Language/Croatian/Grammar/Verbs-and-Tenses

Croatian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs and Tenses

Welcome to our lesson on Croatian Verbs and Tenses! Understanding verbs and their tenses is crucial for anyone learning Croatian, as they form the backbone of communication. Verbs express actions, states, and occurrences, while tenses help us place those actions in time. Whether you're planning a trip to Croatia or simply diving into the beauty of the language, mastering verbs will greatly enhance your ability to express yourself.

In this lesson, we'll cover the following key areas:

• The importance of verbs in the Croatian language

• Conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the present tense

• The formation and use of past and future tenses

• Understanding the imperative mood

• Practice exercises to reinforce your learning

Before we dive in, let’s take a closer look at the structure of this lesson.

Importance of Verbs in Croatian

Verbs are not just words; they are the heartbeat of any language. In Croatian, verbs allow you to convey what you do, what you did, and what you will do. They help you narrate stories, share experiences, and express your feelings. Thus, a solid grasp of verb conjugation and tenses is essential for effective communication.

Croatian Verb Conjugation

In Croatian, verbs are grouped into three conjugation classes based on their infinitive endings: -ati, -iti, and -jeti. Each class has its own rules for conjugation across different tenses. Let’s start with the present tense.

Present Tense of Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in Croatian follow predictable patterns when conjugated in the present tense. Here's how it works for each conjugation class:

• -ati verbs: The most common verb ending in Croatian.

• -iti verbs: A smaller group of verbs.

• -jeti verbs: This group is less common but important.

Let’s look at examples of regular verbs in the present tense:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
radim	ˈradim	I work
igram	ˈiɡram	I play
učim	ˈutʃim	I learn
volim	ˈvɔlim	I love
gledam	ˈɡlɛdam	I watch
pišem	ˈpiʃɛm	I write
slušam	ˈsluʃam	I listen
idem	ˈidɛm	I go
kupujem	ˈkuːpujeɱ	I buy
pričam	ˈpriːtʃam	I talk

Present Tense of Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the standard conjugation patterns. Here are some common irregular verbs in the present tense:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
biti	ˈbiti	to be
imati	ˈimati	to have
ići	ˈiːtʃi	to go
vidjeti	ˈvɪdʲɛti	to see
moći	ˈmɔtʃi	can
htjeti	ˈxtʲɛti	to want
reći	ˈrɛtʃi	to say
znati	ˈznati	to know
stati	ˈstati	to stop
čuti	ˈtʃuti	to hear

Past Tense

The past tense in Croatian is formed using the auxiliary verb "biti" (to be) combined with the past participle of the main verb. This can be a little tricky, as the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.

• For masculine singular, the past participle ends in -o.

• For feminine singular, it ends in -a.

• For neuter singular, it ends in -o.

• For plural, it ends in -i for both genders.

Let’s illustrate this with some examples:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
bio sam	ˈbi.o ˈsam	I was (masculine)
bila sam	ˈbi.la ˈsam	I was (feminine)
bilo je	ˈbi.lo ˈje	It was (neuter)
bili smo	ˈbi.li ˈsmo	We were (masculine)
bile smo	ˈbi.le ˈsmo	We were (feminine)
bili ste	ˈbi.li ˈste	You were (plural)
radila sam	ˈra.dila ˈsam	I worked (feminine)
učio sam	ˈu.tʃio ˈsam	I learned (masculine)
gledali su	ˈɡlɛ.dali ˈsu	They watched (masculine)
pjevali smo	ˈpje.va.li ˈsmo	We sang (masculine)

Future Tense

Forming the future tense in Croatian can be done in two ways: using the auxiliary verb "biti" (to be) and the infinitive of the main verb, or by using the future tense forms for certain verbs.

