Language/Croatian/Grammar/Present-Tense-of-Regular-Verbs

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Croatian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Present Tense of Regular Verbs

Learning a new language can feel like embarking on an exciting adventure. And just like any great adventure, understanding the basics is crucial to navigating successfully. Today, we’re diving into one of the essential building blocks of Croatian grammar: the present tense of regular verbs. Mastering this aspect of the language will empower you to express daily actions, thoughts, and feelings with ease.

In this lesson, we will:

• Understand what regular verbs are in Croatian.

• Learn how to conjugate these verbs in the present tense.

• Explore the different verb endings for each person (I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, they).

• Practice using these conjugations in simple sentences.

Let's get started!

Understanding Regular Verbs in Croatian

Regular verbs in Croatian follow a predictable pattern when conjugated in the present tense. This makes it easier for you to learn and use them in everyday conversations. In Croatian, verbs can be categorized into three main groups based on their endings in the infinitive form: -ati, -iti, and -ovati.

Infinitive Forms

• -ati verbs: These are the most common regular verbs. For example, "raditi" (to work).

• -iti verbs: These may also be regular but can include some exceptions. For example, "učiti" (to learn).

• -ovati verbs: Less common but still regular. For example, "voljeti" (to love).

Conjugation Patterns

The conjugation of regular verbs in the present tense involves changing the verb endings according to the subject pronoun. Let's break it down!

Verb Endings

Here’s a quick overview of the endings for regular verbs in the present tense:

• -ati verbs:

• I (ja): -am

• You (ti): -aš

• He/She/It (on/ona/ono): -a

• We (mi): -amo

• You all (vi): -ate

• They (oni): -aju

• -iti verbs:

• I (ja): -im

• You (ti): -iš

• He/She/It (on/ona/ono): -i

• We (mi): -imo

• You all (vi): -ite

• They (oni): -e

• -ovati verbs:

• I (ja): -ujem

• You (ti): -uješ

• He/She/It (on/ona/ono): -uje

• We (mi): -ujemo

• You all (vi): -ujete

• They (oni): -uju

Examples of Conjugation

Let’s take a closer look at examples of regular verbs in each category.

-ati Verbs

We’ll start with some common -ati verbs.

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
radim	ˈradim	I work
radiš	ˈradiʃ	You work
radi	ˈradi	He/She/It works
radimo	ˈradimo	We work
radite	ˈradite	You all work
rade	ˈrade	They work

-iti Verbs

Next, let’s explore -iti verbs.

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
učim	ˈutʃim	I learn
učiš	ˈutʃiʃ	You learn
uči	ˈutʃi	He/She/It learns
učimo	ˈutʃimo	We learn
učite	ˈutʃite	You all learn
uče	ˈutʃe	They learn

-ovati Verbs

Finally, let’s look at -ovati verbs.

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
volim	ˈvolim	I love
voliš	ˈvoliʃ	You love
voli	ˈvoli	He/She/It loves
volimo	ˈvolimo	We love
volite	ˈvolite	You all love
vole	ˈvole	They love

Using Present Tense in Sentences

Now that we’ve seen how to conjugate regular verbs, let’s practice using them in sentences. Here are a few examples:

• Ja radim u uredu. (I work in the office.)

• Ti učiš hrvatski. (You learn Croatian.)

• Ona voli kavu. (She loves coffee.)

• Mi igramo nogomet. (We play football.)

• Vi učite brzo. (You all learn quickly.)

• Oni rade svaki dan. (They work every day.)

Practice Exercises

To reinforce what we’ve learned, let’s dive into some practice exercises.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in the present tense.

1. Ja ______ (učiti) hrvatski svaki dan.

2. Ti ______ (raditi) u restoranu.

3. On ______ (voljeti) čokoladu.

4. Mi ______ (gledati) filmove.

5. Vi ______ (igrati) tenis.

6. Oni ______ (pjevati) lijepo.

Solutions to Exercise 1

1. učim

2. radiš

3. voli

4. gledamo

5. igrajte

6. pjevaju

Exercise 2: Conjugate the Verbs

Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense for all pronouns.

