Lesson 18.Present Tense: Full Conjugation & Usage

Lesson Goals

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Form the present tense for regular and common irregular verbs
• Use present tense to describe current actions, habits, and future plans
• Make affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences in the present tense

1. When to Use the Present Tense

The Serbian present tense is used for:

1. Actions happening right now — Sada pišem pismo. (I am writing a letter now.)
2. Regular habits — Čitam knjige svako veče. (I read books every evening.)
3. Near future (with imperfective verbs) — Sutra idem u Beograd. (I’m going to Belgrade tomorrow.)

2. Present Tense Formation – Regular Verbs

Most Serbian verbs end in -ti in the infinitive.

To form the present tense:

1. Drop the -ti ending to get the stem.
2. Add present tense endings according to the conjugation group.

Group 1 – Verbs ending in ati

Stem often ends in a consonant.

Endings: -am, -aš, -a, -amo, -ate, -aju

Example: raditi (to work) → Note: actually raditi is -iti group; example for -ati: gledati

gledati (to watch) → gled-

• ja gledam — I watch
• ti gledaš — you watch
• on/ona/ono gleda — he/she/it watches
• mi gledamo — we watch
• vi gledate — you watch (plural/formal)
• oni/one/ona gledaju — they watch

Group 2 – Verbs ending in iti / -eti

Endings: -im, -iš, -i, -imo, -ite, -e

Example: raditi (to work) → rad-

• ja radim
• ti radiš
• on/ona/ono radi
• mi radimo
• vi radite
• oni/one/ona rade

Group 3 – Verbs ending in ovati / -ivati

• ovati changes to ujem, uješ, etc.
• ivati changes to ujem, uješ, but with imperfective meaning.

Example: putovati (to travel) → putuj-

• ja putujem
• ti putuješ
• on/ona/ono putuje
• mi putujemo
• vi putujete
• oni/one/ona putuju

3. Common Irregular Verbs

biti (to be)

• ja sam
• ti si
• on/ona/ono je
• mi smo
• vi ste
• oni/one/ona su

ići (to go)

• ja idem
• ti ideš
• on/ona/ono ide
• mi idemo
• vi idete
• oni/one/ona idu

hteti (to want) – clitic forms often used

• ja hoću / ću
• ti hoćeš / ćeš
• on/ona/ono hoće / će
• mi hoćemo / ćemo
• vi hoćete / ćete
• oni/one/ona hoće / će

4. Negatives in Present Tense

Add ne before the verb.

• Ne radim. — I am not working.
• Ne ideš. — You are not going.
• Oni ne putuju. — They are not travelling.

(See Lesson 21: Negation for full rules.)

5. Questions in Present Tense

1. Da li + statement → neutral question
• Da li radiš? — Are you working?
2. Inversion (verb–subject) → formal/literary
• Radiš li? — Are you working?
3. Rising intonation → casual
• Radiš? — You working?

6. Mini Dialogue (Grammar Focus)

Ana: Šta radiš?

(What are you doing?)

Marko: Gledam film.

(I’m watching a movie.)

Ana: Da li ideš sutra u grad?

(Are you going to the city tomorrow?)

Marko: Ne, putujem sledeće nedelje.

(No, I’m travelling next week.)

7. Vocabulary for This Lesson

8. Practice

A. Conjugate in present tense:

1. raditi — “mi” form → ________
2. gledati — “oni” form → ________
3. ići — “ja” form → ________

B. Translate:

4. I am not watching TV.

5. Are you going to Belgrade tomorrow?