Future tense using "biti":

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
ja ću raditi	ja ˈtʃu ˈra.diti	I will work
ti ćeš igrati	ti ˈtʃɛʃ ˈiɡrati	You will play
on/ona/ono će učiti	on/ˈo.na/ˈo.no ˈtʃɛ ˈu.tʃiti	He/She/It will learn
mi ćemo gledati	mi ˈtʃɛ.mo ˈɡlɛ.dati	We will watch
vi ćete slušati	vi ˈtʃɛ.tɛ ˈslu.ʃati	You (plural) will listen
oni/one/ona će ići	ˈo.ni/ˈo.ne/ˈo.na ˈtʃɛ ˈi.tʃi	They will go

Imperative Mood

The imperative mood is used to give commands or requests. In Croatian, the form varies based on the subject. Here are some examples:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
dođi	ˈdo.dʒi	come (to one person)
dođite	ˈdo.dʒi.te	come (to multiple people)
reci	ˈrɛ.tʃi	say (to one person)
recite	ˈrɛ.tʃi.te	say (to multiple people)
jedi	ˈjɛ.di	eat (to one person)
jedite	ˈjɛ.di.te	eat (to multiple people)
piši	ˈpi.ʃi	write (to one person)
pišite	ˈpi.ʃi.te	write (to multiple people)
slušaj	ˈslu.ʃaj	listen (to one person)
slušajte	ˈslu.ʃaj.te	listen (to multiple people)

Practice Exercises

Now that we've covered the essential aspects of Croatian verbs and tenses, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test. Here are some exercises for you to practice what you’ve learned.

Exercise 1: Conjugate the following regular verbs in the present tense.

1. raditi (to work) - ja __________

2. igrati (to play) - ti __________

3. učiti (to learn) - on __________

4. voljeti (to love) - ona __________

5. gledati (to watch) - mi __________

Answers:

1. radim

2. igraš

3. uči

4. voli

5. gledamo

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the irregular verbs in the present tense.

1. ja __________ (biti) student.

2. ti __________ (imati) knjigu.

3. on __________ (ići) u školu.

4. ona __________ (vidjeti) film.

5. mi __________ (moći) to učiniti.

Answers:

1. sam

2. ima

3. ide

4. vidi

5. možemo

Exercise 3: Convert the following sentences into the past tense.

1. Ja radim. → __________

2. Ti igraš. → __________

3. On gleda. → __________

4. Ona uči. → __________

5. Mi pijemo. → __________

Answers:

1. Ja sam radio. / Ja sam radila.

2. Ti si igrao. / Ti si igrala.

3. On je gledao. / Ona je gledala.

4. Ona je učila.

5. Mi smo pili.

Exercise 4: Formulate future tense sentences using the given verbs.

1. (raditi) Ja __________.

2. (ići) Ti __________.

3. (gledati) On __________.

4. (učiti) Ona __________.

5. (slušati) Mi __________.

Answers:

1. Ja ću raditi.

2. Ti ćeš ići.

3. On će gledati.

4. Ona će učiti.

5. Mi ćemo slušati.

Exercise 5: Create commands using the imperative mood.

1. (doći) __________

2. (reći) __________

3. (jest) __________

4. (pisati) __________

5. (slušati) __________

Answers:

1. Dođi! / Dođite!

2. Reci! / Recite!

3. Jedi! / Jedite!

4. Piši! / Pišite!

5. Slušaj! / Slušajte!

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve now taken a significant step into the world of Croatian verbs and tenses. As you continue your journey in learning the language, remember that practice is key. Verbs are everywhere in conversation, and with time, you'll find them becoming second nature to you. Keep practicing, and don’t hesitate to revisit this lesson whenever you need a refresher!

Table of Contents - Croatian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns: Gender and Number
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense of Regular Verbs
• Present Tense of Irregular Verbs

  ---

Daily Activities

• Common Activities
• Hobbies and Interests

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives: Gender and Number
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

  ---

Food and Drink

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

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Croatian Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

Sources

• Serbo-Croatian grammar - Wikipedia
• Croatian Verbs, the Best Detailed Introduction - tenses, aspect, and ...
• Detailed Guide through a Croatian Past Tense
• The present tense in the Croatian language, affirmative - SpeakCRO ...

Other Lessons

• Advanced Verb Tenses
• How to Use Have
• Nouns
• Croatian Language Varieties
• Future Tense
• Croatian Idiomatic Expressions
• Advanced Noun and Adjective Declension
• Participles and Gerunds
• Give your Opinion