Verbal aspect
To understand the concept of verbal aspect, it’s helpful to think of two different ways of capturing a given moment on camera:
- π· with a photograph
- π₯ with video
A photograph captures a specific event at a specific moment in time. A video captures a continuous action that occurs over a period of time.
Analogously, in Ukrainian there are two aspects that a given verb may have:
- perfect
- imperfect
Perfect verbs are verbs that are used to describe completed actions. You can think of these as specific actions that happened at a specific moment in time (actions that can be expressed with a photograph). Imperfect verbs are verbs used to describe continuous actions or habitual actions (i.e. actions that can be expressed via video).
More precisely, we typically say that every verb in the Ukrainian language falls into one of these two categories: perfect or imperfect.
| Perfect Verbs | Imperfect Verbs |
|---|---|
| ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (to call) | Π·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (to call) |
| Π½Π°ΠΏΠΈΡΠ°ΡΠΈ (to write) | ΠΏΠΈΡΠ°ΡΠΈ (to write) |
| Π½Π°Π²ΡΠΈΡΠΈ (to teach) | Π½Π°Π²ΡΠ°ΡΠΈ (to teach) |
If you have studied French or Spanish, you will have encountered the perfect and imperfect aspects in the perfect tense and the imperfect tense. Ukrainian has these same tenses, but rather than expressing these tenses with different conjugations, these tenses are expressed via distinct words. For example, we use the word ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ to express "to call" in the perfect tense, and Π·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ to express "to call" in the imperfect tense.
Using Verbal Aspect in the Past Tense and Present Tense
When Conjugated in the Past Tense
The words ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (perfect) and Π·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (imperfect) will have different senses when conjugated in the past tense. For example, the phrase Ρ ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²Π°Π² (perfect) means "I called," whereas the phrase Ρ Π·Π²Π°Π² means "I was calling."
A further distinction can be made between the perfect and imperfect verb. The perfect verb implies that the action is completed (like a photograph). The imperfect verb implies that the action was taking place over a period of time (like a video). Consider the following example.
ΠΡΠ½ ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠΈΡΠ°Π² ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠΆΠΊΡ. (perfect) - He read the book. (He finished reading the book).
ΠΡΠ½ ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π² ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠΆΠΊΡ (imperfect) - He was reading the book.
When Conjugated In the Present Tense
The words ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (perfect) and Π·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (imperfect) also have very different senses when conjugated in the present tense. For example, the phrase Ρ ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²ΠΎΠ½Ρ (perfect) means "I will call" (note that conjugated in the present tense, this word now has the sense of the present tense) whereas the phrase Ρ Π·Π²ΠΎΠ½Ρ (imperfect) means "I am calling."
A basic rule of thumb is that when we are conjugating in the present tense the imperfect tense will always refer to action occuring in the present, whereas the perfect tense will always refer to action in the future.
Π― ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠΈΡΠ°Ρ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³Ρ. (perfect) - I will read the book.
Π― ΡΠΈΡΠ°Ρ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³Ρ. (imperfect) - I am reading the book.
Formation of Verbal Aspect
Verbs in Ukrainian will almost always come in pairs corresponding to the perfect and imperfect forms of the verb. Typically, the imperfect form of the verb will be "base" form of the verb, and its counterpart in the perfect form is formed by adding a prefix to the imperfect form.
Π·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (imperfect)
ΠΏΠΎ + Π·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ = ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²Π°ΡΠΈ (perfect)
However the formation of the perfect form from the imperfect form of a given verb is very irregular and will require Ukrainian learners to memorize many different situations.
Verbal aspect
To understand the concept of verbal aspect, it’s helpful to think of two different ways of capturing a given moment on camera:
- π· with a photograph
- π₯ with video
A photograph captures a specific event at a specific moment in time. A video captures a continuous action that occurs over a period of time.
Analogously, in Ukrainian there are two aspects that a given verb may have:
- perfect
- imperfect
Perfect verbs are verbs that are used to describe completed actions. You can think of these as specific actions that happened at a specific moment in time (actions that can be expressed with a photograph). Imperfect verbs are verbs used to describe continuous actions or habitual actions (i.e. actions that can be expressed via video).
More precisely, we typically say that every verb in the Ukrainian language falls into one of these two categories: perfect or imperfect.
| Perfect Verbs | Imperfect Verbs |
|---|---|
| pozvaty (to call) | zvaty (to call) |
| napysaty (to write) | pysaty (to write) |
| navchyty (to teach) | navchaty (to teach) |
If you have studied French or Spanish, you will have encountered the perfect and imperfect aspects in the perfect tense and the imperfect tense. Ukrainian has these same tenses, but rather than expressing these tenses with different conjugations, these tenses are expressed via distinct words. For example, we use the word pozvaty to express "to call" in the perfect tense, and zvaty to express "to call" in the imperfect tense.
Using Verbal Aspect in the Past Tense and Present Tense
When Conjugated in the Past Tense
The words pozvaty (perfect) and zvaty (imperfect) will have different senses when conjugated in the past tense. For example, the phrase ya pozvav (perfect) means "I called," whereas the phrase ya zvav means "I was calling."
A further distinction can be made between the perfect and imperfect verb. The perfect verb implies that the action is completed (like a photograph). The imperfect verb implies that the action was taking place over a period of time (like a video). Consider the following example.
Vin prochytav knyzhku. (perfect) - He read the book. (He finished reading the book).
Vin chytav knyzhku (imperfect) - He was reading the book.
When Conjugated In the Present Tense
The words pozvaty (perfect) and zvaty (imperfect) also have very different senses when conjugated in the present tense. For example, the phrase ya pozvonyu (perfect) means "I will call" (note that conjugated in the present tense, this word now has the sense of the present tense) whereas the phrase ya zvonyu (imperfect) means "I am calling."
A basic rule of thumb is that when we are conjugating in the present tense the imperfect tense will always refer to action occuring in the present, whereas the perfect tense will always refer to action in the future.
Ya prochytayu knyhu. (perfect) - I will read the book.
Ya chytayu knyhu. (imperfect) - I am reading the book.
Formation of Verbal Aspect
Verbs in Ukrainian will almost always come in pairs corresponding to the perfect and imperfect forms of the verb. Typically, the imperfect form of the verb will be "base" form of the verb, and its counterpart in the perfect form is formed by adding a prefix to the imperfect form.
zvaty (imperfect)
po + zvaty = pozvaty (perfect)
However the formation of the perfect form from the imperfect form of a given verb is very irregular and will require Ukrainian learners to memorize many different situations.