# что вы прочли



## clapec

Hi!
I was wondering whether there is a difference in meaning between the verbs прочитать and прочесть, as my Russian teacher always asks students "что вы прочли?", whereas читали/ прочитали would sound more natural to me.
Would it be wrong to use читать/ прочитать instead of прочесть in this context? What's the difference?
Thank you very much!


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## papillon

To me, they mean the same and can be used interchangeably. I find прочитать to be slightly more modern and tend to use it more, but I'm not bothered if I hear прочесть.

I wonder if there are some regional differences...


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## cyanista

I agree. "Прочесть" sounds a bit more formal and academic. Typical for teachers, in other words. 

No difference in meaning that I'm aware of.


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## Etcetera

No difference in meaning at all. Honestly, one of the few things I remember from my University course of Russian is that both verbs mean absolutely the same.
But прочесть sounds to me quite old-fashioned, and I only heard it several times. I, personally, use прочитать - mainly because I simply don't like the sound of прочесть.


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## Crescent

I think the difference in meaning between _прочесть_ and _прочитать_ can be  compared to that of _съездить_ and _съехать_. In other words, it's not the meaning that's different, it's the gramatical function of the two.

The thing is I even hesitate to call them synonyms, as such, because to me, (and I am not the best person when it comes to the grammatical side of my mother tongue, seeing as I have not studied it for more than 3 beginign years of school) it sounds like the same word - the same _root_, even, but the two verbs have a different grammatical function. 
But I agree with what everyone has said: they seem to be equally correct and interchangeable. 
Personally, I don't even notice what I say..  I think mostly it's 'прочитала' but I'm sure that at times 'прочла' also escapes my mouth..


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## Solace

Crescent said:


> I think the difference in meaning between _прочесть_ and _прочитать_ can be compared to that of _съездить_ and _съехать_. In other words, it's not the meaning that's different, it's the gramatical function of the two.


Sorry, but I think there IS a difference in the meanings of съездить and съехать, it's not exactly these words are equivalent (e.g. you can съездить в деревню and съехать с горки).

As for прочесть and прочитать (and it goes with прочти and прочитай as well), I think the main feature here is that прочесть is elder form than прочитать and is used a bit more celdom nowadays. Though I suppose it can also be connected some way with Russian dialects but this is the subject I'm an ignoramus on. Oh sorry, I see I could not write it all here but just say I totally agree with papillon


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## Crescent

Solace said:


> Sorry, but I think there IS a difference in the meanings of съездить and съехать, it's not exactly these words are equivalent (e.g. you can съездить в деревню and съехать с горки).
> 
> ... прочитать and is used a bit more *s*eldom nowadays.


Excuse me for the little correction. 

Oh, no, no: sorry, then it's my fault!  I honestly didn't know that it had something to do with dialects.. Thank you for correcting and educating me, Solace! 
P.S. I also quite liked your examples of _съездить в деревню_ and _съехать с горки.  _I would have included some examples too, if I could think of them at that moment.. But I couldn't imagine anything sensible..
See, when someone says _съехать _to me, I immidiately think of _крыша._


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## Toothpicksmile

I think there is definately a difference. прочесть is more of like, "what have you covered/ what have you learned"? Or atleast in the context you described. "что вы прочитали" sounds kinda funny. It refers to something you have JUST read. I would never say "что вы прочитали" b/c of how awkward it sounds. But, i believe that's the only difference really...however you can't use them interchangeably. Hopefully, i helped =)


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## papillon

Toothpicksmile said:


> I think there is definately a difference. прочесть is more of like, "what have you covered/ what have you learned"?



Maybe that's because что вы прочли sounds a lot like что вы прошли .

TPS, that is an interseting nuance.  Perhaps people who use the word прочесть do make that distinction. Still, on most people I think this distinction is lost. 


> Or atleast in the context you described. "что вы прочитали" sounds kinda funny.


"что вы прочитали" sounds perfectly fine to me...


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## Etcetera

papillon said:


> "что вы прочитали" sounds perfectly fine to me...


Sounds OK to me, either.


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## Crescent

Etcetera said:


> Sounds OK to me, either.


Sounds OK to me, _too_. 
(sorry for the correction, Etcetera.. I don't know why, but I feel kind of bad correcting people who are older than me, because it's like..I'm not respecting my elders!)

EDIT: On second thought, Etcetera, did you mean ''Either sound okay to me?''. Because then that would have been perfectly correct and I would be doubly embarassed...


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## Etcetera

Thank you for the correction, Crescent. I always appreciate any help!
What's the difference between 'either' and 'too', then?


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## cyanista

Etcetera said:


> What's the difference between 'either' and 'too', then?



Either (meaning "also") is only used in negative sentences. When you write am affirmative sentence, you should use _too_, _also_ or _as well_.


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## Etcetera

Thank you, Cyanista.


