Пла́ны и результа́ты
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Recognize and use several verified imperfective and perfective aspect pairs in context.
- Form and use the perfective future to talk about a single planned or expected event.
- Form and use the imperfective compound future with бу́ду plus an imperfective infinitive to talk about ongoing plans, processes, and repeated future activity.
- Distinguish process from result in the past tense, choosing the imperfective for an activity itself and the perfective for its completed outcome.
- Talk about plans, projects, and their results using vocabulary and sentence patterns already active from Chapters 1 through 5.
- Combine aspect choice with the location, reference, and quantity systems recycled in Chapter 5.
This chapter introduces no new case, no new alphabet or pronunciation system, and no new motion verb. Aspect pairs are treated as verified lexical relationships, not as an automatic prefixing rule.
Communication Scenario
Тама́ра, from Chapter 5's correspondence, is now planning a small project with her neighbor Па́вел, a shared garden on their street. They need to talk about what they are doing this week, what they will finish by a certain date, and what has already been done. Their conversation moves constantly between ongoing plans and finished results, which is exactly the contrast this chapter teaches.
- You will read and listen to a conversation about a shared plan, distinguishing what is still in process from what is already finished.
- You will answer questions about intentions, single planned events, and completed results.
- You will write and speak about your own plans, choosing the correct aspect for process, single events, and results.
Core Vocabulary
The verbs below are the chapter's principal new material. Each is given as a verified aspect pair, imperfective first, perfective second. Stress is marked on every new form.
| Imperfective | Perfective | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| де́лать | сде́лать | to do, to make |
| писа́ть | написа́ть | to write |
| чита́ть | прочита́ть | to read |
| покупа́ть | купи́ть | to buy |
| говори́ть | сказа́ть | to say, to tell |
| ви́деть | уви́деть | to see |
| конча́ть | ко́нчить | to finish |
| начина́ть | нача́ть | to begin |
Supporting vocabulary for this chapter's plans and projects:
| Russian | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| план | plan | masculine, stress fixed |
| прое́кт | project | masculine, recycled from Chapter 5 |
| сад | garden | masculine |
| результа́т | result | masculine |
| уже́ | already | signals completed result |
| ещё | still, yet | signals ongoing process |
| на э́той неде́ле | this week | recycled time expression |
| к суббо́те | by Saturday | к plus dative, deadline expression |
Every verb above carries a first person singular and third person plural principal form in the Grammar Review tables below, so that stem changes stay visible from first exposure.
Pronunciation Focus
Stress sometimes moves when an imperfective and perfective partner are otherwise built the same way. Compare пишу́, I write, with напишу́, I will write, where the stress stays on the ending in both, and говорю́, I say, with скажу́, I will say, where the whole word changes because the pair is suppletive.
- Read each pair in the vocabulary table aloud, checking the marked stress on both members.
- Do not assume stress stays in the same place just because the perfective adds a prefix.
- Where a pair is suppletive, such as говори́ть/сказа́ть, treat the two verbs as separate words that happen to share one meaning relationship, not as one word with an ending change.
Grammar: Aspect, Future, and Result
Russian aspect is a meaning system, not a tense label. This section teaches three related patterns: the perfective future for a single planned or expected event, the imperfective compound future for ongoing or repeated plans, and the choice between process and result in the past.
Perfective future: one complete event
- Мы сде́лаем э́то к суббо́те.We will get this done by Saturday.perfective future, сде́лаем, single completed result
- Я купи́ю... (incorrect form, shown for contrast only)
Note: the incorrect example above is intentionally marked as incorrect and is not a model to copy. The correct form is я куплю́, shown in the table below.
