Regular -ati Verbs
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To conjugate regular -ati verbs, remove the -ati ending and add the specific person endings like -am, -aš, -a.
- Remove -ati to find the stem: 'delati' (to work) becomes 'del-'.
- Add singular endings: -am (1st), -aš (2nd), -a (3rd).
- Add plural endings: -amo (1st), -ate (2nd), -ajo (3rd).
Meanings
These verbs represent the most common group of action verbs in Slovenian, describing ongoing or habitual activities.
Habitual Action
Actions performed regularly.
“Jaz berem knjigo.”
“On igra nogomet.”
Conjugation of 'delati' (to work)
| Person | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | delam | delava | delamo |
| 2nd | delaš | delata | delate |
| 3rd | dela | delata | delajo |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Stem + Ending | Delam |
| Negative | Ne + Verb | Ne delam |
| Question | Ali + Verb | Ali delam? |
| 1st Sing | Stem + am | Delam |
| 2nd Sing | Stem + aš | Delaš |
| 3rd Sing | Stem + a | Dela |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Delam na projektu. (Work)
Delam. (Work)
Še delam. (Work)
Šibam delat. (Work)
Verb Anatomy
Stem
- del- root
Suffix
- -ati infinitive marker
Examples by Level
Jaz delam.
I work.
Ti igraš.
You play.
On posluša.
He listens.
Midva čakava.
We two wait.
Ne delam danes.
I am not working today.
Ali igraš nogomet?
Do you play soccer?
Oni čakajo avtobus.
They are waiting for the bus.
Vidva poslušata glasbo.
You two are listening to music.
Vsak dan delam v pisarni.
I work in the office every day.
Ali res čakajo na odgovor?
Are they really waiting for an answer?
Midva z bratom igrašva šah.
My brother and I play chess.
Zakaj poslušate to glasbo?
Why are you listening to this music?
Ne glede na vse, delam po svojih najboljših močeh.
Regardless of everything, I work to the best of my ability.
Če čakajo predolgo, bodo zamudili.
If they wait too long, they will be late.
Igramo se z idejami.
We are playing with ideas.
Poslušajo nas z zanimanjem.
They are listening to us with interest.
Nenehno delam na izboljšavah sistema.
I am constantly working on system improvements.
Čakajoč na priložnost, se učim.
Waiting for an opportunity, I am learning.
Igrajo vlogo v širšem kontekstu.
They play a role in a broader context.
Poslušajo vsako besedo.
They are listening to every word.
Delam v skladu z etičnimi načeli.
I work in accordance with ethical principles.
Čakajo na razplet dogodkov.
They are waiting for the unfolding of events.
Igrajo se z usodo.
They are playing with fate.
Poslušajo tišino.
They are listening to the silence.
Easily Confused
Learners use the infinitive instead of the conjugated form.
Mixing up conjugation groups.
Using plural for two people.
자주 하는 실수
delatiam
delam
jaz dela
jaz delam
on delam
on dela
oni delajo
oni delajo
midva delata
midva delava
ne delati
ne delam
ali delam ti
ali delaš
delajo
delajo
poslušam
poslušam
čakamo
čakamo
delam
delam
igrajo
igrajo
poslušajo
poslušajo
Sentence Patterns
Jaz ___ (delati) vsak dan.
Ali ___ (igrati) nogomet?
Midva ___ (čakava) avtobus.
Oni ___ (poslušati) radio.
Real World Usage
Delam v prodaji.
Kaj delaš?
Igram igrice.
Čakam na vlak.
Čakam hrano.
Poslušam učitelja.
Use the Dual
Watch the Stem
Listen to Natives
Be Polite
Smart Tips
Check the infinitive ending first.
Use the dual form.
Avoid slang.
Look at the pronoun.
발음
Stress
Stress is usually on the root.
Question
Ali delam↗?
Rising pitch for yes/no questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember the 'A' team: -am, -aš, -a, -amo, -ate, -ajo. They all love the letter A!
Visual Association
Imagine a worker (delavec) holding a big letter 'A' sign. Every time he works, he adds an 'A' to the end of his tool.
Rhyme
Drop the -ati, add the -am, now you're working like a man!
Story
Mark is a builder. He takes his hammer and hits the -ati off the word. Then he grabs a bucket of endings: -am, -aš, -a. He paints them on the wall and smiles.
Word Web
챌린지
Conjugate three -ati verbs in your head while walking to the store.
문화 노트
Slovenians value directness in work-related talk.
Youth often use slang like 'špilati' for playing.
More formal address is common.
Derived from Proto-Slavic *-ati suffix.
Conversation Starters
Kaj delaš?
Ali igraš nogomet?
Koga čakaš?
Ali poslušaš slovensko glasbo?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Jaz ___.
On ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ti delam.
Jaz delam.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
igrati / jaz / nogomet
Midva ___ (čakati).
Dual is used for 3 people.
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesJaz ___.
On ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ti delam.
Jaz delam.
1st Plural
igrati / jaz / nogomet
Midva ___ (čakati).
Dual is used for 3 people.
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
The dual is a grammatical number for exactly two people or things.
Check the dictionary; most common verbs end in -ati.
Yes, 'ne' is the universal negation marker.
It's a unique feature of Slovenian that shows you understand the language deeply.
Almost always, but watch for stem changes in some verbs.
Use 'Ali' or just rising intonation.
Try to guess based on the pattern; you'll be understood!
Yes, -iti and -eti groups exist.
In Other Languages
-ar verbs
Spanish lacks the dual number.
Weak verbs
German has no dual and different person markers.
-er verbs
French has complex spelling changes.
Godan verbs
Japanese has no person-based conjugation.
Form I verbs
Arabic has gendered conjugation.
None
Chinese verbs are invariant.
