Usage of Active Participles as Adverbs
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the glagolski prilog sadašnji to describe an action happening simultaneously with the main verb, always sharing the same subject.
- Form it by adding -ći to the 3rd person plural present: pjevaju + ći = pjevajući.
- Only use imperfective verbs to show ongoing simultaneous action: trčeći (running), ne trčavši.
- The subject of the participle must be the same as the main verb: Pjevajući, on hoda.
Formation of Glagolski Prilog Sadašnji
| Infinitive | 3rd Person Plural (Present) | Verbal Adverb (-ći) | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|
pjevati
|
pjevaju
|
pjevajući
|
singing
|
|
raditi
|
rade
|
radeći
|
working
|
|
pisati
|
pišu
|
pišući
|
writing
|
|
trčati
|
trče
|
trčeći
|
running
|
|
gledati
|
gledaju
|
gledajući
|
watching
|
|
ići
|
idu
|
idući
|
going
|
|
biti
|
budu
|
budući
|
being
|
|
smijati se
|
smiju se
|
smijući se
|
laughing
|
|
jesti
|
jedu
|
jedući
|
eating
|
|
piti
|
piju
|
pijući
|
drinking
|
Meanings
A non-finite verb form used as an adverb to indicate that an action is occurring at the same time as the action of the main verb.
Simultaneity
Expresses an action that happens at the exact same time as the main verb.
“Pijući kavu, čitao je novine.”
“Gledajući film, zaspala je.”
Manner
Describes how the main action is being performed.
“Došao je trčeći.”
“Odgovorila je smiješeći se.”
Causal/Conditional
Implies a reason or condition for the main action, though less common than simultaneity.
“Znajući istinu, nije htio lagati.”
“Vjerujući u uspjeh, naporno je radio.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
3rd Pl. Present + ći
|
On hoda **pjevajući**.
|
|
Negative
|
ne + 3rd Pl. Present + ći
|
**Ne znajući** što učiniti, stao je.
|
|
Reflexive
|
3rd Pl. Present + ći + se
|
Otišla je **smiješeći se**.
|
|
With Object
|
Participle + Object
|
**Čitajući knjigu**, zaspao je.
|
|
Manner
|
Verb + Participle
|
Došao je **trčeći**.
|
|
Time
|
Participle + Main Verb
|
**Putujući**, sreo sam nju.
|
|
Cause
|
Participle + Main Verb
|
**Vjerujući** mu, pogriješio sam.
|
Spectre de formalité
U dom je ušao jecajući. (returning home)
Došao je kući plačući. (returning home)
Dofurao se doma plačući. (returning home)
Uletio je gajbi cmizdreći. (returning home)
The 'While' Connection
Formation
- 3rd Plural Present oni pjevaju
- Suffix -ći pjevajući
Rules
- Same Subject I walk, I sing
- Imperfective Only Ongoing actions
Present vs. Past Participle
Can I use -ći?
Is the verb imperfective?
Is the subject the same as the main verb?
Common -ći Adverbs
Movement
- • trčeći (running)
- • hodajući (walking)
- • žureći (hurrying)
Mental State
- • znajući (knowing)
- • misleći (thinking)
- • nadajući se (hoping)
Exemples par niveau
On hoda pjevajući.
He walks singing.
Sjedim čitajući.
I sit reading.
Ona kuha plešući.
She cooks dancing.
Djeca trče smijući se.
Children run laughing.
Ne znajući odgovor, šutio je.
Not knowing the answer, he was silent.
Gledajući TV, zaspao sam.
Watching TV, I fell asleep.
Pijući čaj, razgovarali smo.
Drinking tea, we talked.
Radeći polako, završit ćeš.
Working slowly, you will finish.
Putujući Europom, naučio sam mnogo.
Traveling through Europe, I learned a lot.
Tražeći ključeve, našao sam stari novac.
Looking for keys, I found old money.
Vjerujući prijatelju, posudio mu je auto.
Trusting his friend, he lent him the car.
Razmišljajući o budućnosti, postao je ozbiljan.
Thinking about the future, he became serious.
Nastojeći poboljšati uslugu, uveli smo promjene.
Striving to improve the service, we introduced changes.
Sumnjajući u njegove namjere, odbila je poziv.
Doubting his intentions, she declined the invitation.
Držeći se pravila, izbjegli su kaznu.
Sticking to the rules, they avoided the fine.
Pomažući drugima, pomažemo i sebi.
By helping others, we help ourselves.
Analizirajući podatke, uočili smo trend.
Analyzing the data, we noticed a trend.
Pretpostavljajući najgore, pripremili su se.
Assuming the worst, they prepared themselves.
Ignorirajući upozorenja, nastavio je voziti.
Ignoring the warnings, he continued to drive.
Žudeći za slobodom, napustio je grad.
Longing for freedom, he left the city.
Ne libeći se kritike, iznio je svoje mišljenje.
Not shying away from criticism, he voiced his opinion.
Poigravajući se riječima, autor stvara napetost.
Playing with words, the author creates tension.
Odišući samopouzdanjem, ušla je u dvoranu.
Exuding confidence, she entered the hall.
Slijedom događaja, ne sluteći ništa, upao je u zamku.
Following the events, suspecting nothing, he fell into a trap.
Facile à confondre
Learners use -ći for actions that happened before the main verb.
English speakers try to use -ći for 'I am working'.
Using -ći when the subject of the two actions is different.
Erreurs courantes
Ja sam pjevajući.
Ja pjevam.
On hoda i pjevajući.
On hoda pjevajući.
Pjevajući, kiša pada.
