Language/Slovenian/Grammar/Conjugation-of-verbs-in-the-past-tense
Welcome to another exciting lesson in our "Complete 0 to A1 Slovenian Course"! Today, we are diving into the world of past tense verbs in Slovenian. Understanding how to conjugate verbs in the past tense is crucial for expressing experiences, narrating stories, and sharing memories. Whether you want to tell your friends about your last vacation or describe what you did over the weekend, mastering the past tense will immensely enrich your conversational skills in Slovenian.
In this lesson, we will explore:
Introduction to Past Tense[edit | edit source]
The past tense in Slovenian allows you to talk about actions that have already happened. It can be a bit tricky for English speakers because the structure and conjugation differ significantly from English. While in English, we often simply add "-ed" to a verb to create the past tense, Slovenian has a more elaborate system that involves gender, number, and sometimes even the aspect of the verb.
Structure of Past Tense Verbs[edit | edit source]
In Slovenian, the past tense is formed using the auxiliary verb "biti" (to be) combined with the past participle of the main verb. The form of "biti" you use depends on the subject of the sentence.
1. Auxiliary Verb Conjugation:
- I (jaz): sem
- You (ti): si
- He/She/It (on/ona/ono): je
- We (mi): smo
- You (plural, vi): ste
- They (oni): so
2. Past Participle Formation:
- For regular verbs, the past participle is formed by:
- Removing the infinitive ending (-ti) and adding -l, -la, or -lo depending on the gender.
- Example: "delati" (to work) → "delal" (he worked), "delala" (she worked), "delalo" (it worked).
Examples of Past Tense Verb Conjugation[edit | edit source]
Let's look at how this works in practice. Here's a table with various examples of past tense verbs:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| delal | ˈdɛlal | worked (he) |
| delala | ˈdɛlala | worked (she) |
| delalo | ˈdɛlalo | worked (it) |
| jedel | ˈjɛdɛl | ate (he) |
| jedla | ˈjɛdla | ate (she) |
| jedlo | ˈjɛdlo | ate (it) |
| šel | ʃɛl | went (he) |
| šla | ʃla | went (she) |
| šlo | ʃlo | went (it) |
| pil | pil | drank (he) |
| pila | ˈpila | drank (she) |
| pilo | ˈpilo | drank (it) |
| govoril | ɡɔˈvɔril | spoke (he) |
| govorila | ɡɔˈvɔrila | spoke (she) |
| govorilo | ɡɔˈvɔrilo | spoke (it) |
| videl | ˈvidɛl | saw (he) |
| videla | ˈvidɛla | saw (she) |
| videlo | ˈvidɛlo | saw (it) |
Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense[edit | edit source]
Just like in English, Slovenian has irregular verbs that do not follow the typical patterns. Here are a few examples:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| bil | bil | was (he) |
| bila | ˈbila | was (she) |
| bilo | ˈbilo | was (it) |
| imel | iˈmɛl | had (he) |
| imela | iˈmɛla | had (she) |
| imelo | iˈmɛlo | had (it) |
| šel | ʃɛl | went (he) |
| šla | ʃla | went (she) |
| šlo | ʃlo | went (it) |
Using Past Tense in Conversation[edit | edit source]
Now that we've covered the basics of forming the past tense, let’s see how you can use it in conversation. Here are a few sentences to illustrate:
1. I worked yesterday.
- Jaz sem delal včeraj. (for a male speaker)
- Jaz sem delala včeraj. (for a female speaker)
2. She ate lunch.
- Ona je jedla kosilo.
3. They went to the cinema.
- Oni so šli v kino.
4. We spoke about the project.
- Mi smo govorili o projektu.
As you can see, past tense verbs are essential for sharing your experiences and stories in Slovenian.
Exercises[edit | edit source]
Now it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! Below are some exercises to practice conjugating verbs in the past tense.
1. Conjugate the following verbs in the past tense for all subjects: "igrati" (to play)
- Answer:
- Jaz sem igral/igralala.
- Ti si igral/igralala.
- On je igral.
- Ona je igrala.
- Mi smo igrali.
- Vi ste igrali.
- Oni so igrali.
2. Translate to Slovenian: "We drank coffee."
- Answer: Mi smo pili kavo.
3. Fill in the blanks: "He _____ (to go) to school."
- Answer: On je šel v šolo.
4. Change the sentence to the past tense: "I read a book."
- Answer: Jaz sem bral/brala knjigo.
5. Conjugate the verb "videti" (to see) in the past tense for all subjects.
- Answer:
- Jaz sem videl/videla.
- Ti si videl/videla.
- On je videl.
- Ona je videla.
- Mi smo videli.
- Vi ste videli.
- Oni so videli.
6. Translate to English: "Oni so jedli torto."
- Answer: They ate cake.
7. Fill in the blanks: "She _____ (to do) her homework."
- Answer: Ona je naredila domačo nalogo.
8. Conjugate "biti" (to be) in the past tense for all subjects.
- Answer:
- Jaz sem bil/bila.
- Ti si bil/bila.
- On je bil.
- Ona je bila.
- Mi smo bili.
- Vi ste bili.
- Oni so bili.
9. Change the sentence to the past tense: "We play soccer."
- Answer: Mi smo igrali nogomet.
10. Translate to Slovenian: "They saw the movie."
- Answer: Oni so videli film.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Congratulations on completing this lesson on the conjugation of past tense verbs in Slovenian! With practice, using the past tense will become second nature to you. Remember, the key to mastering any language is consistent practice and usage. Now, go ahead and share your stories, experiences, and memories in Slovenian!
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Pronouns
- Nouns, articles and gender
- Writing and composing simple texts
- Conjugation of verbs in the present tense
- Pronouns and their use
- Future Tense
- How to Use Have
- Word order and sentence structure
- The subjunctive mood and modal verbs
- Conditional and future tense