Свобо́дное вре́мя, пого́да и пла́ны
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common hobbies, sports, seasons, and weather conditions.
- Talk about future plans using the compound future with быть plus the imperfective infinitive.
- Use a small set of high-frequency perfective nonpast verbs to describe a single planned or completed-in-the-future action.
- Use о/об plus the prepositional case to say what someone is talking or thinking about.
- Use modal predicates such as хоте́ть, мочь, and хоте́ться to express desire and ability.
- Extend an invitation and accept or decline it politely.
- Describe today's weather and connect it to a plan.
This chapter continues Unit III and introduces new grammar. It also continues to recycle city and transportation vocabulary from Chapter 11, along with earlier material on daily routine and preferences.
Communication Scenario
Anna and Sergéy have become friends since Chapter 11. Now they are planning a weekend together, and the weather will affect what they decide to do. Anna wants to know what Sergéy likes to do in his free time, and both of them need to agree on a plan.
- You will learn the language needed to talk about hobbies, sports, and the weather.
- You will practice talking about the future, both with general intentions and with specific planned actions.
- You will practice inviting someone to do something, and accepting or declining politely.
Core Vocabulary
The words below support the chapter's central function, discussing leisure, weather, and plans. Vocabulary from Chapters 1 through 11 remains fully productive.
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| спорт, футбо́л, те́ннис | sport, soccer, tennis |
| кино́, конце́рт, вы́ставка | movies, concert, exhibition |
| отдыха́ть, гуля́ть, игра́ть | to rest/relax, to walk/stroll, to play |
| чита́ть, слу́шать му́зыку, смотре́ть телеви́зор | to read, to listen to music, to watch television |
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| пого́да, температу́ра, со́лнце | weather, temperature, sun |
| тепло́, хо́лодно, жа́рко | warm, cold, hot |
| идёт дождь, идёт снег | it is raining, it is snowing |
| весна́, ле́то, о́сень, зима́ | spring, summer, autumn, winter |
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| план, выходны́е, за́втра | plan, weekend, tomorrow |
| хоте́ть, мочь, хоте́лось бы | to want, to be able to, would like to |
| с удово́льствием, к сожале́нию | with pleasure, unfortunately |
Every verb introduced for the compound future or the perfective nonpast appears again in the Grammar and Sentence Patterns section with its relevant forms.
Pronunciation Focus
No new pronunciation system is introduced in this chapter. One pattern deserves special attention here, because this chapter is full of questions about plans and preferences.
- A yes-or-no question such as Вы хоти́те пойти́ в кино́? keeps a sharp rise in pitch on the stressed syllable of the most important word, here хоти́те, then falls toward the end of the sentence.
- Continue reducing unstressed о and а, as in пого́да and хо́лодно.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
Compound Future New
Use the compound future, a conjugated form of быть plus an imperfective infinitive, to talk about ongoing, repeated, or general future activity.
- Она́ бу́дет чита́ть кни́гу ве́чером.She will be reading a book in the evening.compound future, ongoing activity
- Вы бу́дете смотре́ть телеви́зор?Will you be watching television?compound future, question
Introductory Perfective Nonpast New
Use a small set of high-frequency perfective verbs in their nonpast form to describe one specific, bounded action that will happen, often with a result in mind.
- Я прочита́ю э́ту кни́гу на выходны́х.I will read this book over the weekend.perfective nonpast, bounded event with result
- Он сде́лает дома́шнее зада́ние сего́дня ве́чером.He will do his homework tonight.perfective nonpast, bounded event with result
Compare бу́ду чита́ть, I will be reading in general, with прочита́ю, I will read this one specific thing through to the end. This chapter introduces the contrast through meaning, not through a rule about tense. Full aspect pair derivation is not active until later in the volume.
о/об plus the Prepositional Case New
Use о or об with the prepositional case to say what someone is talking, thinking, asking, or writing about.
- Мы говори́м о пого́де.We are talking about the weather.о + prepositional, topic
- Он ду́мает об о́тпуске.He is thinking about vacation.об + prepositional, topic, об before a vowel
- Она́ спра́шивает о пла́нах на выходны́е.She is asking about the plans for the weekend.о + prepositional, topic
You now know the prepositional case in three functions, в/на for location, from Chapter 6 and Chapter 11, and о/об for topic, new in this chapter. The case ending on the noun works the same way in all three, only the preposition and the meaning change.
Modal Predicates New
Use хоте́ть, мочь, and хоте́лось бы to express desire and ability.
- Я хочу́ пойти́ в парк.I want to go to the park.хоте́ть + infinitive, desire
- Ты мо́жешь игра́ть в футбо́л в суббо́ту?Can you play soccer on Saturday?мочь + infinitive, ability/possibility
- Мне хоте́лось бы посмотре́ть э́тот фильм.I would like to watch this film.dative experiencer + хоте́лось бы, softened desire
Хоте́лось бы is more polite and less direct than хочу́, and is especially useful for invitations and suggestions. This chapter activates хоте́ть, мочь, and хоте́лось бы as productive modal predicates; a fuller conditional system with бы is not active until a later volume.