Imperfective compound future: process, habit, and ongoing plans
- Мы бу́дем рабо́тать в саду́ ка́ждый день на э́той неде́ле.We will be working in the garden every day this week.imperfective future, repeated activity
- Я бу́ду чита́ть э́ту кни́гу до́лго.I will be reading this book for a long time.imperfective future, ongoing process, no completion implied
Ask what the sentence actually communicates. If the point is a single event with a clear outcome, such as finishing, arriving, buying, or writing one specific thing, use the perfective future. If the point is an ongoing activity, a repeated action, or a plan described without a guaranteed finish, use the imperfective compound future. Do not choose an aspect by translating the English word will alone, since both Russian futures translate that way.
Process versus result in the past
The same contrast applies in the past tense. The imperfective past describes an activity, an attempt, or a repeated action without focusing on its outcome. The perfective past describes a single completed event and its result.
- Я де́лал прое́кт весь ве́чер.I was working on the project all evening.imperfective past, activity, outcome not stated
- Я сде́лал прое́кт.I finished the project. (it is done)perfective past, result-state meaning
- Он чита́л кни́гу, но не ко́нчил её.He was reading the book, but did not finish it.imperfective past for the attempt, perfective past for the negated result
To say that something is already finished right now, Russian speakers most often use the perfective past together with уже́, already. Я уже́ сде́лал э́то communicates a present result, it is done now, even though the verb form itself is grammatically past. This is the chapter's main tool for result-state language. Do not attempt to build result-state meaning with participles, which remain outside this chapter's scope.
Reference conjugation table
| Infinitive | я (non-past) | они́ (non-past) | meaning of non-past |
|---|---|---|---|
| де́лать (impf.) | де́лаю | де́лают | present, ongoing |
| сде́лать (perf.) | сде́лаю | сде́лают | future, single result |
| писа́ть (impf.) | пишу́ | пи́шут | present, ongoing |
| написа́ть (perf.) | напишу́ | напи́шут | future, single result |
| покупа́ть (impf.) | покупа́ю | покупа́ют | present, ongoing |
| купи́ть (perf.) | куплю́ | ку́пят | future, single result |
Пра́ктика — Practice: Choose the perfective or imperfective future, based on whether the sentence describes a single result or an ongoing process.
- За́втра я ___ (написа́ть) письмо́ Ле́не.
- На э́той неде́ле мы ___ (рабо́тать) в саду́ ка́ждый день.
- К суббо́те Па́вел ___ (сде́лать) всю рабо́ту.
- Ве́чером я ___ (чита́ть) но́вую кни́гу.
- Ты уже́ ___ (купи́ть) пода́рок?
Model Dialogue: Пла́ны на ле́то
Context: Тама́ра and her neighbor Па́вел are planning a small shared garden on their street and checking on progress partway through the week.
Notice how the dialogue moves between imperfective forms for ongoing work, рабо́таю, бу́ду рабо́тать, and perfective forms for single completed results, купи́л, сде́лаю, ко́нчил.
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 is Olga still working on today, and is it finished yet?
- What will she do tomorrow, and to whom will she show it?
- Find one imperfective future form and one perfective future form in the script, and explain the difference in meaning.
- By what day does Olga expect everything to be done?
Speaking Practice
Управля́емая пра́ктика — Controlled practice: today and tomorrow
Say two sentences about today using the imperfective present or imperfective future, and two sentences about tomorrow using the perfective future, describing a single result you expect to finish.
Коммуникати́вное зада́ние — Communicative task: a shared project
With a partner, plan a small shared project, such as a garden, a class presentation, or a group gift. Discuss who will do what this week, and by what day you expect it to be finished.
Самостоя́тельная пра́ктика — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing a real or imagined project from start to result, using at least two imperfective forms for the process and two perfective forms for the completed steps.
Reading Practice
Сообще́ние от Ири́ны — A message from Irina
Приве́т, Тама́ра! Как дела́ с са́дом? Я слы́шала, что вы с Па́влом уже́ мно́го сде́лали. Я то́же начала́ свой ма́ленький прое́кт до́ма, я де́лаю но́вую по́лку для книг. Сего́дня я бу́ду рабо́тать над ней весь день, но, ду́маю, я ко́нчу то́лько за́втра. Когда́ я ко́нчу, я покажу́ тебе́ фотогра́фию. Наде́юсь, у вас с Па́влом всё бу́дет гото́во к суббо́те!
