A Russian verb in the perfective aspect describes an action that is single and complete. It is opposed to the imperfective aspect which marks an action as repeated or lasting. When you are using Russian verbs, you will almost always have to make a choice between a perfective verb or an imperfective one.
Many learners of Russian would name the use of verb aspects among the greatest challenges they had to overcome on the way to mastering the language. This post will explain how to tell a perfective verb from an imperfective one, what forms perfective verbs can take, and how to use the perfective aspect. Let’s get started!
How to identify a perfective verb?
There is no single way to identify a perfective verb in Russian, but there are some characteristics that many perfective verbs share, especially when compared to their imperfective partners.
Almost every perfective verb has an imperfective match, thus forming an aspect pair. The two verbs share a lexical meaning but contrast in the way they describe an action in terms of its completion, duration, habituality, etc. Usually the verbs in an aspect pair have the same root, but different prefixes or suffixes.
You may be able to recognize a perfective verb by observing one of the following features:
It has a prefix.
Imperfective Perfective Translation строить transcribed STROitпостроить transcribed paSTROitto build
играть transcribed iGRATсыграть transcribed syGRATto play
пугаться transcribed pooGAtsaиспугаться transcribed ispooGAtsato be/get scared
It does not have the suffix -ыва-, -ива-, or -ва-.
Imperfective Perfective Translation открывать transcribed atkryVATоткрыть transcribed atKRYTto open
скачивать transcribed SKAchivatcкачать transcribed skaCHATto download
вставать transcribed fstaVATвстать transcribed fstatto stand up
It has the suffix -и- or -ну-.
Imperfective Perfective Translation лишать transcribed liSHATлишить transcribed liSHYTto deprive
рожать transcribed raZHATродить transcribed raDEETto give birth
лизать transcribed liZATлизнуть transcribed lizNOOTto lick
мяукать transcribed miOOkatмяукнуть transcribed miOOKnootto meow
To learn more about the indicators of perfectiveness in a verb and how to form an imperfective verb from a perfective one and vice versa, read our post on aspect pairs in Russian.
What are the forms of perfective verbs?
In Russian, perfective verbs cannot be used to reference the present, only the past or future. As you can see in the table below, there are some other forms they cannot have, but they can still serve as a base for many other verb-related forms that exist in the Russian language:
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
Infinitive | сделать transcribed ZDYElat | to make/do |
Past tense | сделал transcribed ZDYElal | he made/did |
Present tense | X | |
Future | сделает transcribed ZDYElayet | he will make/do |
Present active participle | X | |
Past active participle | сделавший transcribed ZDYElafshyi | who made/did |
Present passive participle | X | |
Past passive participle | сделанный transcribed ZDYElannyi | made/done |
Verbal adverb (present) | X | |
*Verbal adverb (past) | сделав(ши) transcribed ZDYElaf(shi) | having made/done |
Past tense forms of perfective verbs
The Russian past tense is formed in the same way for perfective and imperfective verbs, by adding -л, -ла, -ло, or -ли to the infinitive stem of a verb:
Singular masculine: | сделал transcribed ZDYElalmeaning (I/you/he/it) made / did |
Singular feminine: | сделала transcribed ZDYElalameaning (I/you/she/it) made / did |
Singular neuter: | сделало transcribed ZDYElalameaning (it) made / did |
Plural (all genders): | сделали transcribed ZDYElalimeaning (we/you/they) made / did |
To learn more about the forms of perfective verbs in the past tense, look at our post on the past tense in Russian.
Future forms of perfective verbs
Perfective verbs can be used to describe future action. Their future forms, however, look misleadingly similar to the present tense forms of imperfective verbs — virtually the same endings are used! So you have to be very careful and remember that perfective verbs with these endings refer to the future, not the present!
I: | cделаю transcribed ZDYElayumeaning (I) will make / do |
You (singular/informal): | cделаешь transcribed ZDYElayeshmeaning (you) will make / do |
He/She/It: | cделает transcribed ZDYElayetmeaning (he/she/it) will make / do |
We: | cделаем transcribed ZDYElayemmeaning (we) will make / do |
You (plural/formal): | cделаете transcribed ZDYElaityemeaning (you) will make / do |
They: | cделают transcribed ZDYElayutmeaning (they) will make / do |
To learn more about the forms of perfective verbs in the future, look at our post on the Russian future.
When to use perfective verbs?
The perfective aspect in Russian is used to describe finished actions, done once or in sequence. While it’s important to keep in mind this general meaning of the perfective aspect, you might find it helpful to look at each specific use in detail.
