-ывать

Russian

Alternative forms

• -ивать (-ivatʹ)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Suffix

-ывать • (-yvatʹ)

1. Used to form imperfective verbs from prefixed perfective verbs. Normally used with stems ending in paired non-palatal consonants, but occasionally found with stems ending in paired palatal consonants, with the consonant becoming non-palatal before this suffix.

   отде́лать pf (otdélatʹ) → отде́лывать impf (otdélyvatʹ)

   записа́ть pf (zapisátʹ) → запи́сывать impf (zapísyvatʹ)

   срабо́тать pf (srabótatʹ) → сраба́тывать impf (srabátyvatʹ)

   опроки́нуть pf (oprokínutʹ) → опроки́дывать impf (oprokídyvatʹ)

   обхвати́ть pf (obxvatítʹ) → обхва́тывать impf (obxvátyvatʹ)

   заката́ть pf (zakatátʹ) → зака́тывать impf (zakátyvatʹ)

2. Used to form frequentative verbs from non-prefixed imperfective verbs.

   ‎писа́ть (pisátʹ, “to write”) + ‎-ывать (-yvatʹ) → ‎пи́сывать (písyvatʹ, “to write repeatedly”)

   ‎чита́ть (čitátʹ, “to read”) + ‎-ывать (-yvatʹ) → ‎чи́тывать (čítyvatʹ, “to read repeatedly”)

Usage notes

The frequentative and imperfectivizing suffixes are etymologically the same. The suffixes are used with verbs in -ать (-atʹ) and -нуть (-nutʹ) (in the latter case, the underlying root reappears, which may involve an extra consonant that was lost before the -н- of the verbal suffix). They are also used with some verbs in -ить (-itʹ). The spelling variant -ивать (-ivatʹ) is used instead with verbs that end in root-final velars (к г х) and hushing consonants (ш ж ч щ). The stress is drawn onto the syllable before the suffix, and an о in that syllable usually changes into а (examples: замора́живать impf (zamoráživatʹ), отмора́живать impf (otmoráživatʹ), выздора́вливать impf (vyzdorávlivatʹ); exception: застрахо́вывать impf (zastraxóvyvatʹ)).

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• -ва́ть (-vátʹ)