Model Dialogue: Каки́е пла́ны на выходны́е?
Context: Anna calls Sergéy on Friday to make plans for the weekend.
Notice how the dialogue moves between the compound future, бу́ду отдыха́ть, the perfective nonpast, приду́, and modal predicates, хоте́лось бы and мо́жешь, all within a natural conversation about plans.
Listening Practice
If no audio recording is available, ask a partner, instructor, or text to speech tool to read the passage below aloud, or read it aloud to yourself slowly.
- What does the speaker do every Saturday morning?
- What will the speaker and friends probably talk about?
- What is the weather supposed to be like tomorrow?
Speaking Practice
Управля́емая пра́ктика — Controlled practice: compound future or perfective nonpast
With a partner, take turns saying an activity and having the other person produce a sentence with the compound future for a general or repeated plan, and a sentence with a perfective nonpast verb for one specific planned action.
Коммуникати́вное зада́ние — Communicative task: invitation
With a partner, take turns inviting each other to do something this weekend. The person invited should accept with с удово́льствием or decline politely with к сожале́нию and a reason, using at least one modal predicate.
Самостоя́тельная пра́ктика — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing your plans for next weekend, including at least one compound future sentence, one perfective nonpast sentence, and one sentence about the weather.
Reading Practice
Мои́ пла́ны на о́тпуск — My vacation plans
Меня́ зову́т Ната́лья. Ле́том у меня́ бу́дет о́тпуск, и я уже́ ду́маю о свои́х пла́нах. Я хочу́ пое́хать к мо́рю, потому́ что там всегда́ тепло́ и мно́го со́лнца. У́тром я бу́ду пла́вать и гуля́ть по пля́жу, а днём я, наве́рное, бу́ду чита́ть кни́ги, кото́рые давно́ хоте́ла прочита́ть. Оди́н день я хочу́ посвяти́ть го́роду, я пойду́ в музе́й и посмотрю́ ста́рую часть це́нтра. Мои́ друзья́ то́же лю́бят говори́ть о путеше́ствиях, и мы уже́ говори́ли о том, куда́ пое́дем в сле́дующем году́. Я наде́юсь, что пого́да бу́дет хоро́шая всю неде́лю.
Зада́ние по чте́нию — Reading task:
- Why does Natalya want to go to the sea?
- What does she plan to do in the mornings, and what will she probably do in the afternoons?
- What does she plan to do on one specific day, and what perfective verb describes it?
Writing Workshop
Complete the following linked writing tasks in order. This workshop applies the new grammar from this chapter, the compound future, the introductory perfective nonpast, о/об plus the prepositional case, and modal predicates.
Зада́ние 1 — Complete the sentence: Choose the correct form to complete each sentence.
Зада́ние 2 — Weekend plans: Write eight to ten sentences describing your plans for the coming weekend, including at least one general or repeated plan with the compound future, one specific planned action with a perfective nonpast verb, one sentence about the weather, one о/об plus prepositional phrase, and one modal predicate.
- Review the Core Vocabulary tables above. Confirm the meaning of any leisure, weather, or planning word you intend to use.
- Decide on your general plans and your specific planned actions. Separate what you will be doing in general from what you will do once.
- Draft your description. Include at least one compound future sentence, one perfective nonpast sentence, one weather sentence, one о/об plus prepositional phrase, and one modal predicate.
- Read your description aloud once. Listen for question intonation if you include any questions.
- Check each system against the Grammar and Sentence Patterns section. Confirm that you have not used a perfective verb for a general or repeated activity.
Спи́сок прове́рки — Editing checklist:
- The compound future is used correctly for general or repeated future activity.
- A perfective nonpast verb is used correctly for one specific, bounded future action.
- о/об plus the prepositional case is used correctly to introduce a topic.
- At least one modal predicate, хоте́ть, мочь, or хоте́лось бы, is used correctly.
- Vocabulary and grammar from Chapters 1 through 11 are used correctly where they appear.
Culture and Communication
The leisure activities in this chapter, sports, films, walking in a park, and meeting friends at a café, are common across many Russian-speaking communities, but climate, city size, and personal circumstance all shape how people actually spend their free time. A short conversation about weekend plans does not represent every household or every region.
Weather talk is a common, low-stakes way to open or fill a conversation in many settings, but how much detail people share, and how often they check the forecast, can vary by region, season, and personal habit. Treat the weather expressions in this chapter as a useful starting point, not a fixed script.
Common Mistakes
Error: Saying За́втра я прочита́ю весь день instead of За́втра я бу́ду чита́ть весь день.
Correction: An ongoing or general future activity, such as reading all day, needs the compound future with an imperfective infinitive, not a perfective nonpast verb: бу́ду чита́ть, not прочита́ю, when there is no single bounded result in view.
