The verbal adverb
Russian gerunds — деепричастия — describe a secondary action happening at the same time as the main verb (or just before). They're invariable: no gender, no number, no case. The catch: the gerund and the main verb must share the same subject.
Present gerund: -я (or -а)
Built from imperfective verbs. Take the они-form, drop -т, add -я (or -а after hush sounds): - читать → читают → читая = while reading - говорить → говорят → говоря = while speaking - учиться → учатся → учась = while studying (with -сь after the vowel ending) Means 'while [doing the thing]'.
Past gerund: -в
Built from PERFECTIVE verbs. Take the past masculine, drop -л, add -в: - прочитать → прочитал → прочитав = having read - написать → написал → написав = having written - сделать → сделал → сделав = having done Means 'having [done the thing]' — describes an action completed BEFORE the main verb.
Same-subject rule
The gerund must share its subject with the main verb. This is automatic in well-formed Russian; you don't usually choose to violate it. So: - Читая книгу, Анна пила чай. = While reading the book, Anna drank tea. (Anna does both.) - Прочитав книгу, Анна пошла домой. = Having read the book, Anna went home. If the subjects differ, you have to use a когда clause instead.
Use in writing vs speech
Like active participles, gerunds are mostly literary or formal. In speech Russians more often say когда я читал, … (when I was reading…) than читая, я…. But you'll see them constantly in books, news, and instructions: - Не вставая с места, … = Without getting up from your seat, … - Прочитав инструкцию, нажмите кнопку. = Having read the instructions, press the button.
