Adverbial Participles — Russian Grammar

An adverbial participle is a verb form that does not change at all, used for a second action done by the same person as the main verb. English uses -ing or having ... for the same purpose: I broke my arm playing football.

The Imperfective Form: While Doing

From an imperfective verb, take the (oní) form of the present, remove its ending and add -я (or -а after ж, ш, ч, щ). The action happens at the same time as the main one.

(igrát'igrátʹ) - (igráyutigrájut) - (igráyaigrája), playing
(chitát'čitátʹ) - (chitáyačitája), reading
(slúshat'slúšatʹ) - (slúshayaslúšaja), listening

Я слома́л ру́ку, игра́я в футбо́л.
Ya slomál rúku, igráya v futból.Ja slomál rúku, igrája v futból.
I broke my arm playing football.

The Perfective Form: Having Done

From a perfective verb, replace -ть of the infinitive with -в. The action is finished before the main one starts.

(sdélat'sdélatʹ) - (sdélav), having done
(kupít'kupítʹ) - (kupív), having bought
(prochitát'pročitátʹ) - (prochitávpročitáv), having read

Сде́лав рабо́ту, я пошла́ домо́й.
Sdélav rabótu, ya poshlá domóy.Sdélav rabótu, ja pošlá domój.
Having done the work, I went home.

Reflexive Verbs

A reflexive verb keeps its reflexive ending, always as -сь: (uchás'učásʹ), (vernúvshis'vernúvšisʹ).

Where They Are Used

Adverbial participles replace a clause with (kogdá), (potomú chtopotomú čto) or (pósle togó kak). They are frequent in writing and in careful speech; in casual conversation people often use the full clause instead.

Чита́я кни́гу, я слу́шаю му́зыку.
Chitáya knígu, ya slúshayu múzyku.Čitája knígu, ja slúšaju múzyku.
While reading a book, I listen to music.
Когда́ я чита́ю кни́гу, я слу́шаю му́зыку.
Kogdá ya chitáyu knígu, ya slúshayu múzyku.Kogdá ja čitáju knígu, ja slúšaju múzyku.
When I read a book, I listen to music.

The subject of the participle must be the same as the subject of the main verb.

Comments

Loading comments…