Language/Macedonian/Grammar/Past-Tense
Introduction
Welcome to the Complete 0 to A1 Macedonian Course! In this lesson, we will be learning how to use the past tense in Macedonian. This is an essential skill for anyone who wants to communicate effectively in Macedonian. We will cover the regular verb conjugation, the formation of the past tense, and some essential vocabulary. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to speak about past events and actions with confidence.
Regular Verb Conjugation in Past Tense
In Macedonian, regular verbs have a predictable pattern when it comes to conjugation. Here is how to form the past tense of regular verbs:
1. Take the basic form of the verb (infinitive verb form) and remove the last two letters "ти" (ti) from it. 2. Add the past tense markers -л (-l) for masculine singular, -ла (-la) for feminine singular, -ло (-lo) for neuter singular, -ле (-le) for masculine plural, and -ле (-le) for feminine plural.
Here are some examples of regular verb conjugations in the past tense:
| Macedonian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| гледам | gledam | I watched |
| јадам | jadam | I ate |
| готвам | gotvam | I cooked |
| пишувам | pišuvam | I wrote |
| зборувам | zboruvam | I spoke |
| прочитавме | pročitavme | We read |
| пиеја | pieja | They drank |
Overall, it's not too difficult to form the past tense of regular verbs in Macedonian. Keep in mind that there are some patterns, but there are always exceptions as well. We will cover the irregular verbs in the future lessons.
Essential Vocabulary in Past Tense
Let's take a look at a list of common verbs that you might use in the past tense:
- задремав (zadremav) - I dozed off
- играв (igrav) - I played
- пелив (peliv) - I sang
- работев (rabotev) - I worked
- спавав (spavav) - I slept
- возев (vozev) - I drove
- дојдов (dojdov) - I came
- го видов (go vidov) - I saw him/her/it
- бев (bev) - I was
- имав (imav) - I had
You can use these verbs to create sentences in the past tense. For example:
- Задремав на работа. (Zadremav na rabota.) - I dozed off at work.
- Играв фудбал со моите пријатели. (Igrav fudbal so moite prijateli.) - I played football with my friends.
- Пелив на мојот настап. (Peliv na mojot nastap.) - I sang at my performance.
- Работев цел ден. (Rabotev cel den.) - I worked the whole day.
- Спавав до подоцна. (Spavav do podocna.) - I slept in.
- Возев со автомобилот додека меѓувремено слушав музика. (Vozev so avtomobilot dok edva vreme slushav muzika.) - I drove while listening to music.
- Дојдов на вечерта. (Dojdov na vecherta.) - I came for dinner.
- Го видов мојот пријател на улица. (Go vidov mojot prijatel na ulitsa.) - I saw my friend on the street.
- Бев на вакцинација вчера. (Bev na vakcinacija vchera.) - I was at vaccination yesterday.
- Имав домашна задача која што не ми се фала. (Imav domashna zadacha koja shto ne mi se fala.) - I had homework that I didn't like.
Exercise
Let's practice what we've learned! Translate the following sentences into Macedonian:
- I studied yesterday.
- She arrived late to the party.
- We watched a movie last night.
- They ate pizza for lunch.
- He played basketball with his friends.
Answers:
- Јас учев вчера. (Jas uchev vchera.)
- Таа пристигна доцна на забавата. (Taa pristigna docna na zabavata.)
- Се гледавте филм вчера. (Se gledavte film vchera.)
- Тие јадеа пица за ручек. (Tie jadea pica za ruchek.)
- Тој играв кошарка со неговите пријатели. (Toj igrav kosharka so negovite prijateli.)
Conclusion
Congratulations on learning about the past tense in Macedonian! With regular practice and determination, you will become confident in using past tense constructions in your conversations. In our next lesson, we will cover the future tense in Macedonian. Be sure to review the vocabulary and grammar points covered in this lesson before moving on to the next one. Good luck!