To say that the action is successfully completed
When an action started and finished in the past, we use perfective verbs in their past forms to describe it. Also, when we believe or promise that an action will start, achieve its result, and finish in the future, perfective verbs in their future forms should be used. For example:
Perfective verbs focus on completeness of an action, the fact that a goal was reached, while imperfective verbs don’t. Compare:
| Perfective aspect | Imperfective aspect |
|---|---|
Я прочитаю эту книгу на следующей неделе. Transcription: ya prachiTAyu Etoo KNEEgoo na SLYEdooyushchyey niDYEli Translation: I will read this book next week. I’ll start and finish it. | Я буду читать эту книгу на следующей неделе. Transcription: ya BOOdoo chiTAT Etoo KNEEgoo na SLYEdooyushchyey niDYEli Translation: I will be reading this book next week. I will be in the process of reading it, I am not saying when I started (or will start) and when/if I finish it. |
Кто выпил мой сок? Transcription: kto VYpil moy sok? Translation: Who drank / has drunk my juice? My glass was full and now it’s empty. | Кто пил мой сок? Transcription: kto peel moy sok? Translation: Who has been drinking / has drunk (some of) my juice? My glass was full and now it’s only 3/4 full. |
Also, imperfective verbs are used to refer to a past action in general, without a specific focus on its completeness, but to explain the current situation. Perfective verbs, with their emphasis on finality of an action, are not used this way. Compare:
| Perfective aspect | Imperfective aspect |
|---|---|
Я прочитал эту книгу. Transcription: ya prachiTAL Etoo KNEEgoo. Translation: I (have) read this book. I did it last night, and now I’m ready to discuss it. | Я читал эту книгу. Transcription: ya chiTAL Etoo KNEEgoo Translation: I’ve read this book. Sometime a long time ago maybe, but I know what I’m talking about. |
Он попробовал берёзовый сок. Transcription: on paPRObavall biRYOzavyi sok. Translation: He tasted birch sap. Just now, he tasted it and he didn’t like it. | Он уже пробовал березовый сок. Transcription: on ooZHE PRObaval biRYOzavyi sok Translation: He has already tasted birch sap. It happened a long time ago, but now he knows its taste. |
To describe a single/individual action
We use perfective verbs to say that something happened or will happen once. This meaning contrasts with the meaning of habitual or regular actions that imperfective verbs have. Compare:
| Perfective aspect | Imperfective aspect |
|---|---|
Мы вчера посетили Эрмитаж. Transcription: my fchiRA pasiTEEli ermiTASH Translation: We visited the Hermitage Museum yesterday. | Мы посещали Эрмитаж каждый раз, когда были в Санкт-Петербурге. Transcription: my pasiSHCHALi ermiTASH KAZHdyi ras, kagDA BYli f sankt-pitirBOORgye Translation: We visited the Hermitage Museum every time we were in Saint-Petersburg. |
Маша приготовит рыбу, а я принесу салат . Transcription: MAsha prigaTOvit RYboo, a ya priniSOO saLAT Translation: Masha will cook fish, and I will bring salad. | Мама будет теперь готовить рыбу чаще. Transcription: MAma BOOdit tiPYER gaTOvit RYboo CHAshche Translation: Mom will cook fish more often from now on. |
To describe a sequence of completed actions
When you want to tell a story you often need to describe events happening one after another. It is the perfective aspect in Russian that can help you do that. This use of perfective verbs contrasts with the ability of imperfective verbs to describe things happening at the same time. Compare:
| Perfective aspect | Imperfective aspect |
|---|---|
Леонид встал, умылся, позавтракал, оделся и вызвал такси. Transcription: liaNEET fstal, ooMYLsya, paZAFtrakal, aDYELsya i VYzval takSEE Translation: Leonid got up, washed his face, had breakfast, got dressed, and called a taxi. | Леонид сидел в своём любимом кресле, пил кофе и разгадывал кроссворд. Transcription: liaNEET siDYEL f svaYOM lyuBEEmam KRYESlye, peel KOfye i razGAdyval krasVORT Translation: Leonid was sitting in his favorite armchair, drinking coffee and doing a crossword puzzle. |
Я сначала приготовлю ужин, а потом помогу тебе с уроками. Transcription: ya snaCHAla prigaTOVlyu OOzhyn, a paTOM pamaGOO tiBYE s ooROkami Translation: I will first make dinner, and then I will help you with your homework. | Я не могу одновременно готовить ужин и помогать тебе с уроками! Transcription: ya ni maGOO adnavriMYEna gaTOvit OOzhyn i pamaGAT tiBYE s ooROkami Translation: I cannot make dinner and help you with your homework at the same time! |
To describe an instantaneous action or feeling
When you use the perfective aspect of a verbs with a lexical meaning that would normally imply some duration, it implies an instantaneous start to that action, or an instantaneous version of it. This is especially common with verbs denoting feelings and emotions, or related to speech, perception, or thinking, like:
понять transcribed paNYATmeaning to understand
увидеть transcribed ooVEEdyetmeaning to see
удивиться transcribed oodiVEEtsameaning to be surprised
решить transcribed riSHYTmeaning to decide
пропасть transcribed praPASTmeaning to disappear
In the imperfective aspect, such verbs sound like a long-term process or state, but when used in the perfective it sounds very sudden. For example:
To say that an action started
Some Russian verbs have “beginning” of an action as a component of their meanings. Usually these are verbs with the prefix за-, and they are often perfective:
To describe a short-lasting action
In Russian, verbs with the prefix по- often mean that an action described by it lasted a short period of time. Most of these verbs only exist in the perfective aspect:
How to use perfective verbs in negative sentences?
Both perfective and imperfective verbs can be negated. To do that, we put a particle не transcribed nyemeaning not before the verb.
We use не transcribed nyemeaning not + imperfective verbs to say that an action did not or will not take place at all.
When a perfective verb is negated in the past tense, it usually means that someone failed to do something (but was expected to):
With future reference, a negated perfective verb may mean a promise not to do something, or inability to do something:
Conclusion
Perfective verbs in Russian can refer to the past or the future, but never to the present. Perfective verbs contrast with imperfective in a number of ways:
If you believe you got it all, practice using Russian perfective verbs yourself! Or challenge yourself to choosing perfective or imperfective verbs in various contexts!
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