поднимать vs поднять
podnimat vs podnyat — lift/raise as a process vs lift/raise once
Register: neutral
What it really means
Поднима́ть is imperfective and describes lifting, raising, or picking something up as an ongoing, repeated, or habitual action. Подня́ть is perfective and presents one lift or raising as completed. The prefix под- gives the movement toward a higher position.
Use поднимать when the movement is in progress or happens regularly. Use поднять for one completed lift, a one-time request, or a result such as raising a hand or answering a phone.
Examples in natural speech
Он поднимает коробку.
He is lifting the box.
Она всегда поднимает руку на уроке.
She always raises her hand in class.
Подними телефон.
Pick up the phone.
Я поднял сумку с пола.
I picked up the bag from the floor.
Ветер поднял пыль.
The wind raised dust.
Common mistakes
Do not translate поднять as only physically lift. Поднять трубку means answer the phone, поднять вопрос means raise an issue, and поднять настроение means cheer someone up. The completed-result idea remains, but the English verb changes.
Memory tip
Поднимать moves something upward; поднять gets it up once.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between поднимать and поднять?
Поднимать is imperfective for lifting or raising as a process, habit, or repeated action. Поднять is perfective for one completed lift or raising.
How do you say pick up the phone in Russian?
Say "Подними телефон" or, more idiomatically, "Подними трубку." The perfective command asks for one completed answer.
What does поднять вопрос mean?
Поднять вопрос means raise or bring up an issue for discussion. It is a figurative use of lifting something into attention.
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