Russian

Alternative forms

• -ять ‎(-jatʹ)

Suffix

-ать or -а́ть • ‎(-atʹ or -átʹ)

1. The infinitive suffix for many verbs. Usually indicates an imperfective verb.
2. Used in place of -я́ть ‎(-játʹ) after the hushing sibilants ш щ ч ж, when used to derive imperfective verbs from prefixed perfective verbs in -ить ‎(-itʹ). Always stressed.

   ме́тить impf ‎(métitʹ, “to mark”) → поме́тить pf ‎(pométitʹ, “to mark, to date”) → помеча́ть impf ‎(pomečátʹ)

3. Used to derive imperfective verbs from certain classes of prefixed perfective verbs (e.g. class 6 and 7). It is added to the underlying stem, which may not be apparent in the infinitive and may appear in the present tense (in class 7 verbs such as напа́сть ‎(napástʹ), underlying stem напа́д- visible in present 1st singular нападу́ ‎(napadú)) or may not (in class 3 verbs in -нуть, e.g. поки́нуть ‎(pokínutʹ), underlying stem поки́д–). Always stressed (which may be the only difference between the perfective and imperfective forms).

   грызть impf ‎(gryztʹ, “to gnaw”) → обгры́зть pf ‎(obgrýztʹ, “to gnaw around”) → обгрыза́ть impf ‎(obgryzátʹ)

   пасть impf ‎(pastʹ, “to fall”) → напа́сть pf ‎(napástʹ, “to fall on, to attack”) (underlying stem напа́д-) → напада́ть impf ‎(napadátʹ)

   ре́зать impf ‎(rézatʹ, “to cut, to carve”) → разре́зать pf ‎(razrézatʹ, “to cut off”) → разреза́ть impf ‎(razrezátʹ)

   ки́нуть impf ‎(kínutʹ, “to throw”) → поки́нуть pf ‎(pokínutʹ, “to leave, to abandon”) (underlying stem поки́д-) → покида́ть impf ‎(pokidátʹ)

See also

• -ять ‎(-jatʹ), -еть ‎(-etʹ), -ить ‎(-itʹ)
• -ть ‎(-tʹ), -ти ‎(-ti)