Tutorial
In Course: Russian A2

Past and Future Forms of 'должен'

Learn to express past and future obligations in Russian using the full tense paradigm and subject agreement of должен with быть.

A lone traveler stands on a dimly lit, fog-shrouded train platform, their silhouette framed by the atmospheric glow of distant station lights. They glance at their small, worn suitcase at their feet, conveying a sense of quiet waiting and uncertainty for a delayed or cancelled journey. This is a dramatic photograph composed for a 3:2 landscape frame.
en-GB → ru-RU

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Deck Contents

29 Cards
Lesson#1
You already know how to use 'должен' in the present tense to express what someone must do right now. To talk about past or future obligations, Russian pairs 'должен' with forms of the verb 'быть'. In this deck, you will learn to express past duties, missed expectations, and upcoming requirements.
Lesson#2
To express a past obligation for a masculine singular subject, use 'должен был'. This can express a past duty or an unfulfilled expectation, meaning someone was supposed to do something. For example, 'Он должен был позвонить вчера' means 'He was supposed to call yesterday'.
Quiz#3
Translate into Russian: 'He was supposed to call yesterday.'

Он должен был позвонить вчера

Quiz#4
Speaking as a man, translate into Russian: 'I had to meet my brother.'

Я должен был встретить брата

Quiz#5
Translate into Russian: 'The train was supposed to arrive at three o'clock.'

Поезд должен был прибыть в три часа

Lesson#6
For a feminine singular subject in the past, both words take feminine endings: 'должна была'. For example, 'Она должна была прийти в пять' means 'She was supposed to arrive at five'.

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