10.4 - The second conjugation

The formation of the present tense of the main types of second conjugation verbs is as follows.

Verb type 1

In this type the ending -ити is dropped from the infinitive to derive the stem.
For example, in the case of спішити the stem is спіш-:

Endings	Paradigm	Other verbs like this
-у -иш -ить -имо -ите -ать	спішу спішиш спішить спішимо спішите спішать	A significant number including: бачити, вчити(ся), значити, кінчити, лежати, мовчати, мучити, служити

Verb type 2

In this type the endings -ити or  -іти are dropped from the infinitive to derive the stem,
for all persons except the 1^st person singular (the "I" form), for which the stem changes.
For example, in the case of сидіти the stem is сид- (but сидж- for the 1^st person):

Endings	Paradigm	Other verbs like this
-у -иш -ить -имо -ите -ять	сиджу сидиш сидить сидимо сидите сидять	A small number of key verbs including: ходити – ходжу, ходиш; їздити – їжджу, їздиш радити – раджу, радиш; водити – воджу, водиш чистити – чищу, чистиш; носити – ношу, носиш

Verb type 3

In this type the ending -ити is dropped from the infinitive to derive the stem.
For example, in the case of говорити the stem is говор-:

Endings	Paradigm	Other verbs like this
-ю -иш -ить -имо -ите -ять	говорю говориш говорить говоримо говорите говорять	A small number including: курити, варити(ся), сварити, творити, дурити

Verb type 4

The stem of this type of verb ends in a labial consonant i.e. м, б, п, в, or ф.
In this type the endings -ити, -іти are dropped from the infinitive to derive the stem.
In addition, л is added to the stem in the 1^st person singular (я) and 3^rd person
plural (вони). For example, in the case of робити the stems are роб- / робл-:

Endings	Paradigm	Other verbs like this
-ю -иш -ить -имо -ите -ять	роблю робиш робить робимо робите роблять	A significant number including: знайомити(ся), ловити, ломити, любити, терпіти, томити(ся), тямити also спати

Verb type 5

In this type the ending -їти is dropped from the infinitive to derive the stem.
For example, in the case of клеїти the stem is кле-:

Endings	Paradigm	Other verbs like this
-ю -їш -їть -їмо -їте -ять	клею клеїш клеїть клеїмо клеїте клеять	A small number including: гоїти(ся), доїти, коїти, кроїти, труїти also стояти

Note the special form of the verb їсти in the present tense:
їм, їси, їсть, їмо, їсте, їдять.

Whilst the tables above cover the main verb types, they are not exhaustive. Moreover, no attempt has been made to explain the formation processes in depth, as this is not essential for identifying and understanding the present in reading texts. For information on the conjugation of individual words an orthographic dictionary should be consulted (see Further reading).

To practise recognising the present and other tenses go to Exercise 10.4A.