Thread: Предлагать or предложть?

Which is correct, the following 1) or 2)?


I think either of them can be correct but the meanings are different.

A : Кто может предложить свои идеи?
B:
1) Я могу предлагать интересные идеи.
2) Я могу предложить интересные идеи.

Both are grammatically correct, but the meaning is slightly different
1) I can (usually, often, generally, sometimes) offer some interesting ideas
2) I can offer some interesting ideas (right now)

Can I use the above sentence : "1) Я могу предлагать интересные идеи." for one time only ( not generally )?
Can I say "Я сейчас могу предлагать интересные идеи." ?

Suppose both sentences are used in reply to Кто может предложить свои идеи?

Originally Posted by Yuki

Can I use the above sentence : "1) Я могу предлагать интересные идеи." for one time only ( not generally )?

Normally not.

Can I say "Я сейчас могу предлагать интересные идеи." ?

You can, but in this sentence "сейчас" means "nowadays" or "in this period of my life" rather than "right now".

Suppose both sentences are used in reply to Кто может предложить свои идеи?

The second sentence is preferable. The first will need further explanations.

Imperfective verbs can describe either multiple actions (iterative) or the very process of doing something (progressive), while perfective verbs are used for one-time accomplished actions.

Thank you so much for your explanation.

A Russian grammar book published in Russia shows quite a few examples in which the imperfective infinitive is used
to express a one-time action. One of them is the following:
- Стол накрыт?
- Да, всё готово. Можно приглашать гостей.
I assume that in this case it is absolutely natural to « invite » so the imperfective плиглашать can be used.

I believe that in the previous dialog example I mentioned, « propose » is not thought to be a very natural action and
to be an action as new information, so предлагать is inappropriate.

I am looking forward to receiving comments.

I didn't quite understand your logic about natural vs not natural.

Originally Posted by Yuki

- Стол накрыт?
- Да, всё готово. Можно приглашать гостей.

Here usage of imperfective means that the speaker focus its attention on the process of invitating (progressive) rather than on the accomplished result. "You may go and start inviting guests." If the perfective is used it would mean something like "You can go and make guests invited."

Correspondingly in the previous example (1 - imperfective) can mean, for example, "I am in the mood to think of and propose ideas". (2 - perfective) can mean "I have several ideas and ready to make all of them proposed."

There can be other ways of treatment though.

So usage of imperfective in each situation can indicate that speaker thinks about the process of acting while perfective indicates that speaker thinks about obtaining the result of action. The choice between perfective and imperfective often is not clear for the foreigners because it is often the accepted way of thinking rather than strict formal rules. At first stage of learning language you can skip most part of the problem. Later intensive practice will give you intuitive feeling of what is more natural Russian way of thinking in what situation.