Gerunds

[dzhozef-derfler.livejournal.com]

What is the difference between the «-в» and the «-вши» endings on perfective gerunds? Like, what is the difference between «прочитав» and «прочитавши»?

Comments

[luls.livejournal.com]

"-вши" is archaic, "-в" is much more usefull

[dzhozef-derfler.livejournal.com]

oooohhh...ok...thank you.

[nihao-62.livejournal.com]

Right. This is the only difference.

And (but) it is so sweet to use (hear) the archaic one :)

[yers.livejournal.com]

Slavic gerunds (adverbal participles) used to be modified by gender and number. That still happened in Czech until about the early 20th century (when gerunds became obsolete as such). That distinction was lost in Russian a long long time ago, so nowadays прочитавши is just perceived as an obsolete form.

Note, however, that reflective gerunds require the -ши-: испугав — испугавшись (not испугався), увидев — увидевшись (not увидевся), and so on.

[grajo-che.livejournal.com]

I want to add to what was said - besides that "прочитавши" (and same gerunds) is archaic, it is also not a literature form, you cannot use it in scientic works. Now it's only slang and used by country people. The standard is always - "прочитав".
Best wishes to your community and the whole thing you're doing!
I sympathize much with english-talking people who learn my native language.
Maybe, I'll be able to help you in something