Russian, from zero to B1A1

Week 15, Lesson 29, Monday

Talk about studying and exams: two kinds of verb

Most Russian verbs come in pairs: one for doing something, one for getting it done. Exams are the perfect place to meet them: you take an exam for hours, and pass it once.

In this lessonabout 70 minutes
New words14
Focusuniversity words, doing it and getting it done, чита́л, прочита́л

1Recap 5 minutes

Three questions from Week 14, before anything new.

2Goal 1 minute

I can talk about studying and exams, and choose between doing something and getting it done.

3The lesson 20 minutes

In this lesson

  1. University words
  2. Two verbs for one idea
  3. In the past: was doing, or did it

University words

Two students after an exam. Notice that Russian uses two different verbs for taking and passing it.

Ты сдава́л экза́мен?Did you take the exam?АДа, три часа́.И сдал!Yes, three hours. And passed!МПоздравля́ю!Congratulations!А
Notice: сдава́л for the three hours, сдал for the result.
RussianMeaning
университе́т, факульте́тuniversity, faculty
преподава́тельlecturer, teacher
ле́кцияlecture
экза́менexam
предме́тsubject
эконо́мика, матема́тика, исто́рияeconomics, mathematics, history
зада́чаproblem, task
слова́words

Two verbs for one idea

Each pair in one picture: a wavy line for the process, a straight line with a tick for the result.

Doing itGetting it done
чита́тьпрочита́ть
писа́тьнаписа́ть
де́латьсде́лать
учи́тьвы́учить
реша́тьреши́ть
сдава́ть экза́менсдать экза́мен

The first verb is for a process, a habit or a repetition; the second is for a result, once. Most second verbs are the first with a prefix, and in вы́учить the prefix takes the stress.

doing itgetting it doneчита́тьпрочита́тьписа́тьнаписа́тьсдава́тьсдать
Left: doing it. Right: getting it done.

In the past: was doing, or did it

RussianMeaning
Вчера́ я чита́л кни́гу.Yesterday I was reading a book.
Вчера́ я прочита́л кни́гу.Yesterday I finished the book.
Я до́лго учи́л слова́ и наконе́ц вы́учил их.I studied the words for a long time and at last learned them.
Она́ сдава́ла экза́мен и сдала́ его́.She took the exam and passed it.

их means them and его́ means it here. Note the stress in сдал, сдала́, сда́ли.

у́тромmorningучи́л слова́днёмafternoonсдава́л экза́менве́черомeveningсдал!но́чьюnightотдыха́л
Three process verbs and one result: сдал.
Week 15 on one plate. Lesson 29, Monday: читать, прочитать; писать, написать; Я сдал экзамен, I passed the exam; Вчера я долго решал задачу, yesterday I worked on the problem for a long time. Lesson 30, Thursday: Когда я читал, я слушал музыку, while I was reading I listened to music; Когда я прочитал книгу, я написал письмо, when I had finished the book I wrote a letter; Я прочитаю книгу завтра, I'll finish the book tomorrow; Я должен выучить слова, I must learn the words.
Week 15 on one plate. This lesson is band L29.

4Listen and say 5 minutes

Sound of the lesson: вы́- takes the stress

The prefix вы́- always carries the stress in result verbs: вы́учить, вы́учу.

Listen to the textbook

The book's own recordings for this topic, free on the publisher's site. Listen once for the gist, then again with the book open.

5Phrases and words 5 minutes

Phrases to learn whole

Learn each one as a single unit, the way you would learn a word. They come back in your Daily 10.

Words to read aloud

Read each one aloud, then open it to check.

факульте́т
преподава́тель
ле́кция
экза́мен
предме́т
зада́ча
сдава́ть / сдать экза́мен

to take / to pass an exam

Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
чита́ть / прочита́ть

to read / to finish reading

Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
писа́ть / написа́ть

to write / to get written

Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
де́лать / сде́лать
учи́ть / вы́учить

to learn / to have learned

Hear it on Forvo (opens in a new tab)
реша́ть / реши́ть
до́лго
наконе́ц

6Class exercises 15 minutes

Checked instantly. Get one wrong and you can try it again.

In class. With Екатерина: tell her about your studies, and about one exam, from the long hours to the result.

Role-play

Take one card each. Swap roles for a second round.

You

  • Say what you studied, and which subjects you liked.
  • Tell the story of one exam: the preparation and the result.

Екатерина

  • Ask: Вы хорошо́ сдава́ли экза́мены?
  • Ask what you read, wrote or learned yesterday, and whether you finished.

7Your turn 5 minutes

Write what you did yesterday with one process verb and one result verb.

See a model answer

Вчера́ я до́лго чита́л. Ве́чером я прочита́л кни́гу.

Saved as you type. It goes to Екатерина together with Homework 29.

8Mini questionnaire required, 80% to pass

9Feedback 5 minutes

10Check your goal 1 minute

I can talk about studying and exams, and choose between doing something and getting it done.

Can you do this now? Be honest: the answer decides your next step.

11Homework

Homework 29 on Tuesday: the verb pairs, and your studies in writing.

I can talk about studying and exams, and choose between doing something and getting it done.

Can you do this now?