Reflexive Verbs in '-ся' — Russian Grammar

Many Russian verbs end in -ся, a shortened form of the reflexive pronoun (sebyásebjá) that has become part of the verb. After a vowel it is written -сь. The ending is added after everything else, including the person ending: (uchús'učúsʹ), (úchitsyaúčitsja), (uchílis'učílisʹ).

The Forms

(ya uchús'ja učúsʹ)
(ty úchish'syaty účišʹsja)
(on úchitsyaon účitsja)
(my úchimsyamy účimsja)
(vy úchites'vy účitesʹ)
(oní úchatsyaoní účatsja)

Note that (úchitsyaúčitsja) (he studies) and (uchít'syaučítʹsja) (to study) sound the same; only the spelling shows which is which.

На́ша дочь у́чится в ко́лледже.
Násha doch' úchitsya v kólledzhe.Náša dočʹ účitsja v kólledže.
Our daughter studies at college.
Я не могу́ учи́ться, когда́ я сплю.
Ya ne mogú uchít'sya, kogdá ya splyu.Ja ne mogú učítʹsja, kogdá ja splju.
I can't study when I'm asleep.

Doing Something to Oneself

In its original meaning -ся turns the action back on the subject. (Odevát'Odevátʹ) is to dress someone; (odevát'syaodevátʹsja) is to get dressed.

Де́ти садя́тся в авто́бус.
Déti sadyátsya v avtóbus.Déti sadjátsja v avtóbus.
The children are getting on the bus.
Пожа́луйста, сади́тесь.
Pozháluysta, sadítes'.Požálujsta, sadítesʹ.
Please sit down.

Doing Something to Each Other

With a plural subject, -ся often means the action is mutual.

Ско́ро уви́димся.
Skóro uvídimsya.Skóro uvídimsja.
See you soon.
Ра́да познако́миться.
Ráda poznakómit'sya.Ráda poznakómitʹsja.
Nice to meet you.

The Action Happens By Itself

Many verbs use -ся when the subject is not doing anything to anyone: (nachinát'načinátʹ) is to begin something, (nachinát'syanačinátʹsja) is for something to begin.

Уро́к начнётся че́рез два часа́.
Urók nachnyótsya chérez dva chasá.Urók načnjótsja čérez dva časá.
The lesson will start in two hours.
Что случи́лось?
Chto sluchílos'?Čto slučílosʹ?
What happened?
Рестора́н нахо́дится над вокза́лом.
Restorán nakhóditsya nad vokzálom.Restorán naxóditsja nad vokzálom.
The restaurant is above the station.

Verbs That Only Exist With -ся

Some verbs have no form without -ся, and the ending carries no reflexive meaning at all. They simply have to be learned this way.

(nadéyat'syanadéjatʹsja) - to hope
(nrávit'syanrávitʹsja) - to please, to be liked
(smeyát'syasmejátʹsja) - to laugh

Мы наде́емся, что у вас бу́дет хоро́ший полёт.
My nadéyemsya, chto u vas búdet khoróshiy polyót.My nadéjemsja, čto u vas búdet xoróšij poljót.
We hope you have a good flight.
Мне нра́вятся твои́ во́лосы.
Mne nrávyatsya tvoí vólosy.Mne nrávjatsja tvoí vólosy.
I like your hair.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

60 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 4. A few of them, with the words “Reflexive Verbs in '-ся'” is about in bold:

Ты вернёшься завтра?
Ty vernyósh'sya závtra?Ty vernjóšʹsja závtra?
Will you be back tomorrow?
Lesson 258
Я хочу купить этот цветок. Он будет отлично смотреться в моей комнате.
Ya khochú kupít' étot tsvetók. On búdet otlíchno smotrét'sya v moyéy kómnate.Ja xočú kupítʹ étot cvetók. On búdet otlíčno smotrétʹsja v mojéj kómnate.
I want to buy this plant. It will look great in my room.
Lesson 384
В июле река становится очень тёплой.
V iyúle reká stanóvitsya óchen' tyóploy.V ijúle reká stanóvitsja óčenʹ tjóploj.
In July, the river becomes very warm.
Lesson 409

Comments

Loading comments…