путешествую | I travel |
ты путешествуешь | you travel |
он путешествует | he travels |
мы путешествуем | we travel |
вы путешествуете | you travel |
они путешествуют | they travel |
2nd conjugation verbs have the suffixes, "и" and "е," before the infinitive ending -ть:
To form the present tense, drop the infinitive ending, -ить or -еть, and add the appropriate endings: "ю" (or "у") "ишь" "ит" "им" "ите" "ят" (or "ат"). For example:
говорить | to speak |
---|---|
я говорю | I speak |
ты говоришь | you speak |
он говорит | he speaks |
мы говорим | we speak |
вы говорите | you speak |
они говорят | they speak |
смотреть | to watch |
---|---|
я смотрю | I watch |
ты смотришь | you watch |
он смотрит | he watches |
мы смотрим | we watch |
вы смотрите | you watch |
они смотрят | they watch |
Please note, after the letters г, к, ж, х, ч, ш, щ:
Also, sometimes the last letter of the stem of 2nd conjugation verbs changes for the 1st person singular "я" form:
While there are naturally some irregular verbs in Russian that don't fall neatly into the 1st or 2nd conjugation, you'll often be able to predict their present tense endings. For example:
ехать | to go |
---|---|
я еду | I go |
ты едешь | you go |
он едет | he goes |
мы едем | we go |
вы едете | you go |
они едут | they go |
жить | to live |
---|---|
я живу | I live |
ты живёшь | you live |
он живёт | he lives |
мы живём | we live |
вы живёте | you live |
они живут | they live |