Stress patterns in non-past forms

Russian grammar --> Stress patterns in non-past forms

In Russian, stress may change its place in different forms of a verb. In non-past forms there are 3 regular stress patterns:

  • Stress always falls on the stem
  • Stress always falls on the ending
  • Shifting stress

Stress on the stem

In non-past forms, the same syllable of the stem is stressed in all forms of the verb (see below the conjugation of the verb делать to make, to do).

highlight stressed vowels

Non-past forms of the verb делать to do, to make
Person Singular Plural
1st person я делаю мы делаем
2nd person ты делаешь вы делаете
3d person он делает они делают

Stress on the ending

In all non-past forms of such verbs, the stress always falls on the first syllable of the ending. Notice that first-conjugation verbs will have endings (except in the first-person singular and third-person plural) begin with the letter ё (see below the conjugation of verbs ждать to wait and говорить to speak)

highlight stressed vowels

Non-past forms of the verb жить to live
Person Singular Plural
1st person я живу мы живём
2nd person ты живёшь вы живёте
3d person он живёт они живут


Non-past forms of the verb говорить to speak
Person Singular Plural
1st person я говорю мы говорим
2nd person ты говоришь вы говорите
3d person он говорит они говорят

Shifting stress

In non-past forms of these verbs, the stress falls on the ending of the first-person singular form, and on the stem in other forms (see below the conjugation of verbs писать to write and смотреть to watch).

highlight stressed vowels

Non-past forms of the verb писать to write
Person Singular Plural
1st person я пишу мы пишем
2nd person ты пишешь вы пишете
3d person он пишет они пишут


Non-past forms of the verb смотреть to look
Person Singular Plural
1st person я смотрю мы смотрим
2nd person ты смотришь вы смотрите
3d person он смотрит они смотрят