Irregular Verb Forms
and
Special Formation Commentary

Daum and Schenk provide the source for verb forms.

Stressed vowels are indicated with an underscore. Irregular forms are indicated in red. Alternatie forms are indicated in blue.

"Irregular Forms" are those formations which cannot be generated with the normal application of the ordered rules.

infinitive aspect [stem] (gloss)
бежать несов. [бегЯ-] (to run)
  • non-past tense:
  • ...
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (rare):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • бегу, бегут
  • бежишь, бежит, бежим, бежите
  • беги, бегите
  • буду бежать
  • бежал
  • бежа
  • бежав
  • бегущий
  • бежавший
  • - -
  • - -

In comparison to the verb лежать ( stem = легЯ-: historically e-stem verbs with a preceding VELAR CONSONANT) this verb has irregular formations for 1st pers sing. non-past,3rd pers. pl. non-past, imperative formations, and the pres. act. part similar to the verb мочь (stem = мог-).

return to TOP of page
бить несов. [бьй-] (to beat)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • бью, бьëшь, . . . бьют
  • бей, бейте
  • буду бить
  • бил
  • бия
  • бивши
  • бьющий
  • бивший
  • (побиваемый)
  • битый

Irregular stems occur for Imperative forms and the Present Adverbial Participle.

return to TOP of page
внимать несов. [внимай- REGULAR / вЬнЕмАй- ARCHAIC ] (poetic: to listen to, to harken to)
  • non-past tense:
  • non-past tense (archaic):
  • imperative:
  • imperative (archaic):

  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • внимаю, внимаешь, . . . внимают
  • внемлю, внемлешь, . . . внемлют
  • внимай, внимайте
  • внемли, внемлите [stem or ending stress]
  • буду внимать
  • внимал
  • внимая
  • внемля
  • внимав
  • - -
  • внимавший
  • - -
  • вниманный

It is interesting to note that application of rules to either stem will generate the same formations for forms referenceing past action.

See Additional Comments for Rule 3.

return to TOP of page
выбить сов. [выбьй-] (to beat)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • выбью, выбьешь, . . . выбьют
  • выбей, выбейте
  • - -
  • выбил
  • - -
  • выбивши
  • - -
  • выбивший
  • - -
  • выбитый

Irregular stems occur for Imperative forms, just as with the imperfective бить; however, note that the stress for all forms falls on the perfectivizing prefix вы-. вы- with some regularity assumes the stress when attached to a non-productive imperfective stem. When the stem extension -вай-, denoting a general/iterative imperfective state, is attached to perfective verb stem with the prefix вы-, the stem extension syllable assumes the stress for all forms which follow the conjugation model of знать. (e.g., выбивать)

return to TOP of page
выпить сов. [выпьй-] (to drink)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • выпью, выпьешь, . . . выбьют
  • выпей, выпейте
  • - -
  • выпил
  • - -
  • выпивши
  • - -
  • выпивший
  • - -
  • выпитый
гнать несов. [гОнА-] (to drive)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • гоню, гонишь, . . . гонят
  • гони, гоните
  • буду гнать
  • гнал, гнала, гнало
  • гоня
  • гнав
  • гонящий
  • гнавший
  • гонимый
  • - -

The normal correlation of non-past endings and the past extension vowel does not occur with this verb. When we compare the following forms (RUSSIAN: гнуть, гну, гнешь . . .--to bend, drive; гонять, гоняю, гоняешь . . .--to drive; OLD RUSSIAN: гънати, жену, женешь . . .; гонити, гоню, гонишь . . .) one could infer that the non-past forms are derived from the the Old Russian гонити. However, the verb спать reflects this same disparity between the non-past forms and the past extension vowel (сплю, спишь . . .). Thus, the stem гОнА- will be said to select irregular non-past endings.

return to TOP of page
давать несов. [давай- IRREGULAR ] ] (to give)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • даю, даëшь, ... дают
  • давай, давайте
  • буду давать
  • давал
  • давав
  • давая
  • дающий
  • дававший
  • даваемый
  • - -

давай- is considered to be the primary stem for this verb with the past forms, the imperative forms and several non-past participial forms able to be derived from it. Non-past forms are postulated to be derived from the secondary, irregular stem дай-.

return to TOP of page
дать сов. [дай- IRREGULAR ] (to give)
  • non-past tense:
  • . . .
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • past tense (negative):
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • дам, дашь . . .
  • . . . даст, дадим, дадите, дадут
  • дай, дайте
  • - -
  • дал, дала, дало, дали
    не дал, не дала, не дало
  • - -
  • давши
  • - -
  • давший
  • - -
  • данный; дан, дана