Зада́ние по чте́нию — Reading task:
- What has Irina heard about Tamara and Pavel's garden project?
- What is Irina's own project, and has she finished it yet?
- When does Irina expect to finish, and what will she do afterward?
- Find one perfective past verb and one imperfective future verb, and explain what each communicates.
Writing Workshop
Complete the following linked writing tasks in order. This workshop asks you to describe a plan, the work involved, and its expected or actual result.
Зада́ние 1 — Outline: Before writing, list one project or plan, two things you are still doing or will be doing, and one thing that is already finished or will be finished by a certain day.
Зада́ние 2 — Моё сообще́ние: Write a connected message of at least eight to ten sentences describing your plan. Include at least one imperfective present or imperfective future form for an ongoing activity, at least one perfective future form for a single expected result, and at least one perfective past form with уже́ for something already finished.
- Review the Grammar section above. Confirm which forms count as process and which count as result.
- Complete your outline. Choose a real or imagined plan you can describe clearly.
- Draft your message in order. Describe what you are doing now, what you will finish, and by when.
- Read your draft aloud once. Listen for stress on aspect pairs, especially any suppletive verb.
- Check every aspect choice against the process versus result contrast.
Спи́сок прове́рки — Final editing checklist:
- The message names a clear project or plan.
- At least one ongoing activity is described with an imperfective form.
- At least one single planned result is described with the perfective future.
- At least one completed result is described with the perfective past and уже́.
- Cyrillic, stress where genuinely needed, and `ё` are used correctly throughout.
- Case forms recycled from Chapters 1 through 5 remain accurate.
Culture and Communication
Small shared undertakings between neighbors, such as a garden, a stairwell cleanup, or a group gift, are common in many Russian-speaking communities, though the exact form and frequency vary widely by building, neighborhood, generation, and country. Reporting progress on a shared task, and being asked directly whether something is finished, is a normal, friendly part of this kind of cooperation rather than a sign of impatience.
Choosing between я де́лал and я сде́лал is not a stylistic choice. It tells the listener whether you are describing an activity or reporting a finished result. Native speakers rely on this contrast constantly, and a mismatched aspect can genuinely confuse whether something is done.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: Writing я де́лал прое́кт to mean the project is finished, when the sentence actually describes only the activity.
Correction: Use the perfective past to report a finished result: я сде́лал прое́кт. Reserve я де́лал for describing the activity itself, without confirming its outcome.
Error: Using я сде́лаю to describe something happening right now.
Correction: Perfective non-past forms always point to the future, never the present: я сде́лаю э́то за́втра. For a present ongoing activity, use the imperfective: я де́лаю э́то сейча́с.
Error: Assuming that any prefix added to говори́ть creates its perfective partner.
Correction: The verified perfective partner of говори́ть is the separate verb сказа́ть. Use only the aspect pairs presented and verified in this chapter's vocabulary table.
Chapter Review
Aspect pairs
Eight new verified imperfective and perfective pairs, including one suppletive pair, говори́ть/сказа́ть.
Perfective future
Perfective non-past forms express a single planned or expected future event with a clear result.
Imperfective future
Бу́ду plus imperfective infinitive expresses ongoing, repeated, or open-ended future activity.
Process versus result
Imperfective past for activity or attempt, perfective past with уже́ for a present, finished result.
Listening
Follow a weekly plan, distinguishing what is still in progress from what is already finished.
Speaking
Describe a shared project's process and results in connected speech.
Reading
Interpret a personal message combining plans, ongoing work, and results.
Writing
Compose a message applying aspect choice accurately across present, future, and past.
Часть A — Понима́ние (Comprehension)
1. Return to the Model Dialogue, and answer these short questions.
- What has Pavel already bought, and what will he still be doing today?
- By what day does Pavel expect to finish the garden?
