-нуть
Russian
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-nǫti.
Pronunciation
- -нуть: IPA(key): [nʊtʲ]
- -ну́ть: IPA(key): [ˈnutʲ]
Suffix
-нуть or -ну́ть • (-nutʹ or -nútʹ)
- Suffix used to create primary imperfective intransitive verbs.
- Suffix used to create derived perfective verbs, most of which are semelfactive.
Usage notes
- There are two related verbal suffixes. One variant suffix forms primary verbs (i.e. verbs formed directly from a root), and the other variant forms secondary verbs (i.e. verbs originally derived from other terms, although this may no be longer be obvious), usually with a semelfactive meaning, i.e. with the meaning "to do something once". The properties and conjugations of the two variants are distinct:
- The primary (type-1) suffix is always unstressed. It forms verbs that are imperfective when unprefixed (perfective when prefixed, as usual), and are usually intransitive. The -н of the suffix tends to disappear in the past tense. Examples:
- ги́бнуть (gíbnutʹ, “to die, to perish”)
- мёрзнуть (mjórznutʹ, “to freeze”)
- блёкнуть (bljóknutʹ, “to fade, to pale”)
- ли́пнуть (lípnutʹ, “to stick”)
- сты́нуть (stýnutʹ, “to wither, to cool down”)
- -ве́ргнуть (-vérgnutʹ, “to throw”) (only prefixed)
- The secondary (type-2) suffix may be stressed or unstressed. It forms intransitive and transitive verbs, which are perfective when unprefixed. The -н of the suffix is present in all tenses. Examples:
- дви́нуть (dvínutʹ, “to move (something)”)
- тяну́ть (tjanútʹ, “to pull”)
- хлебну́ть (xlebnútʹ, “to swallow a mouthful of (something)”)
- The primary (type-1) suffix is always unstressed. It forms verbs that are imperfective when unprefixed (perfective when prefixed, as usual), and are usually intransitive. The -н of the suffix tends to disappear in the past tense. Examples:
- Note, for example, the following contrasts:
| type 1 | past masc | past fem | type 2 | past masc | past fem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| imperfective дро́гнуть (drógnutʹ, “to freeze, to feel cold”) | дрог (drog)/дро́гнул (drógnul) | дро́гла (drógla) | perfective дро́гнуть (drógnutʹ, “to shiver, to shake”) | дро́гнул (drógnul) | дро́гнула (drógnula) |
| imperfective па́хнуть (páxnutʹ, “to smell (of), to have a smell”) | пах (pax)/па́хнул (páxnul) | па́хла (páxla) | perfective пахну́ть (paxnútʹ, “to puff, to blow”) | пахну́л (paxnúl) | пахну́ла (paxnúla) |
| prefixed perfective промо́кнуть (promóknutʹ, “to get wet, to get soaked”) | промо́к (promók) | промо́кла (promókla) | prefixed perfective промокну́ть (promoknútʹ, “to blot (paper)”) | промокну́л (promoknúl) | промокну́ла (promoknúla) |
Conjugation
primary:
Conjugation of -нуть (class 3°a imperfective intransitive)
| imperfective aspect | ||
|---|---|---|
| infinitive | -нуть -nutʹ | |
| participles | present tense | past tense |
| active | -нущий -nuščij | -ший -šij |
| passive | — | — |
| adverbial | — | -ши -ši |
| present tense | future tense | |
| 1st singular (я) | -ну -nu | бу́ду -нуть búdu -nutʹ |
| 2nd singular (ты) | -нешь -nešʹ | бу́дешь -нуть búdešʹ -nutʹ |
| 3rd singular (он/она́/оно́) | -нет -net | бу́дет -нуть búdet -nutʹ |
| 1st plural (мы) | -нем -nem | бу́дем -нуть búdem -nutʹ |
| 2nd plural (вы) | -нете -nete | бу́дете -нуть búdete -nutʹ |
| 3rd plural (они́) | -нут -nut | бу́дут -нуть búdut -nutʹ |
| imperative | singular | plural |
| -нь -nʹ | -ньте -nʹte | |
| past tense | singular | plural (мы/вы/они́) |
| masculine (я/ты/он) | (no suffix) | -ли -li |
| feminine (я/ты/она́) | -ла -la | |
| neuter (оно́) | -ло -lo | |
secondary (often semelfactive):
Conjugation of -нуть, -ну́ть (class 3a // 3b perfective transitive)
| perfective aspect | ||
|---|---|---|
| infinitive | -нуть -nutʹ, -ну́ть -nútʹ | |
| participles | present tense | past tense |
| active | — | -нувший -nuvšij, -ну́вший -núvšij |
| passive | — | -нутый -nutyj |
| adverbial | — | -нув -nuv, -ну́в -núv, -нувши -nuvši, -ну́вши -núvši |
| present tense | future tense | |
| 1st singular (я) | — | -ну -nu, -ну́ -nú |
| 2nd singular (ты) | — | -нешь -nešʹ, -нёшь -njóšʹ |
| 3rd singular (он/она́/оно́) | — | -нет -net, -нёт -njót |
| 1st plural (мы) | — | -нем -nem, -нём -njóm |
| 2nd plural (вы) | — | -нете -nete, -нёте -njóte |
| 3rd plural (они́) | — | -нут -nut, -ну́т -nút |
| imperative | singular | plural |
| -нь -nʹ, -ни́ -ní | -ньте -nʹte, -ни́те -níte | |
| past tense | singular | plural (мы/вы/они́) |
| masculine (я/ты/он) | -нул -nul, -ну́л -núl | -нули -nuli, -ну́ли -núli |
| feminine (я/ты/она́) | -нула -nula, -ну́ла -núla | |
| neuter (оно́) | -нуло -nulo, -ну́ло -núlo | |
Derived terms
Russian terms suffixed with -нуть