A1 عام 5 min read سهل

Present Tense: -iti Verb Conjugation (Regular)

To conjugate regular -iti verbs, drop -iti and add the 'I-group' endings, remembering that 'they' ends in -e.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To conjugate -iti verbs, drop the -iti and add the endings: -im, -iš, -i, -imo, -ite, -e.

  • Remove the -iti suffix to find the stem: 'raditi' becomes 'rad-'.
  • Add the personal endings: ja radim, ti radiš, on radi.
  • Plural forms follow: mi radimo, vi radite, oni rade.
Stem + (im, iš, i, imo, ite, e) = Conjugated Verb

نظرة عامة

Welcome to the heart of Serbian communication! If you want to talk about what you do, what you think, or what you speak, you need the present tense. Specifically, you need the -iti verb group.
These verbs are the workhorses of the Serbian language. They cover everyday actions like raditi (to work), govoriti (to speak), and učiti (to learn). Mastering this group is like getting a VIP pass to basic conversations.
You will use these verbs in coffee shops, at work, and when meeting new friends. Don't worry, the pattern is very logical. Once you see the rhythm, you'll be conjugating like a pro in no time.
Let's dive into the world of -iti verbs and get you talking!

كيف تعمل هذه القاعدة

Think of Serbian verbs as little Lego sets. Every verb has a base and a tail. The infinitive form (the to form) always ends in -ti.
For this specific group, the ending is always -iti. To use the verb in a sentence, you have to take off that tail. You can't just say I to work. You need to change the ending to match the person doing the action.
It is like changing the gears on a bike. Each person (I, you, he/she, we, you all, they) has a specific gear or ending. The good news?
Regular -iti verbs always use the same set of gears. It is predictable and reliable, just like your favorite pair of sneakers. Even if the verb is new to you, the pattern stays the same.

نمط التكوين

1
Ready to build some verbs? Follow these three simple steps to conjugate any regular -iti verb in the present tense.
2
Start with the infinitive form, for example, raditi (to work).
3
Remove the -iti ending to find the stem. In this case, the stem is rad-.
4
Add the personal endings to the stem based on who is doing the action.
5
Here are the endings you need to memorize:
6
Ja (I): -im -> radim (I work)
7
Ti (You singular): -iš -> radiš (You work)
8
On/Ona/Ono (He/She/It): -i -> radi (He/She/It works)
9
Mi (We): -imo -> radimo (We work)
10
Vi (You plural/formal): -ite -> radite (You all work)
11
Oni/One/Ona (They): -e -> rade (They work)
12
Notice how the i stays strong in almost every form? That is why we call it the I-conjugation. Only the very last form (they) swaps the i for an e. Think of it like a group project where the last person decided to wear a different colored shirt.

متى نستخدمها

Use this tense when you are talking about things happening right now. If you are sitting in a cafe and someone asks what you are doing, you say pijem kafu (I am drinking coffee). You also use it for habits or routines.
If you work every day, you say radim svaki dan. It also works for general truths or facts. For example, On govori srpski (He speaks Serbian).
Imagine you are in a job interview. The employer asks about your skills. You would use these verbs to describe your abilities.
Govorim tri jezika (I speak three languages). Or imagine you are asking for directions. Tražim poštu (I am looking for the post office).
It is the most common tense you will ever use. It is the here and now of the Serbian language.

متى لا نستخدمها

You shouldn't use this pattern for every verb you see. If a verb ends in -ati (like gledati) or -eti (like videti), it usually follows a different pattern. Also, watch out for the verb biti (to be).
It is completely irregular and does its own thing. Don't try to use these endings for future actions either. While we sometimes do this in English (
I am going tomorrow
), Serbian usually prefers a specific future tense.
Finally, avoid using this for completed actions in the past. If you already finished your coffee, this isn't the tense for you. Think of it like a grammar traffic light; it only turns green for the present moment.

الأخطاء الشائعة

The biggest trap is the they form. Many beginners want to say radiu or radu. Remember, for -iti verbs, the ending is always -e. So, it must be oni rade. Yes, even native speakers' kids mess this up sometimes! Another mistake is forgetting to drop the -iti entirely. You cannot say raditim. You must cut the tail before adding the new one. Also, don't forget that Serbian often drops the pronoun (ja, ti, on). The ending already tells us who is speaking. If you keep saying ja radim, ti radiš, you might sound a bit like a robot. Relax and let the endings do the heavy lifting.

مقارنة مع أنماط مشابهة

You will often see -ati verbs like slušati (to listen). They look similar but have different endings (like -aju for they). It is like confusing a lemon with a lime.
They are both citrus, but they taste different! The -iti group is very consistent. While -ati verbs sometimes change their stems, -iti verbs usually stay very stable.
There is also the -eti group. Some -eti verbs actually use these same -im, -iš endings (like videti -> vidim). We call those fake -iti verbs.
For now, just focus on the ones that actually end in -iti. They are the most straightforward and will give you the most confidence.

أسئلة شائعة

Q

Do I always need to use ja or ti?

No, the verb ending tells you who the subject is!

Q

Is učiti a regular -iti verb?

Yes, it follows the pattern perfectly: učim, učiš, uči...