The underlying stem for this verb is postulated to be дай-. Alternatively, the stem might also be postulated as дад-, with the past formation processes similar to вести and participle formations similar to красть.

return to TOP of page
делать несов. [делай-] (to do)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • делаю, делаешь, ... делают
  • делай, делайте
  • буду делать
  • делал
  • делая
  • делав
  • делающий
  • делавший
  • делаемый
  • деланный

The verb делать was included, not as irregular or as an exception, but as an example of a most common and regular productive verb formation.

return to TOP of page
есть несов. [ед- IRREGULAR ] (to eat)
  • non-past tense:
  • . . .
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (rare):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • ем, ешь, . . ., едим, едите, едят
  • . . ., ест, . . .
  • еди, едите
  • буду есть
  • ел, ела
  • едя
  • евши
  • едящий
  • евший
  • - -
  • - -
ехать несов. [ехай- (ед-) IRREGULAR ] (to go [by conveyance])
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • еду, едешь, ... едут
  • (поезжай, поезжайте)
  • буду ехать
  • ехал
  • едучи
  • ехав
  • едущий
  • ехавший
  • - -
  • - -

This verb has a different stem for past and non-past forms.

return to TOP of page
жаждать несов. [жаждай- Daum & Schenk / жаждА- Зализняк ] (to thirst)
  • non-past tense (D&S):
  • non-past tense (Зал):
  • imperative (D&S):
  • imperative (Зал):
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (D&S):
  • non-past adverbial participle (Зал):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle (D&S):
  • non-past active participle (Зал):
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • жаждаю, жаждаешь, . . . жаждают
  • жажду, жаждешь, . . . жаждут
  • жаждай, жаждайте (?)
  • жажди, жаждите
  • буду жаждать
  • жаждал
  • жаждая
  • - -
  • жаждав(ши)
  • жаждающий
  • жаждущий
  • жаждавший
  • - -
  • - -

While Daum & Schenk cite as alternative forms the non-past forms which are listed by Zaliznjak, Zaliznjak does not cite any alternative forms. Within the context of the project rules, the occurance of unstressed и in the imperative formations would be irregular.

return to TOP of page
идти несов. [ид- (ш[е]-) IRREGULAR ] (to go [by foot])
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • иду, идëшь, ... идут
  • иди, идите
  • - -
  • шëл, шла
  • идучи
  • шедши
  • идущий
  • шедший
  • - -
  • - -

This verb has a different stem formation for past and non-past forms.

return to TOP of page
красть несов. [крад- ] (to steal)
  • non-past tense:
  • non-past tense [archaic]:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • краду, крадёшь, ... крадут
  • краду, крадешь, ... крадут
  • кради, крадите
  • буду красть
  • крал
  • крадя
  • кравши
  • крадущий
  • кравший
  • - -
  • крадённий

The stress pattern resembles that of вести with these noted differences: a) infinitive is stem-stressed, b) past forms are all stem-stressed, c) past active participles select the ending -вши{й) with the loss of the final stem consonant -д-.

return to TOP of page
махать несов. [махАй- REGULAR / махай- colloquial ] (to wag, wave)
  • non-past tense:
  • non-past tense (colloquial):
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • машу, машешь, . . . машут
  • махаю, махаешь, . . . махают
  • маши, машите
  • буду махать
  • махал
  • махая
  • махав
  • машущий
  • махавший
  • - -
  • - -
обнять сов. [обЬнЬм- REGULAR / обоЬнЬм- PROVINCIAL ] (to understand)
  • non-past tense:
  • non-past tense (provincial):
  • imperative (provincial):
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • обниму, обнимешь, . . . обнимут
  • обойму, обоймëшь, . . . обоймут
  • обними, обнимите
  • обойми, обоймите
  • - -
  • обнял, обняла, обняло
  • - -
  • обняв)
  • - -
  • обнявший)
  • - -
  • обнятый; обнят, обнята, обнято

The alternate stem is only valid for non-past and imperative forms.

See Additional Comments for Rule 3.

return to TOP of page
отнять сов. [отЬнЬм- REGULAR / отъЬнЬм- obsolete ] (to understand)
  • non-past tense:
  • non-past tense (obsolete):
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • отниму, отнимешь, . . . отнимут
  • отыму, отымёшь, . . . отымут
  • отними, отнимите
  • - -
  • отнял, отняла, отняло
  • - -
  • отняв
  • - -
  • отнявший
  • - -
  • отнятый; отнят, отнято, отнято

The alternate stem is only valid for non-past forms.