Dok on pjeva, kiša pada.
Oni pjevaju-ći.
Pjevajući.
Oni su došli pjevajućim.
Oni su došli pjevajući.
Kupitići kruh, sreo sam ga.
Kupujući kruh, sreo sam ga.
Ne-znajući.
Ne znajući.
Vidjevši ga, on pjeva.
Gledajući ga, on pjeva.
Smijući, on je otišao.
Smijući se, on je otišao.
Budući umoran, on je spavao.
Budući da je bio umoran, on je spavao.
Idući u školu, torba mi je ispala.
Dok sam išao u školu, torba mi je ispala.
Structures de phrases
___ći, sreo sam ___.
Ne ___ći što da radim, ___ sam.
On je došao ___ći se.
___ći u obzir sve činjenice, odlučili smo ___.
Real World Usage
Uživajući u zalasku sunca... 🌅
Gostujući na televiziji, premijer je najavio nove mjere.
Radeći na tom projektu, stekao sam važne vještine.
Gledajući kroz prozor, razmišljao je o prošlosti.
Evo me, trčeći stižem!
Miješajući polako, dodajte šećer.
The 'They' Shortcut
The Subject Trap
Imperfective Only
Softening the Tone
Smart Tips
Use the -ći form to make your sentence more elegant and concise.
Use a movement verb in the -ći form to describe the manner.
If you aren't 100% sure the subjects match, stick to 'dok' + present tense to be safe.
Always keep the 'se' after the -ći form.
Prononciation
The '-ći' suffix
The 'ć' is a soft 'ch' sound. Ensure it is distinct from the hard 'č'.
Stress
The stress usually remains on the same syllable as in the 3rd person plural present.
Comma Pause
Pjevajući [pause], on hoda.
A slight rise in pitch before the comma to indicate the clause is not finished.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Remember 'The Singing C' (pjevaju-ći). If 'they' (oni) do it, just add 'ći' to see it happening now!
Association visuelle
Imagine a person juggling while riding a unicycle. The juggling is the '-ći' action, and the riding is the main verb. They happen together, and it's the same person doing both!
Rhyme
Kad oni nešto rade, -ći im na kraj dade!
Story
Marko was 'pjevajući' (singing) in the shower when he heard the phone. 'Trčeći' (running) to the living room, he tripped. 'Psujući' (swearing), he realized it was just a telemarketer.
Word Web
Défi
Look around you right now. Describe two things you are doing using one sentence with a -ći form. (e.g., 'Sjedeći, pišem poruku.')
Notes culturelles
The -ći form is highly encouraged in formal writing to avoid repetitive use of 'dok' (while).
In some coastal dialects, people might use the infinitive or a shortened form instead of the verbal adverb in casual speech.
Croatian news often starts sentences with these participles to provide context quickly.
Derived from the Proto-Slavic present active participle suffix *-nt-.
Amorces de conversation
Što obično radiš slušajući glazbu?
Jesi li ikada zaspao čitajući knjigu?
Možeš li učiti pijući kavu u kafiću?
Kako se osjećaš trčeći rano ujutro?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
On hoda ulicom ___.
A) Šetajući parkom, pas je trčao. B) Šetajući parkom, vidio sam psa.
Find and fix the mistake:
Oni su došli trčećim.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Not knowing the way, I asked for help.
Answer starts with: Ne ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
pjevajući, kupljen, radeći, vidjevši, trčeći
A: Kako si uspio sve naučiti? B: ___, uspio sam.
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesOn hoda ulicom ___.
A) Šetajući parkom, pas je trčao. B) Šetajući parkom, vidio sam psa.
Find and fix the mistake:
Oni su došli trčećim.
kavu / čitao / Pijući / novine / je / .
Not knowing the way, I asked for help.
1. raditi, 2. ići, 3. biti
pjevajući, kupljen, radeći, vidjevši, trčeći
A: Kako si uspio sve naučiti? B: ___, uspio sam.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, you should only use imperfective verbs because the action must be ongoing to be simultaneous. For perfective verbs, use the past verbal adverb ending in `-vši`.
No, the present verbal adverb is indeclinable. It always ends in `-ći` regardless of the subject's gender or number.
No, 'ne' is always written as a separate word: `ne znajući`, `ne videći`.
Both can mean 'next'. `Idući` is the verbal adverb of 'ići' (going), while `sljedeći` is the verbal adverb of 'slijediti' (following). They are often interchangeable when referring to time.
Yes, it is very common in literature and journalism to start with the participle to set the scene: `Šetajući šumom, opazio je vuka.`
Yes, but more often for verbs of manner like `trčeći` (running) or `plačući` (crying). For longer descriptions, speakers often prefer using `dok` (while).
The 'se' stays! It becomes `smijući se`. The 'se' usually follows the participle.
The form `budući da` means 'since' or 'given that'. It evolved from the verbal adverb of 'biti' (to be).
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
-ing form (Gerund/Participle)
Croatian -ći is only adverbial, never part of a continuous tense.
Gerundio (-ando, -iendo)
Spanish can use gerundios with 'estar' for continuous tenses, Croatian cannot.
Partizip I (-end)
German Partizip I is frequently an adjective; Croatian -ći is primarily an adverb.
-nagara form
Japanese -nagara is a verb suffix, while Croatian -ći is derived from a specific conjugation.
Haal (حال) construction
Arabic Haal must agree in number and gender if it's a noun/adjective, whereas Croatian -ći is fixed.
着 (zhe)
Chinese 'zhe' is a particle that follows the verb, while Croatian -ći is a suffix that changes the verb's form.
