Thread: Conjugations of Russian verbs

I was wondering if anyone has a good system for working out how to conjugate Russian verbs as you come across them. I've been learning Russian for years but I still haven't come across a fail safe way to know how to conjugate a new verb - I've tried to understand two-stem systems and Princeton Russian's one-stem system but am horribly confused.

Obviously well known verbs I just learn by heart, but when I learn a new one I want to know all the conjugations. Can anyone point me to a system that works for them?

Originally Posted by pippa

I was wondering if anyone has a good system for working out how to conjugate Russian verbs as you come across them. I've been learning Russian for years but I still haven't come across a fail safe way to know how to conjugate a new verb - I've tried to understand two-stem systems and Princeton Russian's one-stem system but am horribly confused.

Obviously well known verbs I just learn by heart, but when I learn a new one I want to know all the conjugations. Can anyone point me to a system that works for them?

Well there isn't one. There are lots of irregular verbs and sub groups and sub groups within sub groups. This is language, there aren't fail safe ways to know things.

The normal way verbs are taught is with the two group theory.

it is really difficult. There are a very few patterns that go with certain conjugations, for example -е/ова- ; these always have -ую, уешь... Similar with -и/ыва- always -ываю. Otherwise, the infinitive, 1p. sg., and 2p.sg forms give you just about all the information you need (consonant alternations and stress pattern).