Language/Bosnian/Grammar/Verbs-and-Conjugation

Bosnian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs and Conjugation

Welcome to the lesson on Bosnian Verbs and Conjugation! Understanding verbs is crucial to mastering any language, and Bosnian is no exception. Verbs allow us to express actions, states, and occurrences, forming the backbone of sentences. In this lesson, we’ll explore the fascinating world of Bosnian verbs, including their conjugation according to tense, mood, and person. By the end of this lesson, you should feel more comfortable using verbs in your conversations and writing.

In Bosnian, verbs are not only a means of communication but also reflect the rich cultural nuances of the language. Each verb can change its form based on who is performing the action and when it’s happening, which makes learning them both challenging and rewarding.

Outline of the Lesson:

• Introduction to Bosnian Verbs

• Types of Bosnian Verbs

• The Conjugation of Verbs in Present Tense

• The Conjugation of Verbs in Past Tense

• The Future Tense: A Glimpse Ahead

• Exercises for Practice

• Conclusion

Introduction to Bosnian Verbs

Bosnian verbs can be categorized into two main groups: regular and irregular verbs. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns when conjugated, while irregular verbs do not adhere to these rules, making them a bit trickier to master.

Verbs also have different forms based on mood (indicative, imperative, conditional) and tense (present, past, future), which indicate the time and nature of the action.

Types of Bosnian Verbs

Bosnian verbs can be classified into transitive and intransitive verbs:

• Transitive verbs require a direct object (e.g., "I eat an apple" - "Ja jedem jabuku").

• Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object (e.g., "I sleep" - "Ja spavam").

Here are some examples of each type:

Bosnian	Pronunciation	English
jesti	ˈjɛsti	to eat
spavati	spavatʲi	to sleep
učiti	uˈtʃiti	to learn
hodati	ˈxodati	to walk

The Conjugation of Verbs in Present Tense

Present tense verbs in Bosnian are used to describe actions that are currently happening or habitual actions. The basic structure for conjugating regular verbs in the present tense is as follows:

Regular Verb Conjugation Pattern:

1. Remove the infinitive ending (-ati, -iti, -eti).

2. Add the appropriate endings based on the subject pronoun.

Here’s the present tense conjugation for the verb "raditi" (to work):

Person	Bosnian	Pronunciation	English
Ja (I)	radim	ˈradim	I work
Ti (You - singular)	radiš	ˈradiʃ	You work
On/Ona/Ono (He/She/It)	radi	ˈradi	He/She/It works
Mi (We)	radimo	ˈradimo	We work
Vi (You - plural)	radite	ˈradite	You work
Oni/One/Ona (They)	rade	ˈrade	They work

Let’s take a look at some more examples of regular verbs in the present tense:

Verb	Ja	Ti	On/Ona/Ono	Mi	Vi	Oni/One/Ona
učiti (to learn)	učim	učiš	uči	učimo	učite	uče
igrati (to play)	igram	igraš	igra	igramo	igrate	igraju
piti (to drink)	pijem	piješ	pije	pijemo	pijete	piju
čitati (to read)	čitam	čitaš	čita	čitamo	čitate	čitaju

The Conjugation of Verbs in Past Tense

In Bosnian, the past tense is used to describe actions that have already taken place. Regular verbs in the past tense are generally formed by adding specific endings to the root of the verb, which varies based on the gender of the subject.

Past Tense Conjugation Pattern:

1. Start with the verb stem (remove -ati, -iti, -eti).

2. Add the appropriate endings (-o for masculine, -la for feminine, -lo for neuter, -li for plural).

Here’s the past tense conjugation for the verb "raditi" (to work):

Person	Bosnian	Pronunciation	English
Ja (I - masculine)	radio sam	ˈradio sam	I worked (m)
Ja (I - feminine)	radila sam	ˈradila sam	I worked (f)
Ti (You - singular - masculine)	radio si	ˈradio si	You worked (m)
Ti (You - singular - feminine)	radila si	ˈradila si	You worked (f)
On (He)	radio je	ˈradio je	He worked
Ona (She)	radila je	ˈradila je	She worked
Mi (We - masculine)	radili smo	ˈradili smo	We worked (m)
Mi (We - feminine)	radile smo	ˈradile smo	We worked (f)
Oni (They - masculine)	radili su	ˈradili su	They worked (m)
One (They - feminine)	radile su	ˈradile su	They worked (f)

Let’s examine more examples of regular verbs in the past tense:

Verb	Ja (m)	Ja (f)	Ti (m)	Ti (f)	On	Ona	Mi (m)	Mi (f)	Oni (m)	One (f)
učiti (to learn)	učio sam	učila sam	učio si	učila si	učio je	učila je	učili smo	učile smo	učili su	učile su
igrati (to play)	igrao sam	igrala sam	igrao si	igrala si	igrao je	igrala je	igrali smo	igrale smo	igrali su	igrale su
piti (to drink)	pio sam	pila sam	pio si	pila si	pio je	pila je	pili smo	pile smo	pili su	pile su
čitati (to read)	čitao sam	čitala sam	čitao si	čitala si	čitao je	čitala je	čitali smo	čitale smo	čitali su	čitale su

The Future Tense: A Glimpse Ahead

The future tense in Bosnian is formed by using the auxiliary verb “htjeti” (to want) along with the infinitive form of the main verb. This construction is straightforward and allows learners to express future actions clearly.

