25 Most Common Russian Verbs You Should Know
Today we’re going to learn some basic Russian verbs everyone should know for starters. There will be a short list but also a lot of work, because you need to learn all the forms of these verbs to use them correctly in different situations.
So, the essential Russian verbs are:
Let’s take a closer look at each verb in the list.
Быть [bit’] – to be
The verb быть in the Russian language has many different forms but it’s rarely used in the Present Tense. For example, we don’t say “I am”, “he is” and so on. If you want to say “I am a student”, you just say “Я студент” (literally: I sudent).
But it is important to know the future forms of this verb – will be.
It can be both will and will be. For example:
Я буду врачом. – I will be a doctor.
Он будет спать. – He will sleep/ He’s going to sleep.
The past tense form of the verb быть is more simple. It doen’t change so much:
Я был. – I was.
Ты был. – You were.
Он был. – He was.
Она была. – She was.
Оно было. – It was.
Они были. – They were.
Мы были. – We were.
Вы были. – You were.
Они были. – They were.
You can find out more about this verb in the article How to Use the Verb БЫТЬ in Present, Past and Future Tenses.
Делать [dyelat’] – to do/to make
Luckily there’s just one verb for both of these actions. Here’s the conjugation of this verb:
Examples:
Я делаю домашнюю работу. – I’m doing my homework.
Она делает серьги из полимерной глины. – She makes earrings out of polymer clay.
Ходить [hadit’] – go on foot, walk (undefinite, multidirectional)
You’ll probably hate it but it’s not easy to choose the right verb to express the movement in Russian. We have four options. Ходить means go on foot, walk. Usually it doesn’t mean you’re going somewhere right now. It expresses walking in general, so it is used to describe repeated return journeys.
Examples:
Я хожу на работу каждый день. – I go to work (on foot) every day. (I go there and return home in the evening).
Она ходит на работу пешком. – I go to work on foot.
This verb also denotes the walking in general or the ability:
Он не может ходить. – He can’t walk.
Идти [idti] – go on foot, walk (definite, unidirectional)
We use this verb when we talk about going somewhere right now. And usually it’s a one-way journey.
Я иду в магазин. – I’m going to a store. (I’m on my way there or intent to go soon)
Завтра я иду (=пойду) на концерт. – Tomorrow I’m going to a concert.
See also this article: Difference between идти, ходить, приходить, уходить, заходить
Ездить [yezdit’] – go by transport (indefinite, multidirectional)
It’s the same as ходить, but we use it ONLY when we talk about going by any means of transport.
Я езжу на работу на метро. – I go to work by underground.
Ехать [yekhat’] – go by transport (definite, unidirectional)
Similar to идти, but again, we ONLY use it when talk about going by transport.
Я еду домой с работы. – I’m going home from work.
стоять [stayat’] – to stand
Examples:
Просто больше не стой здесь. – Just don’t be (stand) there any more.
Дома стоят близко друг к другу. – The houses stand near to each other.
сидеть [sidyet’] – to sit
Examples:
Ты будешь сидеть здесь и ждать меня. – And you will be staying here and waiting for me.
Я сижу здесь и жду почти час. – I’ve been sitting here waiting for almost an hour.
лежать [lezhat’] – lie
Examples:
Во втором ящике лежит блокнот. – There’s a pad in that second drawer.
Ей не нравится лежать на пляже. – She doesn’t like lying on the beach.
есть [yest’] – eat
Examples:
Я хочу есть то, что мне нужно. – I want to eat the things I ought to.
Он не ест ничего, кроме фруктов. – He eats nothing else but fruit.
пить [pit’] – drink
Examples:
Он посреди пустыни и очень хочет пить. – He’s out in the desert, and he’s thirsty.
Я пью много кофе. – I drink a lot of coffee.
спать [spat’] – sleep
Examples:
Люди спят почти 1/3 своей жизни. – Humans sleep for almost 1/3 of their lives.
Я всегда сплю на середине кровати. – I always sleep in the middle of the bed.