Subjunctive and Imperative Mood in Russian

In this article, we will cover the topic of Russian verb and its forms, such as: Subjunctive and Imperative Mood in Russian language.

Verbs of Subjunctive or in other word Conditional mood in Russian language designate the action that the person or thing wants to happen, or something possible to happen if certain circumstances took place.

Verbs of Imperative or in other words Command mood in Russian denote an inducement to an order, advice, wish or action. In other words, when somebody wants someone or something to do an action.

Now letโ€™s explain it one by one in more detailed and comprehensible way.

Subjunctive Mood in Russian language

Like we have already mentioned, Subjunctive mood designates the action which somebody wants to happen. (i.e. I would do this if I had that). Here are some facts of Subjunctive mood in Russian:

  1. Subjunctive mood is used to express the request or wish, and itโ€™s followed by the separate written Russian participle โ€œะฑั‹โ€.
  2. The current participle can be used regardless of the number or gender in the sentence.
  3. The sentence in the subjunctive mood is always formed in Past Tense, meanwhile can also be referred to the Future or Present tenses.
  4. Keep in mind that subjunctive mood can have two aspects in each of the tenses: perfective and imperfective aspects.
  5. Talking about the formation of the subjunctive mood, verbs in such mood can change in number meantime the singular form of the verb can change in gender.

Letโ€™s talk about the formation and examples of the subjunctive mood.

The simple formula of the mood is Past Tense + participle โ€œะฑั‹โ€.

ะฏ ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตะป ะฑั‹ ั‚ะตะปะตะฒะธะทะพั€ โ€“ I would watch TV (singular masculine)

ะœั‹ ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตะปะธ ะฑั‹ ั‚ะตะปะตะฒะธะทะพั€ โ€“ We would watch TV (plural)

ะžะฝ ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตะป ะฑั‹ ั‚ะตะปะตะฒะธะทะพั€ โ€“ He would watch TV (singular masculine)

ะžะฝะฐ ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตะปะฐ ะฑั‹ ั‚ะตะปะตะฒะธะทะพั€ โ€“ She would watch TV (singular feminine)

ะžะฝะพ ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตะปะพ ะฑั‹ ั‚ะตะปะตะฒะธะทะพั€ โ€“ It would watch a TV (singular neuter)

Here are ways when you can use Subjunctive mood

1. Conditional form of the sentence โ€œIf โ€ฆ. I would โ€ฆโ€:

Russian

English

ะ•ัะปะธ ะฑั‹ ั‚ะตะฑะต ะฝั€ะฐะฒะธะปัั ั„ัƒั‚ะฑะพะป, ะผั‹ ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตะปะธ ะฑั‹ ะผะฐั‚ั‡ ะฒะผะตัั‚ะต.

If you like football, we would watch the match together.

ะฏ ะฑั‹ ะฟะพัˆั‘ะป ะฝะฐ ั‚ั€ะตะฝะธั€ะพะฒะบัƒ, ะตัะปะธ ั ะฝะต ะฑั‹ะป ะฑั‹ ะฑะพะปะตะฝ.

I would go to the gym if I wouldnโ€™t be sick.

ะ•ัะปะธ ะฑั‹ ะพะฝะฐ ะฟะพะฟั€ะพัะธะปะฐ, ะฏ ะฝะต ะฑั‹ะป ะฑั‹ ะฟั€ะพั‚ะธะฒ ัั‚ะพะณะพ.

If she had asked, I would not mind.

 2. In a suggestion form โ€œI would recommend youโ€ฆโ€ 

Russian

English

ะ’ั‹ ะฑั‹ ะฝะต ะพะฑะปะพะบะฐั‡ะธะฒะฐะปะธััŒ ะฝะฐ ะดะฒะตั€ัŒ, ะพะฝะฐ ะผะพะถะตั‚ ะพั‚ะบั€ั‹ั‚ัŒัั.

You should not lean on the door, it can open.

