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Study Resource: How to use common reporting verbs in Russian

By: Anna Classing

Recall that reporting verbs are verbs that are used to report someone’s words, thoughts, or sometimes feelings. The chart below provides the most common ones in Russian, with some examples to illustrate how they are generally used.

ImperfectivePerfectiveTranslationExamples
говорить
Transcription: gavaREET
сказать
Transcription: skaZAT

to say

verbdative caseaccusative caseconjunctionprepositional case
Мама говорит детям правду.
Transcription: MAma gavaREET DYEtyam PRAVdoo
Translation: Mom tells the children the truth.
Но ты же сказал, что приедешь днём!
Transcription: no ty zhe skaZAL, shto priYEdish dnyom!
Translation: But you said that you will arrive at noon!
Маша ничего не говорила мне о переносе даты экзамена.
Transcription: MAsha nichiVO ni gavaREEla mnye a piriNOsye DAty igZAmina.
Translation: Masha didn’t talk to me about the exam data shifting.
Мама сказала детям, чтобы они не смотрели этот фильм.
Transcription: MAma skaZAla DYEtyam SHTOby aNEE ni smatRYEli Etat film
Translation: Mom told the children not to watch this movie.
Literally: Mom told the children that they (should) not watch this movie.
рассказывать
Transcription: raSKAzyvat
рассказать
Transcription: raskaZAT

to tell

verbdative caseaccusative caseprepositional case
Он рассказал нам историю.
Transcription: on raskaZAL nam isTOriyu
Translation: He told us a story.
Бабушка часто рассказывала нам о своём детстве в деревне.
Transcription: BAbooshka CHASta rasKAzyvala nam a svaYOM DYETStvye v diRYEVnye.
Translation: Grandma often told us about her childhood in a village.
советовать
Transcription: saVYEtavat
посоветовать
Transcription: pasaVYEtavat

to advise, offer, recommend

verbdative case
Они посоветовали друзьям отдохнуть.
Transcription: aNEE pasaVYEtyvali droozYAM adaKHNOOT
Translation: They advised their friends to rest.
объяснять
Transcription: abyasNYAT
объяснить
Transcription: abyasNEET

to explain

verbdative caseaccusative case
Я объяснил ему проблему.
Transcription: ya ab’yisNEEL yimu prabLYEmoo
Translation: I explained the problem to him.
Она объяснила коллегам, как работать здесь.
Transcription: aNA ab’yisNEEla kaLYEgam kak raBOtat zdyes
Translation: She explained to (her) colleagues how to work here.
предлагать
Transcription: pidlaGAT
предложить
Transcription: pridlaZHYT

to suggest, offer, propose

verbdative caseaccusative case
Они предложили соседям помощь.
Transcription: aNEE pridlaZHYli saSYEdyam POmoshch
Translation: They offered their neighbors help.
Он предложил другу быть осторожным.
Transcription: on pridlaZHYL DROOgoo byt astaROZHnym
Translation: He suggested (to) his friend to be careful.
задавать вопрос
Transcription: zadaVAT vapROS
задать вопрос
Transcription: zaDAT vapROS

to ask a question

verbdative caseconjunctionprepositional case
Журналисты задали вопрос президенту о его дальнейших планах.
Transcription: zhoornaLEESty ZAdali vapROS priziDYENtoo a yiVO dal’NYEYshykh PLAnakh
Translation: Journalists asked the president (a question) about his future plans.
Родители задали вопрос учительнице, не знает ли она, когда у детей будут каникулы.
Transcription: raDEEtili ZAdali vapROS ooCHEEtilnitse, ni ZNAit lee aNA, kagDA oo diTYEY BOOdoot kaNEEkooly
Translation: Parents asked the teacher if she knew when the children would have holidays.
спрашивать
Transcription: SPRAshyvat
спросить
Transcription: spraSEET

to ask

verbaccusative caseconjunctionprepositional case
Журналисты спросили президента о его планах.
Transcription: zhoornaLEESty spraSEEli priziDYENta a iVO PLAnakh
Translation: Journalists asked the president about his plans.
Мама спросила учителя, где будет родительское собрание.
Transcription: MAma spraSEEla ooCHEEtilya, gdye BOOdit raDEEtilskaye sabRAniye
Translation: Mom asked the teacher where the parent meeting would be.
просить
Transcription: praSEET
попросить
Transcription: papraSEET

to ask a favor

verbaccusative caseconjunctionprepositional case
Правительство попросило граждан o помощи.
Transcription: praVEEtilstva papraSEEla GRAZHdan a POmashchi
Translation: The government asked citizens for help.
Маша попросила меня убрать комнату.
Transcription: MAsha papraSEEla miNYA oobRAT KOMnatoo
Translation: Masha asked me to clean the room.
Учительница попросила родителей, чтобы они помогли детям.
Transcription: ooCHEEtilnitsa papraSEEla raDEEtilyey SHTOby aNEE pamaGLEE DYEtyam
Translation: The teacher asked the parents to help the children.
Literally: The teacher asked the parents that they should help the children.
отвечать
Transcription: atviCHAT
ответить
Transcription: atVYEtit

to answer

verbdative caseaccusative caseconjunction
Президент ответил журналистам (на вопрос).
Transcription: priziDYENT atVYEtil zhoornaLEEStam (na vapROS)
Translation: The President answered the reporters (the question).
Учительница ответила маме, что собрание будет в спортзале.
Transcription: ooCHEEtilnitsa atVYEtila MAmye, shto sabRAniye BOOdit v spartZAlye
Translation: The teacher answered (to) the mother that the meeting would be in the gym.
велеть
Transcription: viLYET
повелеть
Transcription: paviLYET

to order, to command

verbdative caseconjunction
Маша велела мне убрать комнату.
Transcription: MAsha viLYEla mnye oobRAT KOMnatoo
Translation: Masha ordered me to clean the room.
Маша велела мне, чтобы я убрал комнату.
Transcription: MAsha viLYEla mnye SHTOby ya oobRAL KOMnatoo
Translation: Masha ordered me to clean the room.
Literally: Masha ordered me that I (should) cleaned the room
приказывать
Transcription: priKAzyvat
приказать
Transcription: prikaZAT

to order, to command

verbdative caseconjunction
Полицейские приказали нам остановиться.
Transcription: paliTSEYskiye prikaZAli nam astanaVEEtsa
Translation: The police ordered us to stop.
Полицейские приказали, чтобы мы остановилась.
Transcription: paliTSEYskiye prikaZAli SHTOby my astanaVEElas’
Translation: The police ordered that we should stop.