Russian reflexive verbs (Specific Languages) Language Learning Forum

Russian reflexive verbs
Tags: Verbs/Conjugation \| Russian
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Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages

adab785
Newbie
United States
Joined 5744 days ago
9 posts - 9 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Russian, French

Message 1 of 3

13 April 2009 at 2:31am | IP Logged

Hello all,

I'm fairly new here, just joined about a month or so ago. I did not begin studying Russian on my own, I study at university. Right now, we're going over reflexive functions such as себя and свой, and reflexive verbs.

I know that the ся/сь at the end of a reflexive verb is a contraction of себя, but I'm having a hard time knowing when to use reflexive verbs and how they change the meaning of the word.

Вы можете помогать мне?
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SII
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Russian FederationRegistered users can see my Skype Name
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Speaks: Russian*
Studies: English

Message 2 of 3

13 April 2009 at 3:28am | IP Logged

adab785

Quote:

I know that the ся/сь at the end of a reflexive verb is a contraction of себя

Excuse me for my English...

It isn't exact. Reflexive verbs in Russian (for example, "одеваться") arose from Old Slavonic infinitives ("одевати") plus reflexive pronoun "ся" (not from modern Russian "себя"): одевати + ся => одеваться.

Quote:

Вы можете помогать мне?

One mistake: "Вы можете помочь мне?"

In most cases reflexive verbs use when verb's action directs to subject: "я одеваю" means "I dress somebody", "я одеваюсь" -- "I dress myself". But sometimes Russian verbs change its mean: "ты носишь" means "You carry something", "ты носишься" -- "you run quickly" (usually about children).

Edited by SII on 13 April 2009 at 9:05am
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Nadav3
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United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
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Studies: Ukrainian*, English

Message 3 of 3

26 April 2010 at 11:31am | IP Logged

Привет! Тоже правильно: А вы можете мне помочь?

I keep forgetting not to think in Ukrainian.

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