ะขั‹ ะปัƒั‡ัˆะต ะฑั‹ ะดะตะปะฐะป ัƒั€ะพะบะธ ะฝะฐ ะทะฐะฒั‚ั€ะฐ ะฒ ัˆะบะพะปัƒ. ะ˜ะฝะฐั‡ะต ัƒั‡ะธั‚ะตะปัŒ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐะฒะธั‚ ั‚ะตะฑะต ะฟะปะพั…ัƒัŽ ะพั†ะตะฝะบัƒ.

You better do your homework for school tomorrow. Otherwise, the teacher will give you a bad grade.

ะ’ั‹ ะฑั‹ ะฟะพัะฟะฐะปะธ ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะฟะพัะปะต ะดะพั€ะพะณะธ.

You would sleep a little after the trip.

3. In some purpose meaning sentence where the subjunctive mood is used with current formula participle โ€œั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹โ€ + Past Tense. Example: โ€œI did thisโ€ฆ to see thatโ€ฆโ€.

Russian

English

ะ”ะพะบั‚ะพั€, ะพะฝะฐ ะฟั€ะธัˆะปะฐ ะบ ะฒะฐะผ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฒั‹ ะฟะพะปะตั‡ะธะปะธ ะตะน ะทัƒะฑั‹.

Doctor, she came to you (purpose>>>) to treat her teeth.

ะžะฝะธ ัะฟั€ัั‚ะฐะปะธััŒ ะฟะพะด ะบั€ะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒัŽ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฝะธะบั‚ะพ ะธั… ะฝะต ะฝะฐัˆั‘ะป.

They hid under the bed so that no one would find them.

4. In the sentences expressing a wish, request, desire, or command, we use subjunctive mood after such verbs:

ั…ะพั‚ะตั‚ัŒ

to want

ะฟั€ะพัะธั‚ัŒ             

to ask

ะฝะฐัั‚ะฐะธะฒะฐั‚ัŒ

to insist

ะถะตะปะฐั‚ัŒ

to wish

ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตั‚ัŒ

to watch, to see that

4.1 The particle โ€œะฑั‹โ€ is incorporated in โ€œั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹โ€ in subordinate clauses:

Russian

English

the wish ะฏ ั…ะพั‡ัƒ, ั‡ั‚ะพ ะฑั‹ ั‚ั‹ ะฟั€ะธะทะฝะฐะปัั ะผะฝะต ะฒะพ ะฒัั‘ะผ!

I want you to confess to me everything!

the command ะะฐั‡ะฐะปัŒะฝะธะบ ะธะทะดะฐะป ัƒะบะฐะท, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฒัะต ัะพั‚ั€ัƒะดะฝะธะบะธ ะฝะพัะธะปะธ ะพะดะธะฝะฐะบะพะฒัƒัŽ ะพะดะตะถะดัƒ.

The boss issued a decree that all employees wear the same clothes.

Sometime subjunctive mood may be used in sentences with the opposite meaning. Then โ€“ in the negated sentences (in some cases) โ€“ the verb is used in the imperfective aspect. See examples:

Russian

English

ะฏ ะฝะต ั…ะพั‡ัƒ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ั‚ั‹ ั…ะพะดะธะป ั‚ัƒะดะฐ ะฑะตะท ะผะตะฝั.

I don’t want you to go there without me.

ะžะฝะฐ ะฟะพะฟั€ะพัะธะปะฐ ะผะตะฝั, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ั ะฒั‹ะณัƒะปัะป ะตั‘ ัะพะฑะฐะบัƒ.

She asked me to walk her dog.

4.2 To express a wish in MORE polite form, you can use verbs โ€œั…ะพั‚ะตั‚ัŒโ€ and โ€œะถะตะปะฐั‚ัŒโ€ in subjunctive mood by adding the participle โ€œะฑั‹โ€ after such verbs:

Russian

English

ะฏ ั…ะพั‚ะตะป ะฑั‹ ะฟะพะณะพะฒะพั€ะธั‚ัŒ ั ั‚ะพะฑะพะน.

I would like to talk to you.

ะžะฝะฐ ะฟะพะถะตะปะฐะปะฐ ะฑั‹ ะพัั‚ะฐั‚ัŒัั โ€œะธะฝะบะพะณะฝะธั‚ะพโ€.

