Practice exercises for Russian imperfective aspect vs. perfective aspect

Several aspect pairs are listed below. Choose which verb in the pair to use in each sentence, and put it into the correct form.

• Imperfective: пить[peet]
  Perfective: выпить[VYpit]
  Translation: to drink

  • Я хочу кофе.

    I want to drink coffee.

    → Perfective, because there is a specific object of the action, so action can be completed.

  • Я хочу .

    I want to drink.

    → Imperfective, because the verb describes action in general.

• Imperfective: спрашивать[SPRAshyvat]
  Perfective: спросить[spraSEET]
  Translation: to ask

  • Когда Андрей был маленьким, он часто родителей, почему у него нет брата или сестры.

    When Andrew was small, he often asked (his) parents why he didn’t have any brothers or sisters.

    → Imperfective, because it’s a repeated action.

  • Однажды маленький Андрей родителей, почему у него нет брата или сестры.

    Once little Andrew asked (his) parents why he didn’t have any brothers or sisters.

    → Perfective, because it is an individual/single completed action.

• Imperfective: приходить[prikhaDEET]
  Perfective: прийти[priyTEE]
  Translation: to come

  • Пока тебя не было, Света. Она сейчас с мамой на кухне чай пьёт.

    While you were gone, Sveta came. She is now drinking tea with mom in the kitchen.

    → Perfective, because it is an individual/single completed action.

  • Пока тебя не было, Света. Она оставила тебе записку.

    While you were gone, Sveta came. She left a note for you.

    → Imperfective, because the action was followed by its opposite (she came and left).

• Imperfective: учить[ooCHEET]
  Perfective: выучить[VYoochit]
  Translation: to learn

  • Я не немецкий язык, он мне не понадобится.

    I won’t study German, I will not need it.

    → Imperfective, because the action is described as general, without the idea of its completion.

  • Я не немецкий язык за три месяца, это нереально.

    I won’t learn German in three months, it’s unreal.

    → Perfective, because the focus is on the impossibility of completing the action.

• Imperfective: показывать[paKAzyvat]
  Perfective: показать[pakaZAT]
  Translation: to show

  • Вчера с 2 до 5 я покупателям квартиру.

    Yesterday from 2 to 5 I was showing the apartment to buyers.

    → Imperfective, because the action was lasting a specific amount of time.

  • Вчера я квартиру четырём покупателям.

    Yesterday I showed the apartment to four buyers.

    → Perfective, because the focus is on the result of the completed action.

• Imperfective: готовить[gaTOvit]
  Perfective: приготовить[prigaTOvit]
  Translation: to cook

  • Саша ужин и потом посмотрела фильм.

    Sasha cooked dinner and then watched a movie.

    → Perfective, because the actions are given in a sequence.

  • Саша ужин и смотрела фильм.

    Sasha was cooking dinner and watching a movie.

    → Imperfective, because the actions are simultaneous.

• Imperfective: есть[yest]
  Perfective: съесть[syest]
  Translation: to eat

  • О, я знаю, что такое щи! Я этот суп когда жила в России!

    Oh, I know what shchi is! I ate this soup when I was living in Russia!

    → Imperfective, because the action describes the current situation.

  • Я не голодная, спасибо! Я только что тарелку щей.

    I am not hungry, thank you! I have just eaten a bowl of shchi.

    → Perfective, because the action had a specific object and was completed.

• Imperfective: встречать[fstriCHAT]
  Perfective: встретить[FSTRYEtit]
  Translation: to meet

  • Мне надо сестру в аэропорту, она прилетает завтра вечером.

    I need to meet (my) sister at the airport, she is coming tomorrow evening.

    → Perfective, because the action is single.

  • Мне не надо сестру в аэропорту, она заболела и не сможет приехать.

    I don’t need to meet (my) sister at the airport, she fell sick and cannot come.

    → Imperfective, because the infinitive comes after a negated modal verb.