Learn Hardcore Russian: Перед экзаменом я глубоко дышу.

Yes, you can say до экзамена, which uses the genitive case. The nuance is that перед implies “immediately before” the exam, while до covers any time before it in a broader sense. For something happening just before the test, перед экзаменом is more natural.

Why is глубоко used instead of глубокий?

Глубокий is an adjective (deep) and modifies nouns. To describe how you breathe (a verb), you need an adverb. The adverb form is глубоко (“deeply”).

Can we place глубоко after дышу, as in я дышу глубоко?

Yes, both orders are acceptable. Я глубоко дышу is neutral, while я дышу глубоко can put a slight emphasis on the manner of breathing, but the meaning stays the same.

Where does the stress fall in дышу?

The stress is on the second syllable: дышу, not дышу.

Why is the verb in the present tense if the exam hasn’t started yet?

Russian uses the present tense of an imperfective verb like дышать both for ongoing actions and for actions you’re doing right now, even if something hasn’t begun. If you wanted to talk about breathing deeply in the future just before the exam, you could say Перед экзаменом я буду глубоко дышать.

Can we drop the pronoun я and just say Перед экзаменом глубоко дышу?

Absolutely. Russian is a pro-drop language: the verb ending -у already marks first person singular. Omitting я is common in everyday speech; including it adds emphasis or clarity.

Is дышать transitive or intransitive? Does it take an object?

Дышать is intransitive and generally doesn’t take a direct object. You can breathe воздухом (“with air”) using the instrumental case, but there’s no bare object like in English.

How do you say “to take a deep breath” in Russian?

For the single action “to take a deep breath,” you use the perfective вдохнуть глубоко or the phrase сделать глубокий вдох.

What is the infinitive form of дышу?

The infinitive is дышать (stress on the second syllable). From this you get present tense forms: я дышу, ты дышишь, они дышат.