-нуть

Russian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-nǫti.

Pronunciation

• -нуть: IPA^(key): [nʊtʲ]
• -ну́ть: IPA^(key): [ˈnutʲ]

Suffix

-нуть or -ну́ть • (-nutʹ or -nútʹ)

1. Suffix used to create primary imperfective intransitive verbs.
2. 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)”)
• 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)

Note: For declension of participles, see their entries. Adverbial participles are indeclinable.

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)

Note: For declension of participles, see their entries. Adverbial participles are indeclinable.

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