The Present Tense

All Russian verbs are divided into two large groups:

1) Verbs mainly ending in "ать"

2) Verbs mainly ending in "ить" 

Please, note that there are some exceptions.

The First Group

We'll take the verb "работать" (to work) as an example. Look and listen:

Я работаю - I work

Ты работаешь - you work (informal)

Вы работаете - you work (formal)

Мы работаем - we work

Он (она) работает - he (she) works

Они работают - they work

Look carefully at the endings. To conjugate another verb belonging to the first group, you just drop "ть" and add the right ending.  Now try to conjugate the following verbs :

делать - to do

читать - to read

You can learn the endings with the help of flashcards here.

Then try the exercises:

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

The Second Group

The verbs of the second group generally end  in "ить" (note that there're some exceptions).

We'll take the verb "помнить" (to remember) as an example. Look and listen:

Я помню = I remember

Ты помнишь - You remember (singular informal)

Вы помните - You remember (plural or formal)

Мы помним - We remember

Он (она) помнит -He (she) remembers

Они помнят - They remember

Look carefully at the endings. Most verbs belonging to the same group will have the same endings in the Present.

Note that the first person singular (я) is often irregular:

любить (to love, to like) - я люблю (not "я любю")

ходить (to go) - я хожу (not "я ходю")

Try to conjugate the following verbs: говорить (to speak), любить (to love, to like), курить (to smoke).

Try the exercises:

Exercise 1

Exercise 2  (Careful! There're verbs from both the first and the second groups!)