See Additional Comments for Rule 3.

return to TOP of page
пить несов. [пьй-] (to drink)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • negative past:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • пью, пьëшь, . . . пьют
  • пей, пейте
  • буду пить
  • пил, пила, пило
  • не пил, не пила, не пило
  • (выпивая)
  • пивши
  • пьющий
  • пивший
  • (выпиваемый)
  • питый; пит, пита, пито

Irregular stems occur for Imperative forms and the Present Adverbial Participle.

return to TOP of page
понять сов. [поЬнЬм-] (to understand)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • пойму, поймëшь, . . . поймут
  • пойми, поймите
  • - -
  • понял, поняла, поняло
  • - -
  • поняв
  • - -
  • понявший
  • - -
  • понятый; понят, понята, понято

It is interesting to note that application of rules to either stem will generate the same formations for forms referenceing past action.

See comment for Rule 3.

return to TOP of page
попить сов. [попьй-] (to have a drink)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • попью, попьëшь, . . . попьют
  • попей, попейте
  • - -
  • попил, попила, попило
  • - -
  • попивши
  • - -
  • попивший
  • - -
  • попито

Irregular stems occur for Imperative forms and the Present Adverbial Participle.

return to TOP of page
принять сов. [приЬнЬм-] (to take [on])
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • приму, примешь, . . . примут
  • прими, примите
  • - -
  • принял, приняла, приняло
  • - -
  • приняв
  • - -
  • принявший
  • - -
  • принятый; принят, принята, прuинято

It is interesting to note that application of rules to either stem will generate the same formations for forms referencing past action.

See comment for Rule 3.

return to TOP of page
прясть несов. [пряд-] (to spin)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • пряду, прядёшь, ... прядут
  • пряди, прядите
  • буду прясть
  • прял, пряла, пряло
  • прядя
  • прядши
  • прядущий
  • прядший
  • прядомый
  • - -

The stress pattern resembles that of вести with this noted difference: infinitive is stem stressed.

return to TOP of page
свистать несов. [свистАй-] (to whistle)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle (archaic):
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • свищу, свищешь, . . . свищут
  • свисти, свистите
  • буду свистать
  • свистал, свистала, свистало
  • свища
  • свистав
  • свищущий
  • свиставший
  • - -
  • - -

Irregular stem formation occurs for Imperative forms. These forms are identical to the imperative forms of the E-stem verb свистеть, also meaning "to whistle". Note that the 1st person singular non-past form is also identical for both verb stems: свищу.

return to TOP of page
сесть сов. [сед- (сяд-) IRREGULAR ] (to sit down)
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • сяду, сядёшь, ... сядут
  • сядь, сядьте
  • - -
  • ел
  • - -
  • севши
  • - -
  • евший
  • - -
  • - -

This verb has different stem vowels for past and non-past forms. The stress pattern resembles that of вести with these noted differences: a) infinitive is stem stressed, b) imperative forms are stem stressed, c) past active participles select the ending -вши{й) with the loss of the final stem consonant -д-.

return to TOP of page
слать несов. [слАй-] ()
  • non-past tense:
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • past tense (provincial [D&S]):
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • шлю, шлëшь, . . . шлют
  • шли, шлите
  • буду слать
  • слал, слала, слало
  • слала
  • (посылая)
  • - -
  • (посылающий)
  • славший
  • (посылаемый)
  • - -

с undergoes palatalization even though not contiguous to й in non-past forms.

See comment for Rule 4.

return to TOP of page
хотеть несов. [хотЕ-] (to want)
  • non-past tense:
  • ...
  • imperative:
  • periphrastic future:
  • past tense:
  • non-past adverbial participle:
  • past adverbial participle:
  • non-past active participle:
  • past active participle:
  • non-past passive participle:
  • past passive participle:
  • хочу, . . ., хотим,хотите, хотят
  • . . .,хочешь, хочет, . . .
  • хоти, хотите
  • буду хотеть
  • хотел, хотела, хотело
  • - -
  • хотев
  • хотящий
  • хотевший
  • - -
  • - -

Application of the rules would generate correct forms for 2nd pers. and 3rd pers. sing. non-past with a stem postulated as хотЕй- and appropriate endings. Note that the 1st pers. non-past can be generated using either stem type.

return to TOP of page