VERBS: tenses and aspects

Я пишу письмо. I am writing a letter. Вчера я написал письмо. Yesterday I wrote a letter.

ASPECTS: IMPERFECTIVE and PERFECTIVE

The Russian verb has three tenses and two aspects: imperfective and perfective. The aspects are used to define the mode of the action expressed by the verb.
  • For actions that are actually taking place, that are repeated or continuous, or for permanent states, with no indication of the start or end of the action: use the imperfective aspect.
  • For a single action, an action which is complete or which is considered to be limited or which has a clear result: use the perfective aspect.
Russian verbs therefore are in aspect pairs, with each of the aspects having its own nuance. Most verbs have two aspects: imperfective and perfective. Imperfective

отдыхать (to rest) – Я отдыхал два дня. I was resting for two days, (continuous action) звонить (to call) – В сентябре я звонила во Францию раз в неделю. In September I called France once a week, (repeated action)

perfective

отдохнуть (to rest) – Я хорошо отдохнул. I’ve had a good rest, (result) позвонить (to call) – Вчера я позвонила в Париж. Yesterday I called Paris. (single action)

Perfective verbs are used only to form past and future tenses, whereas imperfective verbs are used to form present, future and past tenses. учить (imperfective)

present: учу ( I am learning) future: буду учить (/ shall be learning) past: учил, учила, учили (/ was learning…)

выучить (perfective)

present: – future: выучу (/ shall learn) past: выучил (/ have learnt)

HOW TO TELL THE ASPECT OF A VERB?

  • If in an aspect pair (imperfective / perfective), only one of the two forms includes a prefix, this form is the perfective:
imperfective → perfective читать → прочитать (toread) мочь → смочь (to be able to) imperfective → perfective учить → выучить (to study/to learn) писать → написать (to write) Exception: покупать → купить (to buy) etc…
  • If both infinitives of an aspect pair end in -АТЬ or in -ЯТЬ, the shorter of the two infinitives is the perfective:
imperfective → perfective рассказывать → рассказать (to tell) imperfective → perfective понимать → понять (to understand)
  • If the aspect pair has one infinitive ending in -ЕТЬ, -ИТЬ or -НУТЬ and the other in -АТЬ or in -ЯТЬ then the former is perfective and the latter is imperfective:
imperfective → perfective отдыхать → отдохнуть (to rest) повторять → повторить (to repeat) imperfective → perfective умирать → умереть (to die) приглашать → пригласить (to invite)