Писати / Написати (to write)

Imperfective: писа́ти — "to write, to be writing" Perfective: написа́ти — "to write (and finish), to get written" Type: a first-conjugation aspect pair with a с→ш present-stem mutation; the perfective adds the prefix на-

писа́ти / написа́ти is the verb of writing, and it teaches a structural lesson that чита́ти did not: a present-stem consonant mutation. The infinitive stem ends in с (писа́-), but the present is built on a ш stem — пишу́, пи́шеш, пи́ше… This с→ш change happens in every present-tense person, not just one, and it carries through to the imperative (пиши́) but not the past (писа́в, which keeps the с). On top of the mutation comes a stress retraction: the 1sg пишу́ is end-stressed, but from the 2sg onward the stress jumps back to the stem — пи́шеш, пи́ше, пи́шемо, пи́шете, пи́шуть. Both of these are exactly the features that make a regular-looking verb feel tricky. Stress is marked on every form.

Present tense — the с→ш mutation throughout (imperfective писа́ти only)

Only the imperfective писа́ти has a present. The stem-final с mutates to ш before all the first-conjugation endings, and the stress retracts after the first person.

So the rule of thumb: пишу́ is the only end-stressed present form, with the ж-class mutation written as ш here (s→sh). Everything else is пи́ш- with stem stress.

Future tense — написа́ти (perfective simple) vs писа́ти (imperfective)

The perfective написа́ти conjugates exactly like the present of писа́ти (same с→ш, same stress retraction) but means the future: напишу́ = "I'll write (it)." The imperfective uses the analytic бу́ду + писа́ти and the synthetic писа́тиму.

The contrast is the usual one: Я напишу́ листа́ за́втра "I'll write the letter tomorrow" (one finished letter) vs Я бу́ду писа́ти / писа́тиму "I'll be writing" (the activity). See forming aspect pairs with prefixes.

Past tense — писа́в / написа́в (the с comes back)

In the past the mutation disappears: the stem reverts to с and the stress sits on the -а- of писа́- / написа́-, with the gendered -в / -ла / -ло / -ли endings.

Imperative — пиши́ / пиші́ть

The imperative keeps the ш of the present stem and is end-stressed: пиши́ (2sg), пиші́ть (2pl). The perfective напиши́ urges a specific finished text.

Participles and verbal adverbs

The passive participle напи́саний is everyday — лист напи́саний від руки́ "the letter is written by hand." The verbal adverb пи́шучи keeps the ш of the present stem.

Key uses & case government

1. писа́ти + accusative + dative recipient

The thing written is the accusative object, the addressee is the dative: написа́ти листа́ дру́гові "write a friend a letter." Note that with animate masculine objects like ли́ст, the colloquial accusative often takes the animate-style ending листа́ ("write a letter"), even though a letter is not literally animate — a productive quirk of Ukrainian. Under negation the object goes genitive.

2. The prefix family — meaning, not just aspect

на- gives the neutral perfective "write (and finish)." Other prefixes change the meaning, each forming its own new verb with its own aspect partner (see prefixes add meaning):

3. писа́ти without an object — "to write (be a writer / be writing)"

Used intransitively, писа́ти means "to write" as an activity or profession — Він пи́ше вірші́ "He writes poetry," Я люблю́ писа́ти "I like writing."

Common Mistakes

Key Takeaways

• Present с→ш throughout: пишу́ / пи́шеш / пи́ше / пи́шемо / пи́шете / пи́шуть — the consonant changes in every person.
• Stress retracts after the 1sg: end-stressed пишу́, then stem-stressed пи́шеш, пи́ше… The past resets both — писа́в keeps the с and the -а- stress.
• Perfective написа́ти = "write (and finish)"; its forms (напишу́, напи́шеш…) are the future.
• Government: accusative object (often the animate-style листа́) + dative recipient; genitive under negation.
• Rich prefix family: записа́ти "jot down," переписа́ти "rewrite," підписа́ти "sign," описа́ти "describe" — each a distinct verb, not just an aspect partner.