Compared to the complexity of the English verbal system, the Russian one is quite simple.
| PAST |
I worked I did work I was working I had worked I had been working | Я рабо́тал |
| PRESENT |
I work I do work I am working I have worked I have been working | Я рабо́таю |
| FUTURE |
I will work I will be working I will have worked I will have been working I am going to work I am going to be working | Я бу́ду рабо́тать |
Past tense verbs agree with their subjects (which are always in the nominative case) in gender or number. To form the past tense, take the infinitive работать, drop the ending -ть and add -л, -ла, -ло or -ли.
|
Он |
Она́ |
Оно́ |
Они́ |
|
я рабо́тал |
я рабо́тала |
мы рабо́тали | |
|
ты рабо́тал |
ты рабо́тала |
вы рабо́тали | |
|
он рабо́тал |
она рабо́тала |
оно рабо́тало |
они рабо́тали |
Present tense verbs agree with their subjects (which are always in the nominative case) in person and number. There are two conjugation patterns for the present tense. They differ only by the vowel which is used in the endings:
| First conjugation | Second conjugation |
|---|---|
| я рабо́таю | я говорю́ |
| ты рабо́таешь | ты говори́шь |
| он рабо́тает | он говори́т |
| она рабо́тает | она́ говори́т |
| оно рабо́тает | оно́ говори́т |
| мы рабо́таем | мы говори́м |
| вы рабо́таете | вы говори́те |
| они рабо́тают | они́ говоря́т |
There are two ways to form verbs in the future tense:
Using a "helping verb" plus the imperfective infinitive:
| я бу́ду рабо́тать | мы бу́дем рабо́тать |
| ты бу́дешь рабо́тать | вы бу́дете рабо́тать |
| он бу́дет рабо́тать | |
| она бу́дет рабо́тать | они́ бу́дут рабо́тать |
| оно бу́дет рабо́тать |
Conjugating a perfective infinitive:
| я порабо́таю | мы порабо́таем |
| ты порабо́таешь | вч порабо́таете |
| он порабо́тает | |
| она пораб́отает | они порабо́тают |
| оно пораб́отает |
The terms imperfective and perfective refer to the distinction between 2 verbs whose actual meaning is the same, but whose focus shifts from viewing the action as process (ongoing in the past, present or future) to viewing a "limit" having been reached (in the past or future; present is precluded). Sometimes this limit is an "end" (a result) and other times it is a "beginning". For a more complete explanation of this phenomenon, consult a Russian grammar.