She would like to remain incognito.

Imperative Mood in Russian language

Now itโ€™s time to discuss Imperative mood in Russian. Imperative mood verbs denote an inducement to an order, advice, wish or action. The discrepancy for the Imperative mood is that there is no particle โ€œะฑั‹โ€ used like it was mentioned in subjunctive mood.

Here are some facts of Imperative mood in Russian:

1. Imperative mood verbs are used to express the order or command and it may decline in a number depending on person. (i.e. singular imperative โ€œะดะตะปะฐะนโ€ to plural imperative โ€œะดะตะปะฐะนั‚ะตโ€ (to do); singular imperative โ€œัะผะพั‚ั€ะธโ€ to plural imperative โ€œัะผะพั‚ั€ะธั‚ะตโ€ (to watch) and etc.)

2. By adding the ending โ€œ-ั‚ะตโ€ to the singular imperative verb form you can form the plural imperative form. See the example above in 1st paragraph.

3. The letter “ัŒ” has to be written after consonants in the end of verbs of imperative mood. As well as even before “-ัั” and “-ั‚ะต“, the letter โ€œัŒโ€ should be remained. (see some examples: ะฝะฐะทะฝะฐั‡ัŒ added โ€œั‚ะตโ€ ะฝะฐะทะฝะฐั‡ัŒั‚ะต.). Some exceptions to remember: ะปัะณ – ะปัะณั‚ะต, ะฟั€ะธะปัะณ – ะฟั€ะธะปัะณั‚ะต that donโ€™t have the letter โ€œัŒโ€ in the end.

How to form the Imperative mood

To form verbs of imperative mood you need to take the conjugated verb with 3rd person plural (conjugated with personal pronoun โ€œtheyโ€) present for the imperfective aspect, and future for the perfective aspect. And replace endings -ะฐั‚, -ัั‚, -ัƒั‚ and -ัŽั‚ with -ะน, -ะธ and -ัŒ for informal form of speech. And for the formal form, replace the same endings -ะฐั‚, -ัั‚, -ัƒั‚ and -ัŽั‚ with -ะนั‚ะต, -ะธั‚ะต or -ัŒั‚ะต. Letโ€™s see some examples for your better comprehension:

English & Russian Infinitive

Russian 3rd person plural

Russian Imperative singular

Russian Imperative plural

to do – ะดะตะปะฐั‚ัŒ

ะดะตะปะฐัŽั‚

ะดะตะปะฐะน*

ะดะตะปะฐะนั‚ะต*

to read – ั‡ะธั‚ะฐั‚ัŒ

ั‡ะธั‚ะฐัŽั‚

ั‡ะธั‚ะฐะน*

ั‡ะธั‚ะฐะนั‚ะต*

to watch – ัะผะพั‚ั€ะตั‚ัŒ

ัะผะพั‚ั€ัั‚

ัะผะพั‚ั€ะธ**

ัะผะพั‚ั€ะธั‚ะต**

to write – ะฟะธัะฐั‚ัŒ

ะฟะธัˆัƒั‚

ะฟะธัˆะธ**

ะฟะธัˆะธั‚ะต**

to live – ะถะธั‚ัŒ

ะถะธะฒัƒั‚

ะถะธะฒะธ**

ะถะธะฒะธั‚ะต**

to throw – ะฑั€ะพัะฐั‚ัŒ

ะฑั€ะพััั‚

ะฑั€ะพััŒ***

ะฑั€ะพััŒั‚ะต***

* ะน or –ะนั‚ะต are added because the present stem ends in a vowel

**ะธ or –ะธั‚ะต are added because the present stem ends in a consonant. Plus, when the first person singular is emphasized (stressed) on the ending.

