The first conjugation (пе́рша дієвідмі́на) is one of the two patterns Ukrainian verbs follow in the present tense, and it is the one that swallows the most verbs — including the entire productive class of borrowings (тестува́ти, ґуґли́ти-style words increasingly drift to -ува́ти). Its signature is the theme vowel -е-/-є- running through the middle of the endings and a third-person plural in -уть/-ють. Once you can conjugate чита́ти and працюва́ти, you can handle thousands of verbs. This page drills the endings, walks through four model paradigms (a vowel stem, a consonant stem, a mutating stem, and the -ува-/-юва- borrowings), and marks the stress carefully — because stress, not just endings, is where learners slip.
The endings
The first conjugation adds these endings to the present stem. Each slot has a hard variant and a soft/iotated variant; which one you use depends on whether the stem ends in a consonant or a vowel.
| Person | Hard variant | Soft / iotated variant |
|---|---|---|
| я | -у | -ю |
| ти | -еш | -єш |
| він/вона́/воно́ | -е | -є |
| ми | -емо | -ємо |
| ви | -ете | -єте |
| вони́ | -уть | -ють |
The soft/iotated column (-ю, -єш, -є, -ємо, -єте, -ють) appears after a vowel-final stem like чита́- (чита́ю, чита́єш). The hard column (-у, -еш, -е, -емо, -ете, -уть) appears after a consonant-final stem like нес- (несу́, несе́ш). Keep that link in mind: vowel stem → soft endings, consonant stem → hard endings.
Model 1 — чита́ти "to read" (vowel stem, soft endings)
The cleanest model. The stem is чита́- (a vowel), so it takes the soft/iotated endings. Nothing mutates; the stem is stable and the stress stays on -та́- throughout.
| Person | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | чита́ю | I read / am reading |
| ти | чита́єш | you read |
| він/вона́ | чита́є | he/she reads |
| ми | чита́ємо | we read |
| ви | чита́єте | you (pl./polite) read |
| вони́ | чита́ють | they read |
Я чита́ю кни́жку, а ти диви́шся телефо́н.
I'm reading a book, and you're staring at your phone. (чита́ю — 1sg, soft -ю after the vowel stem.)
Ми чита́ємо ді́тям ка́зку щове́чора.
We read the kids a fairy tale every evening. (1pl чита́ємо, -ємо.)
Вони́ чита́ють нови́ни украї́нською.
They read the news in Ukrainian. (3pl чита́ють, the diagnostic -ють ending.)
Verbs that conjugate exactly like чита́ти — vowel stem, no mutation — are everywhere: зна́ти (зна́ю), ма́ти (ма́ю), гра́ти (гра́ю), співа́ти (співа́ю), розумі́ти (розумі́ю). Learn the model and you get them all.
Model 2 — нести́ "to carry" (consonant stem, hard endings)
Here the stem ends in a consonant — нес- — so the verb takes the hard endings (-у, -еш, -е…), and the stress falls on the ending, not the stem. Note the moving stress: it sits on the ending throughout (несу́, несе́ш…).
| Person | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | несу́ | I carry / am carrying |
| ти | несе́ш | you carry |
| він/вона́ | несе́ | he/she carries |
| ми | несемо́ | we carry |
| ви | несете́ | you (pl.) carry |
| вони́ | несу́ть | they carry |
Я несу́ су́мки, а ти трима́й две́рі.
I'll carry the bags, and you hold the door. (1sg несу́, hard -у on a consonant stem, stressed ending.)
Куди́ ти несе́ш цю коро́бку?
Where are you carrying that box? (2sg несе́ш — hard -еш.)
Вони́ несу́ть пра́пор попе́реду коло́ни.
They're carrying the flag at the front of the column. (3pl несу́ть — hard -уть.)
Other consonant-stem first-conjugation verbs follow the same hard pattern: вести́ (веду́, веде́ш), іти́/йти (іду́, іде́ш), могти́ (можу́ — see below).
Model 3 — писа́ти "to write" (mutating stem, с → ш throughout)
This is the model learners fear, but it's regular. The present stem of писа́ти mutates с → ш — and crucially, in the first conjugation the mutation runs through every person, not just the "я" form. The whole present is built on the mutated stem пиш-, which (being consonant-final) takes the hard endings. Stress shifts to пишу́ in the 1sg, then settles on the stem (пи́шеш, пи́ше…).
| Person | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| я | пишу́ | I write / am writing |
| ти | пи́шеш | you write |
| він/вона́ | пи́ше | he/she writes |
| ми | пи́шемо | we write |
| ви | пи́шете | you (pl.) write |
| вони́ | пи́шуть | they write |
There is no "ти пи́сеш" — the original с never comes back. Contrast this with the second conjugation, where the mutation is quarantined in the 1sg; here it is total. The full mutation map is on present-stem consonant changes.
