мы + -ем/-им
Present First-person Plural Verb
In Russian, when 'we' (мы) are doing an action, the verb ends in -ем (or -ём) for Type I verbs, or -им for Type II verbs.
How It Works
To conjugate a verb for мы (we), you must first determine its conjugation group. Crucial Rule: If you already know a verb has stressed endings, the vowel you hear dictates the conjugation (e.g., спать → спим, лежать → лежим). You only use the infinitive rules (-ить vs -ать) to guess the conjugation if the endings are unstressed. Important: If a perfective verb has the вы- prefix, this prefix always takes the stress. Strip the prefix to see if the base verb has stressed endings (e.g., выспаться → спать → спим → выспимся). In imperfective verbs, the stress remains where it normally would be (e.g., высыпаться).
- First Conjugation (Type I): These verbs usually end in -ать, -ять, -еть, -оть, -уть, -ыть, -ти, or -чь. They take the ending -ем (if the ending is stressed, it is always -ём).
Example: читать (to read) → чита- + ем = читаем.
Note: For Type I verbs that change their stem (like писать: пис- → пиш-), this mutation applies to all conjugated forms, including мы (пишем). Additionally, verbs ending in -овать/-евать change to -у-/-ю- (e.g., рисовать → рисуем), and verbs with the roots -давать, -знавать, and -ставать drop the -ва- suffix (e.g., давать → даём). - Second Conjugation (Type II): These verbs usually end in -ить. They take the ending -им.
Example: говорить (to speak) → говор- + им = говорим.
Note: While Type II verbs often have consonant mutations in the 'я' form (e.g., любить → я люблю), the мы form is stable and keeps the original consonant (мы любим).
Reflexive Verbs: For the мы form of reflexive verbs, you always add -ся (not -сь) after the -ем/-им ending (e.g., мы моемся, мы учимся).
Important Exceptions:
1. The 11 Exceptions: Some verbs ending in -еть (смотреть, видеть, ненавидеть, терпеть, обидеть, вертеть, зависеть) and -ать (слышать, дышать, гнать, держать) belong to Type II and use -им.
2. Type I Exceptions: The verbs брить and стелить end in -ить but belong to Type I and use -ем.
3. Mixed Verbs: The verbs хотеть (to want) and бежать (to run) are special; they use Type II endings for the мы form (хотим, бежим).
4. Irregular Verbs: The verbs есть (to eat) and дать (to give) are irregular but use the -им ending for the first-person plural: едим and дадим.
Usage Notes:
1. Tense: For imperfective verbs, this is the present tense. For perfective verbs, this creates the perfective future.
2. Suggestions: The bare мы form of perfective verbs is the standard way to say 'Let's do [X]' (e.g., Пойдём! - Let's go!, Сделаем это! - Let's do this!). You can add the suffix -те for a more formal or group address (Пойдёмте!). You can also use давай(те) followed by the мы form of a perfective verb (e.g., Давай посмотрим! - Let's look!).
Examples (4)
- Мы работаем в офисе.
We work in the office.
Word by Word: We work in office.
The verb 'работать' is Type I, so it takes the -ем ending.
- Мы часто говорим по-русски.
We often speak Russian.
Word by Word: We often speak in-Russian.
The verb 'говорить' is Type II, so it takes the -им ending.
- Мы идём домой.
We are going home.
Word by Word: We go home.
The verb 'идти' has a stressed ending, so -ем becomes -ём.
- Мы прочитаем эту книгу завтра.
We will read (finish reading) this book tomorrow.
Word by Word: We will-read this book tomorrow.
Using the perfective verb 'прочитать' with the -ем ending creates the future tense.
Common Mistakes
Using the Type I ending -ем with a Type II verb.
Мы смотреем телевизор.Мы смотрим телевизор.Смотреть is a Type II verb, so its мы form ends in -им: мы смотрим. Drop -еть and add -им; do not add -ем to the stem.
Forgetting the -овать/-евать stem change in Type I verbs.
Мы рисоваем картину.Мы рисуем картину.Verbs ending in -овать or -евать drop these suffixes and replace them with -у- or -ю- before adding the conjugation endings. For example, рисовать (to draw) becomes рисуем.
Applying the first-person singular consonant mutation to the 'мы' form.
Мы люблим музыку.Мы любим музыку.In Type II verbs, consonant mutations (like adding an 'л' in любить -> я люблю) only happen in the first-person singular ('я') form. For 'мы', use the regular stem without the mutation.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand the first-person plural conjugation, a learner needs to be familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet, the concept of the nominative subject (specifically the pronoun 'мы'), and how verbs are formed from their dictionary (infinitive) stems.
- Nominative subject
Understanding the nominative case is necessary to identify 'мы' as the subject of the sentence.
Level 1 - -тьInfinitive Ending Ть
Knowledge of the infinitive form is required to understand how verb stems are modified to add the first-person plural endings.
Level 1 - Cyrillic writing
Basic literacy in the Cyrillic alphabet is required to recognize and produce the specific endings -ем and -им.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- я + -ю/-уPresent First-person Singular Verb
This is the first-person singular ('I') form, which belongs to the same conjugation system.
Level 1 - ты + -ешь/-ишьPresent Second-person Singular Verb
This is the second-person singular ('you') form, following the same Type I/Type II distinction.
Level 1 - вы + -ете/-итеPresent Second-person Plural or Polite Verb
Learners often confuse the 'we' endings (-ем/-им) with these 'you plural' endings.
Level 1 - они + -ют/-ут/-ят/-атPresent Third-person Plural Verb
This is the third-person plural ('they') form, completing the plural set.
Level 1 - ёThe Letter Ё
Understanding the letter ё is crucial for correctly spelling stressed Type I endings like -ём.
Level 1 - давай(те) + Infinitive / First-Person Plural VerbProposal with Давай and Давайте
The first-person plural form is often used with 'давайте' to make suggestions (Let's...).
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice мы + -ем/-им in Bubblegum
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