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## Crescent

cyanista said:


> Either (meaning "also") is only used in negative sentences. When you write am affirmative sentence, you should use _too_, _also_ or _as well_.



Yes!  Or indeed you can also use 'neither'. Like, for example: Do you think it's a good idea? No, _neither_ do I. 
It's like, instead of saying: 'Moi aussi' in French, when you're stating a negative fact, you say ''Moi_ non plus_''. 
I don't know if that helps you... Maybe you know French too, and this example would help you clarify what we mean?  

Also, 'either' is used to say things like: _*Either* one or the other_. (Либо один, либо другой) or - _*Either* one of you_. (Кто-нибудь из вас..)


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## Lemminkäinen

So, is this verb, прочесть, perfective or imperfective? It looks perfective, so is there an imperfective partner, честь? The only честь I can find in my dictionary is the noun that means honour 

Also, what does it mean? Is it synonymous to прочитать (or читать), only it sounds a bit formal?

And how is it conjugated (in the present tense)?.


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## clapec

The imperfective form of the verb прочесть is прочитывать.
Прочесть (perf.) is conjugated прочту, прочтёшь, etc


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## papillon

Lemminkäinen said:


> It looks perfective, so is there an imperfective partner, честь?


 (emphasis mine)

Well, it would have to be, right?  Or at least so the logic would have it... But the word честь (as a verb) is not a part of modern Russian. In fact, I don't know if it ever was... but I can imagine someone trying to sound archaic or poetic would say

отвергнувши хвальбу и лесть
он удалился книгу честь

Yes, I promise to keep my day job...



Lemminkäinen said:


> Also, what does it mean? Is it synonymous to прочитать (or читать), only it sounds a bit formal?


Yes, it means to read, but as a completed action (since it is perfective).



> And how is it conjugated (in the present tense)?


It isn't. Since it is a perfective verb, it doesn't have present, only future or past.


clapec said:


> The imperfective form of the verb прочесть is прочитывать.


Isn't прочитывать an imperfective of прочитать? Well, I guess it could be both.


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## Lemminkäinen

> It isn't. Since it is a perfective verb, it doesn't have present, only future or past.



Well, yes, maybe in the present form would be better to say (or perhaps not in English - my professor calls it _presensform_ which gets the point across in Norwegian)  



> Isn't прочитывать an imperfective of прочитать? Well, I guess it could be both.



So the imperfective прочитывать and читать could be seen as synonymous with the perfective synonymous partners прочесть and прочитать?


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## Eragahn123

There is a substantial difference. Generally, prochest' means reading OUT LOUD, while prochitat' means to read to yourself. At least, the many native Russians I know, including my family say "Prochti mne etu strochku!" when they want me to read out loud, and "Prochitai' etu strochku!" 

Both words can be used in these cases, since it all depends on if you specificy whom to read to. 'Prochitai' mne...' signifies that you need to read it to the person whom you're talking with. 'Prochitai' etu...' means to read it to yourself.


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## Toothpicksmile

Yes, you are right papillon. Sorry, my bad. Oops!


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## papillon

This is becoming most interesting. I just asked my father about the difference between прочесть / прочитать. To my surprise he doesn't think they are the same and he prefers 
прочесть книгу
but
прочитать лекцию.
To him прочитать книгу sounds a bit odd, echoing the sentiment expressed buy some forer@s here.

So maybe it is generational, and the older folks do see a clear distinction? Perhaps the difference is slowly disappearing and прочитать is now used for things that used to employ two different forms of the verb?


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## papillon

I will get to the bottom of this!

I found a query on gramota.ru regarding this difference between these two verbs. They insist that the two are exactly identical.

They also say something I didn't understand: 

Глагол *прочесть* относится к непродуктивным классам (группам) глаголов, глагол* прочитать* - к 1 продуктивному классу глаголов, чем и объясняется его большая употребительность.

Can someone explain this?


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## cyanista

papillon said:


> They also say something I didn't understand:
> 
> Глагол *прочесть* относится к непродуктивным классам (группам) глаголов, глагол* прочитать* - к 1 продуктивному классу глаголов, чем и объясняется его большая употребительность.
> 
> Can someone explain this?


That means the verb "*прочесть*" doesn't comply with the typical patterns of conjugation which can be applied for new verbs appearing in the language. Click


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## Solace

cyanista said:


> That means the verb "*прочесть*" doesn't comply with the typical patterns of conjugation which can be applied for new verbs appearing in the language. Click


Thanks a lot for that link!! I do love those examples  And also thanks to one who've risen the certain questions. I think this discussion has been very productive and I've elevated my mind. Seems there are still enough things I don't know about my mother tongue...


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## papillon

I see now. Thanks Cyanista. 

I too feel I learned something today. Great link, I particulalry liked the двигается - движется example.


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