Я положил корм в миску для кошки.

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Breakdown of Я положил корм в миску для кошки.

• кошка: the cat
• для: for
• миска: the bowl

Questions & Answers about Я положил корм в миску для кошки.

Why is the verb положил, and what does it mean here?

Положил is the past tense of положить, which means to put / to place. In this sentence it describes a completed action: the speaker put the cat food into the bowl.

This verb is perfective, so it focuses on the result or completion of the action.

A useful pair to know is:

• класть = imperfective, to be putting / to put habitually
• положить = perfective, to put (successfully, as a completed act)

So:

• Я положил корм... = I put the food... / I have put the food...
• Я клал корм... = I was putting the food... or I used to put the food...

Why does положил end in -л? Does it tell us anything about the speaker?

Yes. In Russian past tense, the verb agrees with the subject in gender and number.

• положил = masculine singular
• положила = feminine singular
• положило = neuter singular
• положили = plural

So Я положил tells you the speaker is male, or at least grammatically presented as masculine.

If a woman said it, it would be:

• Я положила корм в миску для кошки.