Grammar
One rule, explained
The lesson opens with the theory and checks it with a quiz. Here is the beginning, and 3 of its 15 questions.
A1 · Present tense: verbs in -am
So far you could say what something is. Now you can say what somebody does. In Serbian the end of the verb tells you who is doing it — and it does that job so well that the pronoun is usually left out.
One stem, six endings
Serbian verbs come in three groups. This lesson takes the easiest and biggest one, the group people call the a-verbs, because in the I form they end in -am: gledam, pevam, spavam.
Take the dictionary form gledati (to watch), cut off the final -ti, and you are left with the stem gleda-. The stem never changes. Everything you do happens at the very end of the word.
| ending | form | meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ja | -am | gledam | I watch |
| ti | -aš | gledaš | you watch |
| on / ona / ono | -a | gleda | he / she / it watches |
| mi | -amo | gledamo | we watch |
| vi | -ate | gledate | you watch (plural or polite) |
| oni / one / ona | -aju | gledaju | they watch |
Notice that only one letter separates gledam, gledaš and gleda. Serbian ears are trained on that last letter, so say it clearly.
Every a-verb behaves the same way. Swap the stem and the endings stay exactly where they were:
Quick check · 3 / 15
Ja ujutru(plivati).
Da li ti danas(kuvati)?
Danas ja ___, a sutra kuva Ana.