1. učiti (to learn)

2. raditi (to work)

3. voljeti (to love)

Solutions to Exercise 2

1.

• ja učim

• ti učiš

• on/ona/ono uči

• mi učimo

• vi učite

• oni/one uče

2.

• ja radim

• ti radiš

• on/ona/ono radi

• mi radimo

• vi radite

• oni/one rade

3.

• ja volim

• ti voliš

• on/ona/ono voli

• mi volimo

• vi volite

• oni/one vole

Exercise 3: Translate to Croatian

Translate the following sentences into Croatian.

1. I work every day.

2. You learn quickly.

3. He loves music.

4. We play soccer.

5. They watch movies.

Solutions to Exercise 3

1. Ja radim svaki dan.

2. Ti učiš brzo.

3. On voli glazbu.

4. Mi igramo nogomet.

5. Oni gledaju filmove.

Exercise 4: Sentence Construction

Construct sentences using the following verbs and subjects.

1. (ja - raditi)

2. (ti - učiti)

3. (ona - voljeti)

4. (mi - igrati)

5. (oni - gledati)

Solutions to Exercise 4

1. Ja radim.

2. Ti učiš.

3. Ona voli.

4. Mi igramo.

5. Oni gledaju.

Exercise 5: Match the Subject with the Correct Verb

Match the subject with the appropriate form of the verb in the present tense.

1. (ja) ______ (učiti)

2. (ti) ______ (raditi)

3. (on) ______ (voljeti)

4. (mi) ______ (gledati)

5. (vi) ______ (igrati)

Solutions to Exercise 5

1. učim

2. radiš

3. voli

4. gledamo

5. igrate

Exercise 6: Verb Identification

Identify the infinitive form of the following conjugated verbs.

1. učim

2. rade

3. voliš

4. igramo

5. gledate

Solutions to Exercise 6

1. učiti

2. raditi

3. voljeti

4. igrati

5. gledati

Exercise 7: Correct the Mistakes

Find and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. Ja uči hrvatski.

2. Oni radi svaki dan.

3. Ti igraš nogomet.

4. Mi volimo čaj.

5. Ona gleda film.

Solutions to Exercise 7

1. Ja učim hrvatski.

2. Oni rade svaki dan.

3. Ti igraš nogomet. (correct)

4. Mi volimo čaj. (correct)

5. Ona gleda film. (correct)

Exercise 8: Create Negative Sentences

Transform the following sentences into negative forms.

1. Ja radim.

2. Ti voliš.

3. On uči.

4. Mi igramo.

5. Oni gledaju.

Solutions to Exercise 8

1. Ja ne radim.

2. Ti ne voliš.

3. On ne uči.

4. Mi ne igramo.

5. Oni ne gledaju.

Exercise 9: Fill in the Table

Fill in the following table with the correct forms of the verbs in the present tense.

Subject	učiti	raditi	voljeti
ja
ti
on/ona/ono
mi
vi
oni/one

Solutions to Exercise 9

Subject	učiti	raditi	voljeti
ja	učim	radim	volim
ti	učiš	radiš	voliš
on/ona/ono	uči	radi	voli
mi	učimo	radimo	volimo
vi	učite	radite	volite
oni/one	uče	rade	vole

Exercise 10: Write a Short Paragraph

Write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) about your daily routine using the present tense of regular verbs.

Example Solution for Exercise 10

Every day I wake up early. I drink coffee and read the news. Then, I work on my projects. In the afternoon, I go for a walk. I love spending time outside.

Now you have a solid understanding of how to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense in Croatian! Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep using these verbs in your conversations and writings.

Table of Contents - Croatian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

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

  ---

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 ...
• The present tense in the Croatian language, affirmative - SpeakCRO ...

Other Lessons

• Croatian Language Varieties
• Nouns
• Future Tense
• Gender in Croatian
• Nouns and Cases
• Adjectives: Gender and Number
• Participles and Gerunds
• Croatian Idiomatic Expressions
• Negation
• Word Order and Sentence Structure

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