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Russian grammar · B1·вид в повели́тельном наклоне́нии

Aspect in Russian commands

Short answer: every Russian command comes in two forms, one from each verb of an aspect pair (a process verb and a result verb). Use the perfective for one specific request: Закро́й дверь, “Close the door.” Use the imperfective for invitations, general instructions, urging someone on, and almost always after не: Не закрыва́й дверь, “Don’t close the door.”

Is there не? yesno IMPERFECTIVEНе закрыва́й! One specific action? yesno PERFECTIVEЗакро́й дверь. IMPERFECTIVEСади́тесь! Exception: a warninguses не + perfective:Не упади́! Blue: imperfective. Red: perfective.
Two questions decide most commands. The rest of this guide explains each branch.
On this page The pairsPerfective: one requestImperfective: five usesCommands with неPoliteness and toneRelated guides

The pairs: two commands for every action

The imperative is the verb form for commands and requests. Each form below has a ты version (to one person you know well) and a вы version with -те (polite, or to several people). Tap a row to hear both commands.

MeaningImperfectivePerfectivePolite (вы)
close закрыва́йza-kry-VAY закро́йza-KROY закро́йте
open открыва́йat-kry-VAY откро́йat-KROY откро́йте
tell расска́зывайras-KA-zy-vay расскажи́ras-ka-ZHY расскажи́те
buy покупа́йpa-ku-PAY купи́ku-PEE купи́те
give дава́йda-VAY дайday да́йте
call (phone) звони́zva-NEE позвони́pa-zva-NEE позвони́те
sit down сади́сьsa-DEES’ ся́дьsyat’ ся́дьте
come in входи́fkha-DEE войди́vay-DEE войди́те

Perfective: one specific request

When you ask someone to do one thing, once, with a result you can see, use the perfective. This is the neutral, everyday request, and with пожа́луйста (please) it is perfectly polite.

za-KROY, pa-ZHA-lus-ta, ak-NO Закро́йcloseпожа́луйстаpleaseокно́window Close the window, please. One window, closed once: perfective.
ku-PEE KHLYE-ba pa da-RO-gye Купи́buyхле́баsome breadпоonдоро́геthe way Buy some bread on the way. One errand. хле́ба is genitive: “some bread”.
pa-zva-NEE-tye mnye ZAF-tra Позвони́теcallмнеmeза́втраtomorrow Call me tomorrow. A single call at a set time.
DAY-tye, pa-ZHA-lus-ta, shchot Да́йтеgiveпожа́луйстаpleaseсчётbill The bill, please. Asking a waiter for one thing: perfective, with -те for politeness.

Imperfective: five uses

The imperfective command focuses on the action itself rather than a single result. Five situations call for it.

  1. 1Invitations to guestsHosts invite with the imperfective: it sounds warm and unforced, as if the action is already welcome. pra-kha-DEE-tye, sa-DEE-tis’, pa-ZHA-lus-taПроходи́теcome inсади́тесьsit downпожа́луйстаpleaseCome in, sit down, please!
  2. 2Go ahead, startOnce a request is agreed, the imperfective says “go on, do it now”. nu, ras-KA-zy-vayНуwellрасска́зывайtellCome on, tell me!
  3. 3General instructionsRules and advice about how to do things in general, not one occasion. pi-SHY-tye raz-BOR-chi-vaПиши́теwriteразбо́рчивоlegiblyWrite legibly.
  4. 4Repeated actionsSomething to do regularly, again and again. zva-NEE mnye KAZH-dy VYE-chirЗвони́callмнеmeка́ждыйeveryве́черeveningCall me every evening.
  5. 5How to do itWhen the manner matters more than the result. ga-va-REE-tye MYED-li-nye-ye, pa-ZHA-lus-taГовори́теspeakме́дленнееmore slowlyпожа́луйстаpleasePlease speak more slowly.

Commands with не

Telling someone not to do something deliberately takes the imperfective. There is one exception: a warning about something that could happen by accident uses не with the perfective, often with смотри́ (watch out).

PROHIBITION · A CHOICE · IMPERFECTIVEWARNING · AN ACCIDENT · PERFECTIVE Не закрыва́й окно́.Не упади́! Don’t close the window (I’m telling you not to).Don’t fall! (careful)
Nobody falls on purpose, so “don’t fall” is a warning about a possible result: perfective.
Prohibition · imperfective ni at-kry-VAY dvyer’ Неdon’tоткрыва́йopenдверьdoor Don’t open the door!
Prohibition · imperfective ni pa-ku-PAY-tye E-tat ti-li-FON Неdon’tпокупа́йтеbuyэ́тотthisтелефо́нphone Don’t buy this phone.
Warning · perfective smat-REE, ni a-paz-DAY Смотри́watchнеdon’tопозда́йbe late Mind you’re not late!
Warning · perfective ni za-BUT’ klyu-CHEE Неdon’tзабу́дьforgetключи́keys Don’t forget your keys!

Politeness and tone

The same request can sound different depending on aspect and on who is speaking. The table shows how Russian speakers hear common pairs.

SituationCommandHow it sounds
A waiter, to a customer Neutral and polite.
A host, to a guest Warm and hospitable.
A guest refuses, the host insists Friendly pressure: repetition plus imperfective.
Repeating a request already ignored Impatient: “just get on with it”.
A softer request The most polite: a question with бы instead of a command.
To a child, firmly же adds urgency; this is an order, not a request.