Breakdown of Мы надеемся улучшить этот процесс в будущем.
мы
we
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
в
on / during (a time period)
процесс
process
будущее
future
надеяться
to hope
улучшить
to improve (perfective)
Questions & Answers about Мы надеемся улучшить этот процесс в будущем.
This sentence is active (Мы надеемся). If this were a formal document, how would we express the passive English equivalent, "It is hoped that this process will be improved"?
In formal Russian business writing, you might use a passive reflexive verb for the expectation and a short-form passive participle for the action: Ожидается, что этот процесс будет улучшен (It is expected that this process will be improved). However, directly translating "It is hoped" as a passive is awkward. Russian often simply keeps the active Мы надеемся even in formal business contexts, as it is perfectly polite and professional.
The verb надеемся has the reflexive suffix -ся (here as -ся -> -мся in conjugation). Does that give it a passive meaning here?
No. While the -ся suffix is a key way to form the passive voice in Russian (which you are studying now), надеяться (to hope) is an inherently reflexive verb. It simply cannot exist without the -ся or -сь ending, and its meaning is entirely active.
Why is the perfective verb улучшить used here instead of the imperfective улучшать?
The perfective улучшить is used because the speaker is focused on the successful completion and result of the action: achieving a better process. If you used the imperfective улучшать, it would imply a hope to merely be engaged in the ongoing, continuous effort of making improvements, rather than reaching the final goal.
Why does в будущем end in -ем?
The word будущее (future) is a substantivized adjective, meaning it is an adjective that functions entirely as a noun. It is grammatically neuter, so it takes standard neuter adjective endings. Because it follows the preposition в to indicate "when" something happens, it is in the prepositional case, changing the nominative -ее ending to -ем.
Learn Мы надеемся улучшить этот процесс в будущем and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free