One Russian verb can grow six extra forms. Four participles describe a noun like an adjective (“the reading girl”, “the read book”). Two gerunds describe an action like an adverb (“while reading”, “having read”). They are the backbone of written Russian.
B1–C220 min read6 forms · 1 verb
Six forms from one verb pair. The one in red, the past passive participle, is the most common in everyday speech: прочи́тан, “(it is) read”.
The short answer
Each form is built from a verb form you already know, plus one suffix. Participles then take adjective endings for gender, number and case. Gerunds never change. Here is the whole system on one screen:
Both kinds of form compress a whole clause into one word. A participle replaces a кото́рый clause (“who…”, “which…”). A gerund replaces a когда́ (when) or пока́ (while) clause. Speech prefers the clause; writing prefers the shortcut. You need both to read at C1 level.
Participle replaces кото́рый
becomes one word
The man reading the newspaper is my brother.
Gerund replaces когда́
becomes one word
Having read the letter, she smiled.
2 · Participles, form by form
The four participles and how to build them
Active participles describe the doer (“the man reading”). Passive participles describe the thing the action is done to (“the book being read”). Each comes in a present and a past. Pick one to see how it is built.
Active present.Take the present-tense “they” form, drop the final -т, and add -щий. Verbs whose “they” form ends in -ут/-ют give -ущий/-ющий; those in -ат/-ят give -ащий/-ящий. Only imperfective verbs have it.
Verb
Starting form
Participle
Means
чита́тьto read
они́ чита́ют
who is reading
писа́тьto write
они́ пи́шут
who is writing
говори́тьto speak
они́ говоря́т
who is speaking
учи́тьсяto study
они́ у́чатся
who is studying
3 · Endings
Participles change like adjectives
A participle matches its noun in gender (masculine, feminine or neuter), number and case, exactly like an adjective. Active participles in -щий and -вший take the endings of хоро́ший (good); passive ones in -мый, -нный and -тый take the endings of но́вый (new).
Case · its job
Masculine
Feminine
Neuter
Plural
Nominative· subject
чита́ющий
чита́ющая
чита́ющее
чита́ющие
Accusative· object
чита́ющий / -его
чита́ющую
чита́ющее
чита́ющие / -их
Genitive· of
чита́ющего
чита́ющей
чита́ющего
чита́ющих
Dative· to, for
чита́ющему
чита́ющей
чита́ющему
чита́ющим
Instrumental· with, by
чита́ющим
чита́ющей
чита́ющим
чита́ющими
Prepositional· about, in
чита́ющем
чита́ющей
чита́ющем
чита́ющих
With a -ся verb, -ся stays at the very end, after the ending, and never shortens to -сь: занима́ющийся, занима́ющаяся, занима́ющемуся (who is studying).
4 · The everyday passive
Short passive forms: “closed”, “done”, “sold out”
Past passive participles have a short form, like short adjectives: one н, and only four endings (masculine, feminine, neuter, plural). This short form is how spoken Russian says “is done”. For past and future, add был or бу́дет.
5 · Gerunds
“While doing” and “having done”
A gerund adds a second action to the sentence’s main verb. It never changes its ending. Its aspect (the imperfective “process” form or the perfective “completed” form of the verb) tells you the timing.
Both actions must be done by the subject of the sentence: he reads and he drinks; she reads and she smiles.
Imperfective · -я / -а · at the same timeTake the present “they” form, drop the ending (-ют, -ут, -ат, -ят) and add -я. After ж, ш, ч, щ write -а. -ся becomes -сь.
Perfective · -в · first, thenTake the perfective past, drop -л and add -в. With -ся, add -вшись. A few verbs use -я instead: прийти́ → придя́ (having arrived).
6 · Everyday words
Participles you already use as ordinary words
Many common Russian adjectives and nouns started life as participles. Recognising the suffix helps you guess their meaning.
7 · Clause to participle
Rewrite it the written way
Each spoken sentence below can be compressed. Tap “Show written version” to see the participle or gerund that replaces the clause, and why it takes that form.
SpokenСтуде́нт, кото́рый сиди́т у окна́, — мой друг.stu-DYENT, ka-TO-ry si-DEET u ak-NA, moy drukСтуде́нтstudentкото́рыйwhoсиди́тsitsуbyокна́windowмойmyдругfriendThe student who is sitting by the window is my friend.
SpokenЯ прочита́л письмо́, кото́рое написа́л оте́ц.ya pra-chi-TAL pis’-MO, ka-TO-ra-ye na-pi-SAL a-TYETSЯIпрочита́лreadписьмо́letterкото́роеwhichнаписа́лwroteоте́цfatherI read the letter that my father wrote.
SpokenКогда́ он верну́лся домо́й, он поу́жинал.kag-DA on vir-NUL-sya da-MOY, on pa-U-zhi-nalКогда́whenонheверну́лсяreturnedдомо́йhomeонheпоу́жиналhad dinnerWhen he got home, he had dinner.
SpokenОна́ слу́шала му́зыку и гото́вила обе́д.a-NA SLU-sha-la MU-zy-ku ee ga-TO-vi-la a-BYETОна́sheслу́шалаlistenedму́зыкуmusicиandгото́вилаcookedобе́дdinnerShe listened to music and cooked dinner.
8 · Check yourself
Choose the right form
Ма́льчик, … кни́гу, — мой сын.
The boy reading the book is my son.
Письмо́ … вчера́.
The letter was written yesterday.
… домо́й, он лёг спать.
Having come home, he went to bed.
Магази́н … .
The shop is closed.
… в окно́, она́ ду́мала о до́ме.
Looking out of the window, she thought about home.