Prefixes · Lesson 5
Увидеть, узнать, уговорить
у- · catch / away
у- often means manage to catch (sight, sound, information) or take away. You already have увидеть, услышать, узнать. Here they are meaning shifts, and уговорить / убрать join them. Motion уйти stays in Verbs.
How it works
у- often means manage to catch (sight, sound, information) or take away. You already have увидеть, услышать, узнать. Here they are meaning shifts, and уговорить / убрать join them. Motion уйти stays in Verbs.
Then open Tables, Notes, Exceptions, and Examples in that order.
When to use it
- видеть → увидеть = catch sight of (the pair — «successfully see»).
- слышать → услышать = catch (a sound).
- знать → узнать = find out / recognise — not «know for a while».
- говорить → уговорить = talk someone into something. брать family → убрать = take away / tidy.
Pro tip
у- on sense verbs = catch the result. On говорить = persuade. On the брать family = take away. Leaving the scene (уйти) is still Motion.