Present tense of regular -ати verbs

Level 1Sounds Like teperíšníj čas díêslív na -ati

Ukrainian verbs ending in -ати (like читати - to read) often belong to the First Conjugation. For the most common regular group, you drop the -ти and add endings like -ю or -єш. However, some -ати verbs change their stem or use different endings.

How It Works

In Ukrainian, the present tense describes current actions, habits, or general truths. Verbs ending in -ати are very common, but they follow different conjugation patterns.

1. The 'читати' Pattern (First Conjugation):
If the -а- is kept in the present tense stem, use these endings:

  • я: -ю (читаю)
  • ти: -єш (читаєш)
  • він/вона/воно: -є (читає)
  • ми: -ємо (читаємо)
  • ви: -єте (читаєте)
  • вони: -ють (читають)

2. The 'писати' Pattern (Consonant Changes & Stress Shift):
Many -ати verbs drop the -а- in the present tense. This often causes the final consonant to change. Common mutations include: с → ш (писати → пишу), к → ч (плакати → плачу), т → ч (шепотати → шепочу), з → ж (в'язати → в'яжу), and labial consonants adding -л- (п → пл, б → бл, в → вл, м → мл, ф → фл, e.g., сипати → сиплю). These use 'hard' endings:

  • я: -у (or -ю for labials like сиплю)
  • ти: -еш
  • він/вона/воно: -е
  • ми: -емо
  • ви: -ете
  • вони: -уть (or -ють for labials like сиплють)

Note that for First Conjugation verbs with labial mutations (like сипати), the -л- is inserted in ALL present tense forms (сиплю, сиплеш, сипле, сиплемо, сиплете, сиплють).

Verbs in this pattern often undergo a stress shift. The stress falls on the ending in the 1st-person singular (пишу́), but shifts backward to the stem for all other present tense forms (пи́шеш, пи́ше, пи́шемо, пи́шете, пи́шуть). However, many common verbs keep the stress fixed on the stem in all forms (e.g., пла́кати → пла́чу, пла́чеш; рі́зати → рі́жу, рі́жеш).

3. The Second Conjugation Exceptions:
A small but important group of -ати verbs follow the Second Conjugation. They drop the -а-. If the stem ends in a hush consonant (ж, ч, ш, щ), like мовчати, they use: -у, -иш, -ить, -имо, -ите, -ать (мовчу, мовчать). The verb спати (to sleep) and its prefixed forms are essentially the only exceptions in this group that do not end in a hush consonant. They use soft endings: -ю, -иш, -ить, -имо, -ите, -ять (сплю, спиш, спить, спимо, спите, сплять). Note the inserted -л- in сплю and сплять: unlike First Conjugation verbs where the -л- appears in all forms, Second Conjugation verbs with a labial stem (like спати) only insert the -л- in the 1st-person singular and 3rd-person plural.

4. Reflexive Verbs:
Many common -ати verbs are reflexive (e.g., сміятися, намагатися). To conjugate them, first conjugate the verb normally, then add the reflexive suffix at the very end: -ся after consonants (намагається) and -сь after vowels (намагаюся or намагаюсь).

Pronunciation note: Reflexive verbs are not pronounced exactly as they are spelled. The ending -ться (3rd-person singular/plural) is pronounced as [ц':а] (like a long 'цця', e.g., сміється sounds like [сміє́цця]), and -шся (2nd-person singular) is pronounced as [с':а] (like a long 'сся', e.g., смієшся sounds like [сміє́сся]).

5. Important Notes:

  • -увати / -ювати Verbs: Verbs like купувати and працювати drop the -ва- before adding endings (купую, працюю).
  • -авати Verbs: A specific subgroup of verbs like давати or вставати drop the -ва- but keep the -а- (даю, дають). However, many common verbs like співати or плавати are completely regular and keep the -ва- (співаю).
  • Irregular Stem Changes: Some core -ати verbs have irregular stem changes in the present tense, such as inserting an -е-. For example, брати (to take) becomes беру, береш, бере, and прати (to wash clothes) becomes перу, переш, пере.
  • No Auxiliary: Ukrainian does not use 'am/is/are'. Я читаю means both 'I read' and 'I am reading'.
  • Subject Dropping: Because of distinct verb endings, pronouns are often omitted.
  • Aspect: Only imperfective verbs have a present tense form.

Examples (6)

  1. Я читаю цікаву книжку.

    I am reading an interesting book.

    Word by Word: I read interesting book.

    The verb 'читати' (to read) keeps the -а- in the stem and adds the ending -ю for the first person singular.

  2. Вона дуже гарно співає.

    She sings very beautifully.

    Word by Word: She very beautifully sings.

    The verb 'співати' (to sing) keeps the -а- and adds the ending -є for the third person singular.

  3. Ти зараз пишеш листа?

    Are you writing a letter now?

    Word by Word: You now write letter?

    In the verb 'писати' (to write), the -а- is dropped and the consonant changes from 'с' to 'ш'. The stress shifts backward to the stem specifically for the 2nd/3rd person and plural forms (like 'пи́шеш'), contrasting with the 1st person singular where it stays on the ending ('пишу́').

  4. Ми часто купуємо тут каву.

    We often buy coffee here.

    Word by Word: We often buy here coffee.

    Verbs ending in -увати, like 'купувати' (to buy), drop the -ва- before adding the present tense endings (купу- + -ємо).

  5. Вони зараз чекають на автобус.

    They are waiting for the bus now.

    Word by Word: They now wait for bus.

    The verb 'чекати' (to wait) follows the regular pattern, keeping the -а- and adding -ють for the third person plural.

  6. Я намагаюся зрозуміти це правило.

    I am trying to understand this rule.

    Word by Word: I try to understand this rule.

    The verb 'намагатися' (to try) is reflexive. It is conjugated normally (намагаю-), and then the reflexive suffix -ся is added at the end.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the verb 'є' (am/is/are) to form a continuous tense.

    Я є читаю книжку.
    Я читаю книжку.

    Ukrainian does not use an auxiliary verb for the present continuous. The single verb form 'читаю' covers both 'I read' and 'I am reading'.

  • Adding a soft sign (-ь) to the second person singular ending.

    Ти читаєшь.
    Ти читаєш.

    Unlike Russian, the Ukrainian second person singular ending is just '-ш', not '-шь'.

  • Applying regular endings to stem-changing verbs like 'писати'.

    Я писаю листа.
    Я пишу листа.

    Some verbs ending in -ати are irregular or undergo consonant mutations (с -> ш). 'Писати' becomes 'пишу', not 'писаю'.

How It Connects

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Present tense of regular -ати verbsLevel 1

Learn This First

To learn the present tense of regular -ати verbs, you need to understand how Ukrainian verbs change their endings based on the subject (person and number). This pattern combines several individual person-ending rules into a cohesive conjugation group.

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