Language/Serbian/Grammar/Verbs:-Reflexive-Verbs
Հայերէն
Български език
官话
官話
Hrvatski jezik
Český jazyk
Nederlands
English
Suomen kieli
Français
Deutsch
עברית
हिन्दी
Magyar
Bahasa Indonesia
فارسی
Italiano
日本語
Қазақ тілі
한국어
Lietuvių kalba
Νέα Ελληνικά
Şimali Azərbaycanlılar
Język polski
Português
Limba Română
Русский язык
Español
العربية القياسية
Svenska
Wikang Tagalog
தமிழ்
ภาษาไทย
Türkçe
Українська мова
Urdu
Tiếng Việt
| ◀️ Verbs: Perfective and Imperfective — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Places around Town ▶️ |
Welcome to our lesson on Reflexive Verbs in Serbian! Understanding reflexive verbs is essential for mastering the nuances of the Serbian language. Reflexive verbs are verbs whose action reflects back upon the subject. In simpler terms, when someone does something to themselves, we use a reflexive verb. This aspect of grammar may seem a bit tricky at first, especially for English speakers, but with a bit of practice, you'll find it quite intuitive!
In this lesson, we will cover the following:
1. Definition of Reflexive Verbs
2. Formation of Reflexive Verbs in Serbian
3. Common Reflexive Verbs with Examples
4. Usage of Reflexive Verbs in Sentences
5. Exercises to Practice Reflexive Verbs
By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of reflexive verbs in Serbian, and you will be able to use them in your speaking and writing. Let's dive in!
Definition of Reflexive Verbs[edit | edit source]
Reflexive verbs are those that express an action performed by the subject on itself. In Serbian, these verbs are often accompanied by reflexive pronouns. The reflexive pronoun "se" (or its forms, depending on the grammatical case) indicates that the subject is also the object of the action.
For example, the verb "prati" (to wash) becomes "prati se" (to wash oneself).
Formation of Reflexive Verbs in Serbian[edit | edit source]
In Serbian, reflexive verbs are typically formed by adding the reflexive pronoun "se" to the base form of the verb. Here’s a simple breakdown of how this works:
- Base Verb + Reflexive Pronoun (se)
For example:
- "gledati" (to watch) becomes "gledati se" (to watch oneself).
Here are some examples of how reflexive verbs are formed:
| Serbian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| prati se | prah-tee seh | to wash oneself |
| oblačiti se | ob-lah-chee-tee seh | to dress oneself |
| smejati se | smeh-yah-tee seh | to laugh |
| igrati se | ee-grah-tee seh | to play |
| brijati se | bree-yah-tee seh | to shave oneself |
Common Reflexive Verbs with Examples[edit | edit source]
Now, let’s explore 20 common reflexive verbs in Serbian along with their meanings and example sentences:
| Serbian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| smejati se | smeh-yah-tee seh | to laugh |
| oblačiti se | ob-lah-chee-tee seh | to dress oneself |
| brijati se | bree-yah-tee seh | to shave oneself |
| kupati se | koo-pah-tee seh | to bathe oneself |
| odmarati se | od-mah-rah-tee seh | to rest |
| igrati se | ee-grah-tee seh | to play |
| sećati se | seh-chah-tee seh | to remember |
| čuditi se | choo-dee-tee seh | to be surprised |
| ljutiti se | lyoo-tee-tee seh | to get angry |
| smejati se | smeh-yah-tee seh | to laugh |
| kretati se | kre-tah-tee seh | to move |
| posvetiti se | pos-ve-tee-tee seh | to dedicate oneself |
| brinuti se | bree-noo-tee seh | to worry |
| truditi se | troo-dee-tee seh | to try hard |
| nalaziti se | nah-lah-zee-tee seh | to find oneself |
| viđati se | vee-jah-tee seh | to see each other |
| obazirati se | ob-ah-zee-rah-tee seh | to be cautious |
| smejati se | smeh-yah-tee seh | to laugh |
| zamerati se | zah-meh-rah-tee seh | to hold a grudge |
| šminkati se | shmeen-kah-tee seh | to put on makeup |
| veseliti se | veh-seh-lee-tee seh | to be happy |
Usage of Reflexive Verbs in Sentences[edit | edit source]
Reflexive verbs can be used in various contexts. Below are some examples of how to use reflexive verbs in complete sentences:
1. Ja se smejem. (I laugh.)
2. Ona se oblači. (She is dressing herself.)
3. On se brije svaki dan. (He shaves himself every day.)
4. Mi se igramo u parku. (We are playing in the park.)
5. Ti se sećaš tog trenutka. (You remember that moment.)
6. Oni se čude novoj situaciji. (They are surprised by the new situation.)
7. Ja se odmaram posle posla. (I rest after work.)
8. Ona se trudi da uči. (She is trying hard to study.)
9. Mi se nalazimo kod kuće. (We find ourselves at home.)
10. Ti se ljutiš bez razloga. (You are getting angry for no reason.)
These examples illustrate how reflexive verbs are used in everyday conversations. They often describe actions related to self-care, emotions, and social interactions.
Exercises to Practice Reflexive Verbs[edit | edit source]
To reinforce your understanding of reflexive verbs, here are 10 exercises. Try to complete each one, and then check the solutions provided below.
Exercise 1[edit | edit source]
Fill in the blanks with the correct reflexive verb form:
1. Ja se _______ (smejati).
2. Ona se _______ (kupati).
3. Mi se _______ (oblačiti).
4. Oni se _______ (igrati).
Exercise 2[edit | edit source]
Translate the sentences into Serbian:
1. I am resting.
2. She is playing.
3. They are laughing.
4. We are dressing ourselves.
Exercise 3[edit | edit source]
Match the reflexive verbs with their English translations:
1. brijati se
2. igrati se
3. odmarati se
4. sećati se
a. to remember
b. to shave oneself
c. to play
d. to rest
Exercise 4[edit | edit source]
Conjugate the following reflexive verbs in the first person singular:
1. kupati se
2. brinuti se
Exercise 5[edit | edit source]
Write a short paragraph about your daily routine using at least five reflexive verbs.
Exercise 6[edit | edit source]
Choose the correct reflexive pronoun for each sentence:
1. Ja _______ (se, te) smejem.
2. Ti _______ (se, me) oblačiš.
3. Oni _______ (se, mu) brinu.
Exercise 7[edit | edit source]
Identify the reflexive verbs in the following sentences:
1. Ona se smeje svaki put kada ga vidi.
2. Mi se nalazimo u kafiću.
Exercise 8[edit | edit source]
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the reflexive verb in parentheses:
1. Oni se _______ (ljutiti) zbog toga.
2. Ja se _______ (truditi) da učim srpski.
Exercise 9[edit | edit source]
Create your own sentences using these reflexive verbs:
1. čuditi se
2. viđati se
Exercise 10[edit | edit source]
Translate the following sentences into English:
1. Ja se brijem.
2. Ona se veseli.
Solutions to Exercises[edit | edit source]
Exercise 1[edit | edit source]
1. Ja se smejem. (I laugh.)
2. Ona se kupati. (She is bathing.)
3. Mi se oblačimo. (We are dressing ourselves.)
4. Oni se igraju. (They are playing.)
Exercise 2[edit | edit source]
1. Ja se odmaram.
2. Ona se igra.
3. Oni se smeju.
4. Mi se oblačimo.
Exercise 3[edit | edit source]
1 - b (b)
2 - c (c)
3 - d (d)
4 - a (a)
Exercise 4[edit | edit source]
1. Ja se kupam.
2. Ja se brinem.
Exercise 5[edit | edit source]
(Example answer may vary)
Exercise 6[edit | edit source]
1. Ja se smejem.
2. Ti se oblačiš.
3. Oni se brinu.
Exercise 7[edit | edit source]
1. smeje, vidi
2. nalazimo
Exercise 8[edit | edit source]
1. Oni se ljute zbog toga.
2. Ja se trudim da učim srpski.
Exercise 9[edit | edit source]
(Example answers may vary)
Exercise 10[edit | edit source]
1. I am shaving.
2. She is happy.
Congratulations! You’ve just completed the lesson on reflexive verbs in Serbian. Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep using these verbs in your conversations, and soon they will become second nature to you.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Serbian verb aspect and reflexive verbs - Serbian language lessons
- Learn Serbian language – Fast Language Mastery
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- 0 to A1 Course
- Verbs: Perfective and Imperfective
- Comaratives and Superlatives
- Gender
- Future Tense
- Present Tense
- Conditional Tense
- Adjectives
- Verbs: Present Tense
| ◀️ Verbs: Perfective and Imperfective — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Places around Town ▶️ |