Skip to main content

Aspect-2 in Serbian

Aspect in the Future & Requests

Вид у пракси — радићу or урадићу — choose the process or the result.

Future process or future result

Imperfective focuses on activity or repetition: Писаћу цео дан. Perfective promises a result: Написаћу писмо до пет.

Читаћу вечерас. / Прочитаћу књигу.

I'll read tonight. / I'll finish the book.

Perfective present points ahead

A perfective present form usually cannot mean right now. In clauses with кад or ако it points to a completed future event: Кад стигнем, јавићу ти.

Кад завршим, позваћу те.

When I finish, I'll call you.

Requests choose a viewpoint

Imperfective imperatives can invite an activity: Читај! Perfective forms ask for one completed act: Прочитај ово! Сачекај! Донеси!

Молим те, напиши адресу.

Please write down the address.

Common pairs

радити/урадити, куповати/купити, звати/позвати, долазити/доћи, говорити/рећи. Learn the pair with each new verb.

куповати → купити

to be buying → to buy

Put It Together

Keep the lesson goal in view: радићу or урадићу — choose the process or the result. Revisit the examples, then test yourself in practice.