Conjugation Group 1: Verbs ending in -ati (e.g., čitati)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To conjugate -ati verbs, remove the -ati and add the endings: -am, -aš, -a, -amo, -ate, -aju.
- Drop the -ati: 'čitati' becomes 'čit-'.
- Add the person-specific ending: 'ja čitam' (I read).
- Keep the stem consistent for all persons: 'mi čitamo' (we read).
Conjugation of 'Čitati' (To Read)
| Person | Pronoun | Ending | Verb Form |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1st Sing
|
Ja
|
-am
|
čitam
|
|
2nd Sing
|
Ti
|
-aš
|
čitaš
|
|
3rd Sing
|
On/Ona/Ono
|
-a
|
čita
|
|
1st Plur
|
Mi
|
-amo
|
čitamo
|
|
2nd Plur
|
Vi
|
-ate
|
čitate
|
|
3rd Plur
|
Oni/One/Ona
|
-aju
|
čitaju
|
Meanings
This rule covers the most common group of Croatian verbs, which end in -ati in their infinitive form. It describes actions happening in the present.
Present Action
Describing an action occurring right now or as a general habit.
“Ja radim.”
“On pita.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + Ending
|
Ja čitam
|
|
Negative
|
Ne + Verb
|
Ja ne čitam
|
|
Question
|
Verb + li
|
Čitaš li?
|
|
Formal
|
Vi + Verb
|
Vi čitate
|
|
Plural
|
Mi/Vi/Oni + Verb
|
Mi čitamo
|
|
Short Answer
|
Da/Ne + Verb
|
Da, čitam
|
طيف الرسمية
Ja čitam. (Daily usage)
Čitam. (Daily usage)
Čitam. (Daily usage)
Čitam. (Daily usage)
The -ati Verb Factory
Step 1
- Drop -ati Remove suffix
Step 2
- Add Ending Attach -am, -aš...
Singular vs Plural Endings
Conjugation Decision Tree
Does it end in -ati?
Common -ati Verbs
Daily Actions
- • čitati
- • slušati
- • gledati
- • raditi
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Ja čitam knjigu.
I am reading a book.
Ti slušaš glazbu.
You are listening to music.
On pita pitanje.
He is asking a question.
Mi gledamo film.
We are watching a movie.
Ne radim danas.
I am not working today.
Što čekate?
What are you (plural) waiting for?
Oni igraju nogomet.
They are playing soccer.
Ona ne sluša.
She is not listening.
Često čitam novine ujutro.
I often read the newspaper in the morning.
Zašto ne gledate vijesti?
Why aren't you watching the news?
Svi igraju ovu igru.
Everyone is playing this game.
Pitam se što rade.
I wonder what they are doing.
Dok čitam, ne volim buku.
While I am reading, I don't like noise.
Slušamo li mi istu glazbu?
Are we listening to the same music?
Oni ne čekaju na odgovor.
They are not waiting for an answer.
Što vi radite u slobodno vrijeme?
What do you do in your free time?
Čitam li ja to ispravno?
Am I reading this correctly?
Ne slušaju oni što im govorimo.
They are not listening to what we are telling them.
Gledamo li mi to iz iste perspektive?
Are we looking at this from the same perspective?
Igraju li oni pošteno?
Are they playing fairly?
Čitam li ja to između redaka?
Am I reading between the lines?
Slušaju li oni ikoga više?
Are they listening to anyone anymore?
Gledamo li mi u budućnost ili prošlost?
Are we looking into the future or the past?
Ne radimo li mi svi za isti cilj?
Aren't we all working for the same goal?
سهل الخلط
Learners use the infinitive instead of the conjugated form.
Mixing up the conjugation endings.
Using singular for plural subjects.
أخطاء شائعة
Ja čitati
Ja čitam
On čitam
On čita
Mi čitam
Mi čitamo
Ja čitamam
Ja čitam
Ne čita
Ne čitam
Čitaš li ti?
Čitaš li?
Oni čita
Oni čitaju
Oni čitaju
Oni čitaju
Ja raditi
Ja radim
Vi čita
Vi čitate
Oni čita
Oni čitaju
Mi čita
Mi čitamo
Ja čitam
Ja čitam
Vi čita
Vi čitate
أنماط الجُمل
Ja ___ knjigu.
___ li glazbu?
Oni ___ nogomet.
Mi ne ___ film.
Real World Usage
Što radiš?
Trebam kavu.
Radim kao programer.
Čekam autobus.
Gledam slike.
Čekam hranu.
Drop it!
Don't guess!
Pronoun drop
Formal 'Vi'
Smart Tips
Check the last two letters.
Drop the pronoun to sound native.
Double check the plural ending.
Listen for the suffix.
النطق
Stress
Stress usually falls on the first syllable.
Question
Čitaš li? ↑
Rising intonation for yes/no questions.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Remember the 'Am-Aš-A, Amo-Ate-Aju' chant to the rhythm of a heartbeat.
ربط بصري
Imagine a chef (the stem) adding different toppings (the endings) to a pizza base (the verb).
Rhyme
Drop the ati, add the am, now you're talking like a man!
Story
Ana wants to read. She takes the book 'Čitati'. She rips off the cover '-ati'. She adds a sticker '-am' because she is 'Ja'. Now she is 'Čitam'.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Conjugate three new -ati verbs in 5 minutes.
ملاحظات ثقافية
People often drop the subject pronoun because the verb ending is clear.
Some dialects might shorten the endings.
Standard usage is strictly followed in media.
Derived from Proto-Slavic verbal suffixes.
بدايات محادثة
Što čitaš?
Radiš li danas?
Što gledate na televiziji?
Slušate li često glazbu?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
Ja ___ knjigu.
Oni ___ nogomet.
Find and fix the mistake:
Mi čita knjigu.
Ja radim.
A: Što radiš? B: ___.
knjigu / čitam / Ja
Ti
Vi ___.
Score: /8
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercisesJa ___ knjigu.
Oni ___ nogomet.
Find and fix the mistake:
Mi čita knjigu.
Ja radim.
A: Što radiš? B: ___.
knjigu / čitam / Ja
Ti
Vi ___.
Score: /8
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
It is the infinitive marker. Removing it gives you the stem.
Yes, it is very common.
It belongs to a different group.
It is neutral.
Use 'li' or intonation.
Very few in this group.
Because 'Oni' is plural.
For formal or plural address.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
-ar verbs
Croatian has more complex case endings for nouns, while Spanish focuses on verb agreement.
Weak verbs
German has a fixed word order, while Croatian is flexible.
-er verbs
French pronunciation often hides the ending differences, while Croatian endings are always pronounced.
Godan verbs
Japanese does not conjugate for person, only for tense and politeness.
Root system
Arabic roots are usually triliteral, while Croatian stems are derived from infinitives.
None
Chinese verbs never change form, unlike Croatian verbs.