Я пишу́ тобі́ вже тре́тє повідо́млення!
I'm writing you my third message already! (1sg пишу́ — с→ш, hard -у.)
Ти га́рно пи́шеш, ма́єш тала́нт.
You write beautifully, you've got talent. (2sg пи́шеш — the ш holds, no с reappears.)
Model 3b — могти́ "to be able / can" (г → ж throughout)
The very high-frequency modal могти́ belongs here too: its stem mutates г → ж, again across the whole present, on a consonant stem with hard endings.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| я | можу́ |
| ти | мо́жеш |
| він/вона́ | мо́же |
| ми | мо́жемо |
| ви | мо́жете |
| вони́ | мо́жуть |
Я не мо́жу зайти́ сього́дні, мо́же, за́втра?
I can't drop by today — maybe tomorrow? (можу́ — г→ж; the parenthetical мо́же 'maybe' is the frozen 3sg.)
Model 4 — працюва́ти "to work" (the -ува-/-юва- class)
This is the most valuable model on the page, because it covers an enormous, productive class. Verbs ending in -ува́ти / -юва́ти drop that suffix to -у-/-ю- in the present, then take the soft endings. працюва́ти → працю́- gives працю́ю, працю́єш… Note the stress moves to -цю́- in the present (infinitive працюва́ти → present працю́ю).
| Person | працюва́ти → працю́ю | малюва́ти → малю́ю | дя́кувати → дя́кую |
|---|---|---|---|
| я | працю́ю | малю́ю | дя́кую |
| ти | працю́єш | малю́єш | дя́куєш |
| він/вона́ | працю́є | малю́є | дя́кує |
| ми | працю́ємо | малю́ємо | дя́куємо |
| ви | працю́єте | малю́єте | дя́куєте |
| вони́ | працю́ють | малю́ють | дя́кують |
Why this matters: -ува́ти is the bin Ukrainian uses for new and borrowed verbs — тестува́ти ("to test"), сканува́ти ("to scan"), фотографува́ти ("to photograph"), формува́ти ("to form"). Every one of them conjugates like працю́ю. Master this single pattern and the language's growing edge — its loanword verbs — is already conjugated for you.
Я працю́ю з до́му три дні на ти́ждень.
I work from home three days a week. (1sg працю́ю — -ува- drops to -у-.)
Дя́кую, що ти за́вжди допомага́єш.
Thank you for always helping. (дя́кую — frozen 1sg of дя́кувати, the everyday 'thanks'; допомага́єш is a чита́-type verb.)
Вони́ малю́ють графі́ті на стіні́ біля шко́ли.
They're painting graffiti on the wall by the school. (3pl малю́ють — soft -ють.)
Ми тесту́ємо нови́й застосу́нок цього́ ти́жня.
We're testing the new app this week. (тестува́ти → тесту́ємо — a modern borrowing conjugated like працюва́ти.)
Watch the stress
Stress in the first conjugation is not decorative — it can shift between the infinitive and the present, and between persons. Three patterns to internalise:
- Fixed stem stress (чита́ти): чита́ю, чита́єш — stress stays on -та́- everywhere.
- End stress (нести́): несу́, несе́ш, несемо́ — stress sits on the ending.
- Shifting stress (писа́ти, могти́): the 1sg pulls the stress to the ending (пишу́, можу́), then it retreats to the stem (пи́шеш, мо́жеш). The -ува- class likewise shifts to the new syllable: працюва́ти → працю́ю.
For the general rules behind these shifts, see word stress.
Source-language comparison
For an English speaker, the first conjugation is mostly a memory task with one conceptual hook: the diagnostic 3pl -уть/-ють. English has no theme-vowel system, so think of -е-/-є- as a connector you slot in before the personal ending. The genuinely useful payoff is the -ува-/-юва- class: because English borrows verbs into Ukrainian through this suffix, you can take almost any modern verb (стрі́мити "to stream," лайкну́ти, тестува́ти) and conjugate it on the працю́ю template without looking it up.
For a Russian speaker, the patterns rhyme but differ in the surface: Ukrainian's 3pl is -уть/-ють (чита́ють, несу́ть), the -ува-/-юва- class is the productive one (Russian -овать/-евать differs in stress and spelling), and forms like можу́ / мо́жеш keep Ukrainian stress and vowels. Trust the tables here.
Common Mistakes
❌ Вони́ чита́ть нови́ни. (wrong 3pl ending)
Wrong — the 1st-conjugation 3pl is -уть/-ють: Вони́ чита́ють нови́ни.
✅ Вони́ чита́ють нови́ни.
They read the news — 3pl -ють.
❌ Ти пи́сеш ду́же га́рно. (un-mutated с)
Wrong — писа́ти mutates с→ш throughout the present: Ти пи́шеш ду́же га́рно.
✅ Ти пи́шеш ду́же га́рно.