*** ัŒ or –ัŒั‚ะต are added because the present stem ends in a consonant. Plus, when the first person singular is not emphasized (stressed) on the ending

 

Here is the short list of irregulars of imperative verbs that you need to memorize and practice: 

English/Russian

Russian 3rd person plural

Russian Imperative singular

ะฑะธั‚ัŒ – to beat

ะฑะตะน

ะฑะตะนั‚ะต

ั€ะฐะทะฑะธั‚ัŒ – to break, to shatter

ั€ะฐะทะฑะตะน

ั€ะฐะทะฑะตะนั‚ะต

ะฒะธั‚ัŒ – to twine

ะฒะตะน

ะฒะตะนั‚ะต

ะปะธั‚ัŒ – to pour

ะปะตะน

ะปะตะนั‚ะต

ะฟะธั‚ัŒ – to drink

ะฟะตะน

ะฟะตะนั‚ะต

ัˆะธั‚ัŒ – to sew

ัˆะตะน

ัˆะตะนั‚ะต

ัƒะทะฝะฐะฒะฐั‚ัŒ – get to know, to recognize 

ัƒะทะฝะฐะน

ัƒะทะฝะฐะนั‚ะต

ะปะตั‡ัŒ – to lie down

ะปัะณ

ะปัะณั‚ะต

ะตัั‚ัŒ/ะบัƒัˆะฐั‚ัŒ – to eat

ะตัˆัŒ/ะบัƒัˆะฐะน

ะตัˆัŒั‚ะต/ะบัƒัˆะฐะนั‚ะต

ะดะฐั‚ัŒ – to give

ะดะฐะน

ะดะฐะนั‚ะต

ะฟะตั€ะตะดะฐั‚ัŒ – pass, transmit

ะฟะตั€ะตะดะฐะน

ะฟะตั€ะตะดะฐะนั‚ะต

ะฟะพะตั…ะฐั‚ัŒ – to go, to ride                

(by transport)

ะฟะพะตะทะถะฐะน

ะŸะพะตะทะถะฐะนั‚ะต

Keep in mind that there are other verbs irregulars. To know them all requires you to practice Russian regularly then knowing those imperative mood verbs comes naturally.  

Here are ways when you can use Imperative mood

1. Imperative mood verbs can be used in the suggestion of doing something right away.

NOTE! You should pay attention if you want to use perfective or imperfective aspects in imperative mood. The basic principle is that you use imperfective in continuous, repeated or habitual actions. But you should use perfective verbs in the result of the single actions.

Russian

English

ะŸั€ะธะฒะตะดะธั‚ะต ะผะฝะต ะตะณะพ ัะตะนั‡ะฐั!

Bring him to me now

(perfective, single action, formal)

ะŸั€ะธะฒะพะดะธั‚ะต ะผะฝะต ะฒะฐัˆะตะณะพ ั€ะตะฑั‘ะฝะบะฐ ะฟะพั‡ะฐั‰ะต!

Bring me your child more often!

(imperfective, multiple action, formal)

ะ—ะฐะฑัƒะดัŒ ััŽะดะฐ ะดะพั€ะพะณัƒ!

Forget the way here!

(perfective, single action, informal)

ะŸะพะดะฐะน ะผะฝะต ั‡ะฐัˆะบัƒ!

Hand me a cup!

(perfective, single action, informal)

Note: It may sound more peremptory, if not impolite in case if you use singular form.

2. The Perfective Imperative may be used to express an immediate or even distant future.

Russian

English

ะะฐะฟะธัˆะธ ะผะฝะต ัะฒะพะน ะฐะดั€ะตั!

Write your address to me!

(perfective, single action, informal)

ะกะฟะพะนั‚ะต ะผะฝะต ะฒะฐัˆัƒ ะฝะพะฒัƒัŽ ะฟะตัะฝัŽ.

Sing me your new song.

(perfective, single action, formal)

ะ”ะฐะนั‚ะต ะฝะฐะผ ะทะฝะฐั‚ัŒ, ะบะพะณะดะฐ ะดะพะฑะตั€ั‘ั‚ะตััŒ ะดะพะผะพะน!

Let us know when you get home!

Hopefully, the article was comprehensible for you. Keep practicing so youโ€™ll achieve fluency and grammar literacy of the Russian language.

If you feel like you have questions to be asked or you want to practice Subjunctive or Imperative mood, please, click the button below to schedule an appointment with a professional tutor. Our professional Russian native speakers will help you to study everything about the Russian language.


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