Я пою песню.

I sing a song.

Breakdown of Я пою песню.

• я: I
• песня: the song
• петь: to sing

Questions & Answers about Я пою песню.

What does the verb form пою tell us about the subject and the action?

Пою is the first person singular present tense form of петь (to sing). It shows that the speaker (Я meaning "I") is performing the action right now or habitually, depending on context.

Why is the noun песня changed to песню in this sentence?

In Russian, direct objects are marked by the accusative case. For feminine nouns like песня, the nominative form (“песня”) becomes песню in the accusative. The ending changes from -я to -ю to indicate its role as the object of the action.

Why doesn’t the sentence include an article like “a” or “the” before песню?

Russian does not use articles. Unlike English, where articles help specify definiteness, Russian relies on context and case endings. So, there’s no word equivalent to “a” or “the” in the sentence.

How important is the word order in Я пою песню?

Although Russian has a flexible word order thanks to its inflectional system, the sentence follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, which is common and clear. This order helps learners easily identify the subject, verb, and object without confusion.

What does the imperfective aspect of петь imply in this context?

The verb петь is imperfective, which means it generally describes an ongoing, repeated, or habitual action. It doesn’t focus on the completion of the act of singing, but rather on the process or general act of singing.

Is it necessary to include the pronoun Я in Russian sentences, or can it be omitted?

In Russian, subject pronouns like Я can often be dropped because the verb conjugation already indicates the subject. However, including Я can add emphasis or clarity, especially for learners who are still getting used to the language.