Ch 1 · Lesson 10Russian · Chapter 1 · Lesson 10 · Grammar primer
Хочу, могу, иду: three verbs that bend
, and change the stem as they go: but , but . switches its endings in the plural too.
The short version
, . (Ya khochu, no ne mogu.)
Why?Hide
Three of the commonest verbs change the stem as they go. has ч in the singular and т in the plural, where its endings switch too (, ); swaps г for in the middle four forms (, , ); builds on ид- (, ). Learn these three by heart.
The irregulars you need first
Three very common verbs bend the stem while keeping the endings more or less in place: хотеть (to want), мочь (to be able) and идти (to go, on foot).
| Person | хотеть | мочь | идти |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
is the famous one: first-conjugation endings in the singular, second-conjugation endings in the plural, and the т becomes ч in the singular.
.- I want tea..- We want to go home.
swaps г for in the middle four forms and keeps г at both ends:
.- I can't.?- Can you?.- They can.
is regular in its endings once you know the stem ид-; it is irregular in the past (below). . - We are going home.
Going further: Two patterns and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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Lesson 10 of 43 in this chapter