Error: Saying Мы говори́м о пого́да instead of Мы говори́м о пого́де.
Correction: О and об always govern the prepositional case, just like в and на for location: о пого́де, not о пого́да.
Error: Using я хочу́ in every polite invitation, even where a softer request fits better.
Correction: Хочу́ states a direct want. Хоте́лось бы softens a wish or suggestion, and is often more natural when inviting someone or making a polite request: мне хоте́лось бы пойти́ в кино́ sounds gentler than я хочу́ пойти́ в кино́ in many invitation contexts.
Chapter Review
Compound future
Describes ongoing or repeated future activity with быть plus an imperfective infinitive.
Perfective nonpast
Describes one specific, bounded future action from a short, verified verb list.
о/об plus prepositional
Introduces the topic of speech, thought, or writing.
Modal predicates
Expresses desire and ability with хоте́ть, мочь, and хоте́лось бы.
Часть A — Понима́ние (Comprehension)
1. Return to the Model Dialogue, and answer these short questions.
- What does Anna want to do if the weather is bad, and what does she want to do if it is warm?
- What time do Anna and Sergéy agree to meet, and where?
Часть B — Пи́сьменная речь (Writing)
1. Write three sentences describing your plans for tomorrow, using the compound future for at least one of them and a perfective nonpast verb for at least one of them.
2. Write one sentence using о or об plus the prepositional case to say what you and a friend often talk about.
Часть C — Чте́ние (Reading)
1. Return to the reading passage about Natalya, and list every activity she mentions for her vacation, in the order she mentions them.
Часть D — Говоре́ние (Speaking)
1. With a partner, invite each other to do something this weekend, and accept or decline politely, using at least one modal predicate.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 12 Practical Task
Каки́е у тебя́ пла́ны: What Are Your Plans
Complete the following connected tasks, in order, applying the new grammar from this chapter along with recycled material from Chapters 1 through 11.
- Read the Model Dialogue and the reading passage about Natalya. Answer the comprehension questions above before continuing.
- Describe the weather today, or an expected forecast. Use at least one weather expression from the Core Vocabulary.
- Describe one general or repeated plan for the coming weekend. Use the compound future.
- Describe one specific planned action for the coming weekend. Use a perfective nonpast verb.
- Say what you and a friend often talk about. Use о or об plus the prepositional case.
- Invite a partner to join you, and respond to their invitation. Use at least one modal predicate.
- Write your eight to ten sentence description from the Writing Workshop. Apply the editing checklist.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Compound future accuracy | The learner uses быть plus an imperfective infinitive correctly for ongoing or repeated future activity. |
| Perfective nonpast accuracy | The learner uses a perfective nonpast verb correctly for one specific, bounded future action. |
| Topic accuracy | The learner uses о/об plus the prepositional case correctly to introduce a topic. |
| Modal predicate accuracy | The learner uses хоте́ть, мочь, or хоте́лось бы correctly to express desire or ability. |
| Weather and leisure vocabulary | The learner uses weather and leisure vocabulary accurately and appropriately. |
| Connected performance | The learner moves smoothly between general plans, specific plans, weather, and invitations within one coherent exchange. |
This task builds on the systems activated in this chapter. Only material from Chapters 1 through 12 is required.
Answer Key
Listening — Comprehension
- The speaker does sports, specifically tennis, every Saturday morning.
- The speaker and friends will probably talk about work and their vacation plans.
- The weather tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- If the weather is bad, Anna wants to go to the movies; if it is warm, she wants to walk in the park.
- They agree to meet at two o'clock, at the park entrance.
Writing
- 1. бу́ду чита́ть. 2. посмо́трит. 3. о пого́де. 4. хочу́. 5. мо́жешь.
- Sample answer: В суббо́ту я бу́ду отдыха́ть до́ма у́тром. Пото́м я встре́чусь с друзья́ми в кафе́ в це́нтре. Мы, наве́рное, бу́дем говори́ть о рабо́те и о наших пла́нах. Днём я хочу́ погуля́ть в па́рке, е́сли бу́дет тепло́. Ве́чером я посмотрю́ оди́н фильм. Мне хоте́лось бы пойти́ в кино́ с друзья́ми в воскресе́нье. Говоря́т, что пого́да бу́дет хоро́шая всё выходны́е. Other combinations using material from Chapters 1 through 12 are also correct.
Reading
- Natalya wants to go to the sea because it is always warm there and there is a lot of sun.
- In the mornings she plans to swim and walk along the beach; in the afternoons she will probably read books she has long wanted to read.
- On one specific day, she plans to devote it to the city, go to a museum, and look at the old part of the center; посмотрю́ is the perfective verb that describes this.
Looking Ahead
Что вы уже уме́ете — What you can do now
You can name common hobbies, sports, seasons, and weather conditions, talk about general or repeated future plans and about one specific planned action, say what you and others talk or think about, and express desire and ability with modal predicates.