Thread: tip for memorizing perfective/imperfective Verbs

Hi, this probably sounds like a stupid trick but for me I have a problem remembering the perfective and imperfective aspects of verbs if I simply read them...

e.g.

читать, прочитать

well obviously this one is very easy but it is just an example

so what I do if I see something like that is that I say in my head quickly:

Я читаю, Я прочитал

and I find it helps remembering them... especially because these are the forms I'm more likely to use. perfective in "past tense"

maybe this tip will help someone, although people on this forum (those who are not native Russian speakers) seem quite advanced and probably don't need this tip...

another tip is that I find for some reason watching English comedies dubbed to Russian helps... like that Mad About You TV sitcom.. or well, Russian comedies also help.

one Russian girl told me she learned English in Canada by watching the Simpsons (she moved when she was in her early teens). Probably an exaggeration since I didn't hear her saying "doh!" all the time

Well, I like it. Now I'm going to put this into my "verb rotation" (my repetitions of verb conjugations).

(No such thing as stupid trick, when it works for you.)

Also, there are many fine music links put on the message board by lampada, and others, with lyrics, to help with learning. Very interesting! Music/song is supposed to be one of the top ways to learn, and I believe it.

Originally Posted by Seraph

Well, I like it. Now I'm going to put this into my "verb rotation" (my repetitions of verb conjugations).

(No such thing as stupid trick, when it works for you.)

Also, there are many fine music links put on the message board by lampada, and others, with lyrics, to help with learning. Very interesting! Music/song is supposed to be one of the top ways to learn, and I believe it.

well I found listening to Russian pop music helps... they keep it simple (every song is about love) and it helped me with my grammar some.

Sounds like a good idea, but don't forget not all verbs have only one perfective. The one you just used, for example, has another perfective, прочесть (прочту, прочтёшь). I don't recall what the diff is and too lazy now to look it up!

Originally Posted by chaika

Sounds like a good idea, but don't forget not all verbs have only one perfective. The one you just used, for example, has another perfective, прочесть (прочту, прочтёшь). I don't recall what the diff is and too lazy now to look it up!

I was going to include this in my 'verb catechism', when there are three. When I have it tuned up, I'll try to include a usage mnemonic, to differentiate them.
Actually, what I'll do is use the imperative form, that is the perfective form. Very typical usage difference.
Like: говорю скажите