Verbal Nouns in -не

1. Forming them. The noun follows the verb's conjugation:

• Verbs in -ам/-ям (third conjugation): replace -м with -не. чакам → чакане, плувам → плуване, казвам → казване.
• Е- and И-verbs usually end in -ене: чета → четене, уча → учене, говоря → говорене, ходя → ходене.
• Some verbs use a different stem, so learn them as words: пиша → писане, спя → спане, пия → пиене, пея → пеене.

Reflexive се is dropped: къпя се → къпане (bathing).

2. Only from imperfective verbs. A perfective verb such as прочета has no -не noun. Use its imperfective partner: прочитам → прочитане (reading through).

3. Using them. They are neuter nouns:

• Article: Плуването е полезно. (Swimming is healthy.)
• Objects take на: четене на книги (reading books).
• After prepositions: урок по пеене (a singing lesson), преди ядене (before meals).

4. -не and -ние. Nouns in -не name the ongoing activity. Many verbs also have a noun in -ние, which usually names a result or an event, such as решение (decision). Some -не nouns have a special everyday meaning too: ядене also means a meal, a dish.