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Perfective 1 is the thirty-fourth (assuming read left to right) skill of the language tree for Russian. This skill teaches the perfective verbs, a different verb tense that doesn't exist in English. It has six lessons.

Grammar Notes[]

Introduction to Aspect[]

Russian has a special grammar point called 'aspect', for which there is no real English equivalent. Basically, a repeated action and an action that is completed once are two different verbs (well, mostly different). These two kinds of verbs are perfective and imperfective:

Perfective Imperfective
  • Actions that have fixed point in time.
  • Actions that are in a sequence ("I did this then I did that").
  • Actions that are the result or cause of another action ("He did this, so I did that").
  • Actions that should be done (but might not be).
  • Actions where the timing of the action is irrelevant.
  • Actions that are repeated or are part of a process.
  • Actions that you have not done or have done before ("I have never skied before").
  • A state or an ongoing action ("He's talking to her now")

Morphology of the Perfective Forms[]

All verbs change form when they go from imperfective to perfective, but the changes are usually small:

  • Add a prefix like на- or по- to the verb.
  • Add a suffix like -ать to -ывать.
  • Sometimes the same verb is used but the stress changes.
  • A few verbs change entirely (говорить -> сказать).

In general, it is nearly impossible to know the perfective/imperfective counterpart of a verb without using a dictionary, as nearly all of them have irregular changes in their verb spelling.


Lessons[]

Note: All of the verbs in this section are perfective. Their imperfective counterparts are also provided here, despite not being included in this skill.

Lesson 1[]

  • купить (покупать) = to buy
  • фотография = photo
  • забыть (забывать) = to forget
  • ключ = key
  • узнать (знать, узнавать) = to find out, to recognize, to learn

Lesson 2[]

  • прочитать (читать) = to read
  • сделать (делать) = to do
  • лечь спать (ложиться спать) = to go to bed
  • встать (вставать) = to get up
  • задание = task
  • сегодня = today

Lesson 3[]

  • привыкнуть (привыкать) = to get used to
  • контрольная работа = test
  • рассказ = (short) story
  • написать (писать) = to write
  • дочка = daughter
  • утром = in the morning
  • вечером = in the evening
  • ночью = at night

Lesson 4[]

  • получить (получать) = to get
  • диск = disc
  • вдруг = suddenly
  • наконец = finally
  • взять (брать) = to take
  • потом = then, afterwards
  • посмотреть (смотреть) = to watch

Lesson 5[]

  • потерять (терять) = to lose
  • выбрать (выбирать) = to choose
  • опоздать (опаздывать) = to be late
  • прийти (приходить) = to arrive
  • сообщение = message
  • продать (продавать) = to sell
  • мочь (смочь) = may, can

Lesson 6[]

  • помочь (помогать) = to help
  • бросить (бросать) = to throw
  • увидеть (видеть) = to see
  • записать (записывать) = to write down
  • опять = again
  • обсудить (обсуждать) = to discuss
  • встретить (встречать) = to meet

References[]

Duolingo Lesson: www.duolingo.com/skill/ru/People

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