The subject of this article is subcategorization of Russian mental verbs (verbs of knowledge, understanding and thinking) considering information encoded in their form and structure about the mental (intellectual) functions and time schemata, i.e. taking into account such characteristics as continuity and limitations. The author refers to the extensive literature on this subject, above all, the publications of Russian researchers, such as L. M. Vasiliev, G. A. Zolotova, N. J. Shvedova et al., and also presents an analysis of the collected empirical material (543 units of modern Russian language). The conclusions concern the division of verbs into semantic classes as well as the degree of representation of each class.