You write very nicely — пи́шеш keeps ш like the whole paradigm.
❌ Я працюва́ю з до́му. (infinitive suffix kept in the present)
Wrong — -ува- drops to -у- in the present: Я працю́ю з до́му.
✅ Я працю́ю з до́му.
I work from home — present stem працю́-.
❌ Я несе́ш су́мки. (2sg ending on a 1sg subject)
Wrong — the consonant stem нес- takes -у in the 1sg: Я несу́ су́мки.
✅ Я несу́ су́мки.
I'm carrying the bags — 1sg несу́.
❌ Я не мо́гу прийти́. (un-mutated г)
Wrong — могти́ has г→ж across the present: Я не мо́жу прийти́.
✅ Я не мо́жу прийти́.
I can't come — можу́, г→ж, hard -у.
Key Takeaways
- First-conjugation endings: -у/-ю, -еш/-єш, -е/-є, -емо/-ємо, -ете/-єте, -уть/-ють — soft variants after a vowel stem, hard after a consonant stem.
- Diagnostic: theme vowel -е-/-є- and 3pl -уть/-ють.
- чита́ти (vowel, soft, no change): чита́ю, чита́єш, чита́ють.
- нести́ (consonant, hard, end-stressed): несу́, несе́ш, несу́ть.
- писа́ти / могти́ mutate throughout the present (пишу́…, можу́…) — unlike the second conjugation's 1sg-only change.
- -ува́ти/-юва́ти verbs drop to -у-/-ю- (працюва́ти → працю́ю) and form the productive class that catches new borrowings — mastering it covers thousands of verbs.
Now practice Ukrainian
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Ukrainian→Related Topics
- The Present Tense: OverviewA1 — The present tense (тепе́рішній час) is formed only from imperfective verbs — perfectives have no present, their 'present' form is actually future. One Ukrainian form covers English 'I read', 'I am reading' and 'I do read' (no progressive/simple split), the subject pronoun is usually dropped, and the verb 'to be' has no present form in neutral statements (Він студе́нт, not *Він є студе́нт).
- Present Tense: Second ConjugationA1 — The second conjugation (друга дієвідміна) takes the present endings -у/-ю, -иш/-їш, -ить/-їть, -имо/-їмо, -ите/-їте, -ать/-ять, built on the theme vowel -и-/-ї- with a 3pl in -ать/-ять. Drill three models: regular говори́ти (говорю́, гово́риш, гово́рить… гово́рять), labial+л in the 1sg люби́ти (люблю́, лю́биш… лю́блять), and dental mutation in the 1sg ходи́ти (ходжу́, хо́диш… хо́дять) and ба́чити (ба́чу, ба́чиш… ба́чать — -ать, not -ять, after the hushing ч). The key insight: the mutation is confined to the я-form.
- The Two Conjugations (Дієвідміни)A1 — Ukrainian verbs fall into two conjugation classes that determine the present and synthetic-future endings: the FIRST (перша дієвідміна) has the theme vowel -е-/-є- and the 3rd-person plural -уть/-ють (читаю, читаєш... читають; пишу, пишеш...), the SECOND (друга дієвідміна) has the theme vowel -и-/-ї- and 3rd-plural -ать/-ять (говорю, говориш, говорить... говорять; бачу, любиш) — and because the infinitive ending is unreliable, you read the class off the present theme vowel and the 3pl ending.
- Present-Stem Consonant ChangesA2 — When you form the present stem, a stem-final consonant often mutates: д→дж, т→ч, з→ж, с→ш, ст→щ, and any labial (б п в м ф) inserts an epenthetic -л-. In the second conjugation this happens only in the 1sg (ходи́ти→ходжу́, but хо́диш); in the first conjugation it runs through the whole present (писа́ти→пишу́, пи́шеш…). The mutations are regular, so you can derive the tricky я-form instead of memorising it.
- Читати / Прочитати (to read)A1 — Complete conjugation-and-usage reference for the model regular aspect pair чита́ти (imperfective) / прочита́ти (perfective) 'to read'. This is the cleanest pair in the language for anchoring the whole aspect system: imperfective чита́ти conjugates as a textbook first-conjugation -ай- verb (чита́ю, чита́єш, чита́є…), and the perfective прочита́ти conjugates identically but means the FUTURE (прочита́ю = 'I will read [it through]', never 'I read'). Covers past чита́в / прочита́в, the synthetic future чита́тиму, the imperative чита́й, and the accusative object.
- Працювати (to work)A1 — Complete conjugation-and-usage reference for працюва́ти 'to work' — the model verb of the huge, productive -юва-/-ува- class. The -юва- collapses to -ю- in the present (працю́ю, працю́єш, працю́є…), the past is regular працюва́в / працюва́ла, and the verb governs над + instrumental ('work on a problem') and на + locative ('work at a place'). Covers all three futures, the imperative, and the perfective попрацюва́ти.