Q

What if the verb is reflexive, like moliti se?

Just conjugate moliti normally and keep the se nearby!

Q

How do I make it negative?

Just put ne before the verb, like ne radim (I don't work).

Conjugation of 'Raditi' (to work)

Pronoun Ending Form
Ja
-im
radim
Ti
-iš
radiš
On/Ona
-i
radi
Mi
-imo
radimo
Vi
-ite
radite
Oni/One
-e
rade

Meanings

This rule covers the present tense conjugation for the most common group of regular verbs ending in -iti.

1

Present Action

Describing an action happening right now or a habitual action.

“Ja učim srpski.”

“On misli na tebe.”

2

General State

Expressing a state of being or mental process.

“Ona želi kafu.”

“Vi vidite zgradu.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Present Tense: -iti Verb Conjugation (Regular)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + Verb
Ja radim.
Negative
Ne + Verb
Ja ne radim.
Question
Da li + Verb
Da li radiš?
Short Answer
Verb
Radim.
Plural
Subject + Verb
Mi radimo.
Third Person
Subject + Verb
On radi.

طيف الرسمية

رسمي
Ja radim.

Ja radim. (Work)

محايد
Radim.

Radim. (Work)

غير رسمي
Radim.

Radim. (Work)

عامية
Šljakam.

Šljakam. (Work)

The -iti Verb Tree

Raditi

Singular

  • radim I work
  • radiš you work

أمثلة حسب المستوى

1

Ja radim.

I work.

2

Ti učiš.

You study.

1

Mi mislimo na tebe.

We are thinking of you.

2

Oni žele kafu.

They want coffee.

1

Ona govori srpski.

She speaks Serbian.

2

Vi vidite zgradu?

Do you see the building?

1

Oni često izlaze uveče.

They often go out in the evening.

2

Mi nosimo teške torbe.

We are carrying heavy bags.

1

Ona tvrdi da zna istinu.

She claims to know the truth.

2

Oni grade novu kuću.

They are building a new house.

1

Oni žure da stignu na vreme.

They are rushing to arrive on time.

2

Mi cenimo vaš trud.

We appreciate your effort.

سهل الخلط

Present Tense: -iti Verb Conjugation (Regular) مقابل -ati vs -iti

Learners mix up the endings.

أخطاء شائعة

✗

raditiim

✓

radim

Don't keep the infinitive ending.
✗

radite (for 3rd person)

✓

rade

3rd person plural is -e.
✗

ja radi

✓

ja radim

Need the -im ending.
✗

on radim

✓

on radi

Wrong person ending.
✗

mi radite

✓

mi radimo

Wrong plural ending.
✗

oni radi

✓

oni rade

3rd person plural needs -e.
✗

učimiti

✓

učim

Infinitive is not used in present.
✗

oni učite

✓

oni uče

3rd person plural error.
✗

mi mislite

✓

mi mislimo

Wrong person ending.
✗

oni žurete

✓

oni žure

Over-conjugating.
✗

mi cenite

✓

mi cenimo

Wrong person ending.
✗

on tvrdim

✓

on tvrdi

Wrong person ending.

أنماط الجُمل

Ja ___ u Beogradu.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Šta radiš?

💡

Drop the pronoun

You don't need to say 'Ja' every time.

Smart Tips

Drop the pronoun.

Ja radim. → Radim.

النطق

RA-dim

Stress

Stress usually falls on the first syllable.

Question

Radiš? ↑

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

احفظها

وسيلة تذكّر

Remember the 'IM-IŠ-I' rhythm for singular and 'IMO-ITE-E' for plural.

ربط بصري

Imagine a robot (the stem) putting on different hats (the endings) to change its job.

Rhyme

Drop the iti, add the im, now you're speaking like a king!

Story

Ana wants to work. She takes the word 'raditi', chops off the 'iti', and adds 'im'. Now she says 'Ja radim'. Her friends join in, so they add 'imo' to say 'Mi radimo'.

Word Web

raditiučitimislitivoletigovoritivideti

تحدٍّ

Conjugate 3 verbs in 5 minutes.

ملاحظات ثقافية

Serbians often drop the subject pronoun because the verb ending is clear.

Slavic root system.

بدايات محادثة

“

Šta radiš?

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

Write about your daily routine.

أخطاء شائعة

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Test Yourself

Conjugate 'raditi' for 'Ja'.

Ja ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: radim
First person singular is -im.

Score: /1

تمارين تطبيقية

1 exercises
Conjugate 'raditi' for 'Ja'.

Ja ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: radim
First person singular is -im.

Score: /1

الأسئلة الشائعة (1)

To find the stem.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Conjugation by suffix

Serbian is more flexible with word order.

French moderate

Conjugaison

Serbian drops pronouns.

German moderate

Konjugation

German requires pronouns.

Japanese low

Verb conjugation

Serbian uses inflectional endings.

Arabic low

Verb roots

Serbian uses suffixal endings.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Nominative Case: Plural of Neuter Nouns

Related Grammar Rules

A1

Nominative Case: Plural of Neuter Nouns

Overview Welcome to the world of Serbian neuter nouns! You already know that nouns have genders. Neuter nouns are the "...
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