The conjugation of “htjeti” is as follows:

Person	Bosnian	Pronunciation	English
Ja (I)	hoću	ˈhoʧu	I want
Ti (You - singular)	hoćeš	ˈhoʧeʃ	You want
On/Ona/Ono (He/She/It)	hoće	ˈhoʧe	He/She/It wants
Mi (We)	hoćemo	ˈhoʧemo	We want
Vi (You - plural)	hoćete	ˈhoʧete	You want
Oni/One/Ona (They)	hoće	ˈhoʧe	They want

So, to form the future tense of "raditi" (to work), you would say:

• Ja ću raditi (I will work)

• Ti ćeš raditi (You will work)

• On/Ona/Ono će raditi (He/She/It will work)

• Mi ćemo raditi (We will work)

• Vi ćete raditi (You will work)

• Oni/One/Ona će raditi (They will work)

Exercises for Practice

Now that we’ve explored the theory behind Bosnian verbs and their conjugation, it’s time for some practice! Here are some exercises to help reinforce what you’ve learned.

1. Conjugate the verb "učiti" (to learn) in the present tense for all pronouns.

2. Change the following sentences to the past tense:

• "Ja učim." (I learn.)

• "Oni igraju." (They play.)

3. Translate to Bosnian: "We will drink."

4. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:

• "Ja ___ (raditi) jučer." (I worked yesterday.)

5. Identify whether the following verbs are transitive or intransitive: "spavati" (to sleep), "vidjeti" (to see).

6. Conjugate the verb "igrati" (to play) in the past tense for "ti" (you) - singular.

7. Translate to English: "Ona će učiti sutra."

8. Write a sentence using the future tense with the verb "piti" (to drink).

9. Match the correct subject pronoun with the verb forms in the present tense:

• a) radim

• b) radiš

• c) radite

• d) rade

• e) radi

10. Choose the correct past tense form for "Mi" (we) of the verb "učiti":

• a) učili smo

• b) učila smo

• c) učio smo

Solutions and Explanations:

1. Conjugation of "učiti" in Present Tense:

• Ja učim, Ti učiš, On/Ona/Ono uči, Mi učimo, Vi učite, Oni/One/Ona uče.

2. Past Tense Changes:

• "Ja učim." → "Ja sam učio/la." (I learned.)

• "Oni igraju." → "Oni su igrali." (They played.)

3. Translation: "We will drink." → "Mi ćemo piti."

4. Fill in the Blank:

• "Ja sam radio/la jučer." (I worked yesterday.)

5. Identification:

• "spavati" (intransitive), "vidjeti" (transitive).

6. Past Tense for "ti" of "igrati":

• "Ti si igrao/la." (You played.)

7. Translation: "Ona će učiti sutra." → "She will learn tomorrow."

8. Future Tense Sentence:

• "Ja ću piti vodu." (I will drink water.)

9. Match:

• a) radim - I

• b) radiš - You (singular)

• c) radite - You (plural)

• d) rade - They

• e) radi - He/She/It

10. Correct Past Tense Form for "Mi":

• a) učili smo.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve taken a significant step in mastering Bosnian verbs and their conjugation. Remember, practice is key—try using verbs in your everyday conversations and writing. As you continue your journey in learning Bosnian, keep revisiting these conjugation patterns, and they will soon become second nature.

Feel free to reach out with any questions, and happy learning!

Table of Contents - Bosnian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Bosnian Alphabet

• Bosnian Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Special Characters and Sounds

  ---

Basic Bosnian Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Plurals
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Food and Drink

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Bosnian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Sports and Fitness

  ---

Bosnian Literature and Cinema

• Famous Writers and Works
• Bosnian Cinema

Sources

• Bosnian Verbs | POLYMATH.ORG
• Bosnian Language: 101 Bosnian Verbs: Predojevic, Nejla ...

Other Lessons

• Personal pronouns
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• How to Use Be
• Gender
• Give your Opinion
• Future Tense
• Plurals
• Articles and Nouns
• Adjectives
• Questions