Language/Serbian/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be
The Verbe " to be " (Glagol biti)
Present Tense (Sadašnje vreme)
Now we will learn how to conjugate the verb biti ("to be") in the present tense.
Serbian | English | Odrični oblik | Negative form |
---|---|---|---|
Ja sam | I am | Ja nisam | I am not |
Ti si | you are ( singular) | Ti nisi | you are not ( singular) |
On je | he is | On nije | he is not |
Ona je | she is | Ona nije | she is not |
Ono je | it is | Ono nije | it is not |
Mi smo | we are | Mi nismo | we are not |
Vi ste | you are (plural) | Vi niste | you are not (plural) |
Oni su | they are (plural of he) | Oni nisu | they are not (plural of he) |
One su | they are (plural of she) | One nisu | they are not ( plural of she) |
Ona su | they are (plural of it) | Ona nisu | they are not ( plural of it) |
** notes:
" Ti" is informal. Don't say " ti " to older people, or peoplo who you don't know. For this purpose we use " Vi " ( the plural form of you) So, poliltely said: " Who are you" ? would be: Ko ste Vi?
For bulding the negative form, just add the preffix "ni-" to the present form.
Phrases
Ona je prelepa. - She is beautiful.
On je brz . - He is fast.
Da li su oni stari? Ne oni nisu stari. - Are they old? No they are not old.
Da li smo mi mladi? Da ,mi smo mladi. - Are we young? Yes we are young
Nisam kod kuće. - I am not at home?
Oni su veoma fini. - They are really nice.
Mi nismo gladni. - We are not hungry.
Ona ne kasni. - She is not late.
Interrogative - Upitne rečenice
Making questions using the verb to be:
Da li sam ja? - Am I?
Da li si ti? - Are you?
Da li je on? - Is he?
Da li je ona? - Is she?
Da li je ono? - Is it?
Da li smo mi? - Are we?
Da li ste Vi?- Are you?
Da li stu oni, one, ono? - Are they?
Past Tense (Prošlo vreme)
Here is the conjugation in the past:
Serbian | English | Odrični oblik | Negative |
---|---|---|---|
Ja sam bio / bila | I was | Ja nisam bio / bila | I was not |
Ti si bio / bila | you were | Ti nisi bio / bila | you were not |
On je bio | he was | On nije bio | he was not |
Ona je bila | she was | Ona nije bila | she was not |
Ono je bilo | it was | Ono nije bilo | it was not |
Mi smo bili | we were | Mi nismo bili | we were not |
Vi ste bili | you were | Vi niste bili | you were not |
Oni su bili | they were | Oni nisu bili | they were not |
One su bile | they were | One nisu bile | they were not |
Ona su bila | they were | Ona nisu bila | they were not |
** note: For bulding the negative form, just add the preffix "ni-" to the past form.
Phrases
Here are some phrases:
Rođena sam 1981. - I was born in 1981.
On je bio na odmor prošle godine - He was on vacation last year.
Ona je bila nervozna - She was nervous.
Oni su bili dobri - They were nice.
Nisi bio kod kuće - You were not at home.
Mi nismo bili spremni - We were not ready.
Interrogative - Upitne rečenice
Da li sam ja bio / bila? - Was I?
Da li si ti bio / bila? - Were you?
Da li je on bio? - Was he?
Da li je ona bila? - Was she?
Da li je ono bilo? - Was it?
Da li smo mi bili? - Were we?
Da li ste vi bili? - Were you?
Da li si oni bili? - Were they?
Futur Tense (Buduće vreme)
Serbian | Short form | English | Odrični oblik | Negative |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ja ću biti | biću | I will | Ja neću biti | I will not |
Ti ćeš biti | bićeš | you will | Ti nećeš biti | you will not |
On će biti | biće | he will | On neće biti | he will not |
Ona će biti | biće | she will | Ona neće biti | she will not |
Ono će biti | biće | it will | Ono neće biti | it will not |
Mi ćemo biti | bićemo | we will | Mi nećemo biti | we will not |
Vi ćete biti | bićete | you will | Vi nećete biti | you will not |
Oni će biti | biće | they will | Oni neće biti | they will not |
One će biti | biće | they will | One neće biti | they will not |
Ona će biti | biće | they will | Ona neće biti | they will not |
** note: For bulding the negative form, just add the preffix "ne-" to the futur form
Phrases
Here are some phrases:
Ja ću biti spremna. - I will be ready.
Oni će biti kući - They will be at home.
Mi nećemo ići - We will not go
Ti ćeš biti poznat - You will be famous
Verujem da će to biti dobra zabava - I believe it will be a very nice party
U koje vreme će on stići? - What time will he arrive?