The Russian verb has 3 tenses and 2 aspects. Aspects describe different qualities of an action—it is either acting (the process of doing something—Imperfective) or the result of an action (after someone has finished doing something Perfective). Using the Imperfective/Perfective depends only on the intention of the speaker to emphasize different aspects of action in his or her speech.
Using an imperfective verb you can form the Present tense, the Past tense and the Future tense.
A perfective action is possible only in the Past or Future, because the idea of completion is incompatible with the Russian conception of present tense.
| Aspect/Tense | Past | Present | Future |
| Perfective | Он прочитал эту книгу. He has read this book. ( ‘finished reading’ – the completion is emphasized) |
– |
Он прочитает эту книгу. He will have read this book. (the intention to complete is emphasized) |
| Imperfective | Он читал книгу. He was reading / read a book. (the result is not emphasized ) |
Он читает книгу. He is reading a book. (now )Вечером он часто читает.In the evening he often reads.(a habitual action) |
Он будет читать книгу. He will be reading / will read a book. (the intention to complete is not emphasized) |
There are two types of future tense in Russian: Imperfective Future and Perfective Future.
Imperfective Future requires the appropriate form of the verb быть “to be” agreeing with the subject followed by the imperfective infinitive. The Imperfective Future forms of verbs are used for
- repeated or habitual actions in the future: Летом я буду работать каждый день – In the summer I will work every day;
- actions in the future which do not emphasize the result: Завтра я буду читать, смотреть телевизор и отдыхать – Tomorrow I will read, watch TV and relax.
Perfective Future is formed from the perfective infinitive (for example: прочитать – to have read). The endings are identical to those of the Present tense forms. The Perfective Future forms of verbs are used to express:
- intention to complete an action in the future: Я прочитаю эту книгу завтра – I will have read this book tomorrow
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Be careful: do not confuse the following forms:
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- Present tense (only imperfective): я читаю – I am reading/ I read;
- Future Perfective: я прочитаю – I will have read;
- Future Imperfective: я буду читать – I will read/ will be reading.
To figure out if a verb is in the Present tense or Imperfective Future tense, you have to learn both Imperfective and Perfective infinitives for all Russian verbs. Dictionaries always show both perfective and imperfective infinitives with the imperfective verb listed first: читать (imperf.) – прочитать (perf.).