Часть B — Пи́сьменная речь (Writing)
1. Write one sentence using the imperfective compound future.
2. Write one sentence using the perfective future for a single result.
3. Write one sentence using the perfective past with уже́.
Часть C — Чте́ние (Reading)
1. Return to Ири́на's message, and summarize it in three of your own sentences in English.
Часть D — Говоре́ние (Speaking)
1. With a partner, or on your own, describe a plan for this week, mentioning one ongoing activity, one single expected result, and one thing already finished.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 6 Performance Task
Мой план на неде́лю: process, plan, and resultNew
Complete the following connected tasks, in order. This task recycles the location, reference, and quantity systems from Chapters 1 through 5 while applying this chapter's aspect, future, and result-state patterns.
- Complete your outline. Use the three prompts from the Writing Workshop above.
- Plan your week with a partner, or plan it alone. Decide on one ongoing activity, one single expected result, and one deadline.
- Describe your plan aloud, at least one minute long. Use at least one imperfective future form and one perfective future form.
- Answer at least two follow-up questions from a partner, or imagine two such questions. Practice reporting whether something is already finished.
- Write your eight to ten sentence message from the Writing Workshop. Apply the final editing checklist.
- Reflect briefly in English or Russian. Note which aspect choice, perfective future, imperfective future, or perfective past with уже́, still needs the most conscious checking.
| Criterion | What is checked |
|---|---|
| Content clarity | The learner clearly describes a plan, an ongoing activity, and a result. |
| Perfective future control | The learner correctly uses a perfective non-past form for a single expected event. |
| Imperfective future control | The learner correctly forms бу́ду plus an imperfective infinitive for ongoing activity. |
| Process versus result control | The learner correctly distinguishes imperfective and perfective past according to meaning. |
| Recycled system control | The learner maintains accurate case, reference, and numeral forms from Chapters 1 through 5. |
| Overall comprehensibility | The completed spoken and written account communicates clearly to a sympathetic listener or reader familiar with A2 to B1 Russian. |
This chapter is not a cumulative assessment chapter. Formal cumulative evidence for Chapters 6 through 9 is collected in Chapter 10.
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
- За́втра я напишу́ письмо́ Ле́не.
- На э́той неде́ле мы бу́дем рабо́тать в саду́ ка́ждый день.
- К суббо́те Па́вел сде́лает всю рабо́ту.
- Ве́чером я бу́ду чита́ть но́вую кни́гу.
- Ты уже́ купи́л/а пода́рок?
Listening — Comprehension
- Olga is still writing a report today, and it is not yet finished.
- Tomorrow she will write the last part and show it to her boss.
- Sample answer: я бу́ду писа́ть is imperfective future, describing ongoing work, while я напишу́ is perfective future, describing a single completed part.
- Olga expects everything to be done by Saturday.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Pavel has already bought everything necessary, and today he will still be working in the garden until evening.
- Pavel expects to finish by Friday.
Reading
- Irina has heard that Tamara and Pavel have already done a lot on the garden.
- Irina's own project is a new bookshelf, and she has not finished it yet.
- She expects to finish tomorrow, and afterward she will show Tamara a photograph.
- Sample sentences: я начала́ свой ма́ленький прое́кт is perfective past, and я бу́ду рабо́тать над ней весь день is imperfective future.
Writing
Sample message: Приве́т, Ди́ма! У меня́ есть но́вый план. Я бу́ду учи́ть но́вые слова́ ка́ждый день на э́той неде́ле. Я ду́маю, я сде́лаю пе́рвый уро́к к четвергу́. Вчера́ я уже́ ко́нчил/а пе́рвый спи́сок слов. Напиши́ мне, как твои́ пла́ны! Other messages drawing accurately on this chapter's aspect, future, and result-state patterns are also correct.
Looking Ahead
Что вы уже уме́ете — What you can do now
You can talk about a plan or a project, describe what you are still doing or will be doing, and report what is already finished, choosing correctly between the perfective and imperfective futures and between process and result in the past.