петь
petʹ[pʲetʲ]imperfective
To sing in Russian is петь (petʹ). Wiktionary also lists спеть (spetʹ).
Meaning: to produce harmonious sounds with one’s voice (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| петь | petʹ | [pʲetʲ] (narrow) | imperfective |
| спеть | spetʹ | [spʲetʲ] (narrow) | perfective |
The verb refers to the act of producing harmonious sounds with one's voice.
Which one should you use?
Russian uses two different forms depending on the nature of the action. Use the imperfective form петь for ongoing, habitual or repeated singing actions. Use the perfective form спеть for a completed singing action or a single instance of singing a song from start to finish.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes based on tense and person. For the imperfective verb, the third person singular present tense form is поёт. In the past tense, the masculine form is пел and the feminine form is пела.
How do you pronounce it?
petʹ
What mistakes should you avoid?
When expressing that you have the learned skill of singing, use уметь (know how to) instead of мочь (can).
Did you know?
- In a criminal context, the verb петь is used as slang meaning to confess or give information to the police.
- In Russian culture, the act of singing is often linked to the concept of душа, meaning 'soul', as singing is seen as a direct expression of one's inner emotional state.
- The phrase петь в унисон is used not just for music, but to describe two people who are in complete agreement about an opinion.
Examples in context
- Я не могу петь.I can't sing.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to sing using the imperfective form петь.Tatoeba #2747122 by afyodor, translation #1883025 by Spamster
- Я не умею петь.I don't know how to sing.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of the learned skill to sing using the imperfective form петь.Tatoeba #2747123 by afyodor, translation #9199201 by CK
- Я не хочу петь.I don't want to sing.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of desire to sing using the imperfective form петь.Tatoeba #5793149 by marafon, translation #5791829 by CK
- Я слышал, что вы любите петь.I heard that you love to sing.
- Давайте споём вместе!Let's sing together!
- Он всегда поёт на вечеринках.He always sings at parties.
- 627 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dmitry and Ekaterina are at a music rehearsal.
- Дмитрий DmitryТы любишь петь?Ty lyubish' pet'Do you love to sing?
- Екатерина EkaterinaДа, я очень люблю петь.Da, ya ochen' lyublyu pet'Yes, I love to sing very much.
- Дмитрий DmitryТвоя песня очень красивая.Tvoyá pesnya ochen' krasivaya.Your song is very beautiful.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСпасибо, Дмитрий.Spasibo, Dmitriy.Thank you, Dmitry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sing” translations and entries петь, спеть, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
