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Motion-habitual in Serbian

Routines & Frequency

Сваки дан — увек, понекад, никад — habits in real Serbian.

Context makes a habit

Serbian uses ићи for both a trip now and a routine. Time words tell you which: Идем на посао сваки дан.

Сваког дана идем на посао.

I go to work every day.

The frequency ladder

увек (always), обично (usually), често (often), понекад (sometimes), ретко (rarely), никад (never). These usually stand before the verb.

Често идемо у биоскоп.

We often go to the cinema.

Double negative is required

«никад» needs a negative verb: Никад не касним. Serbian double negation is standard grammar, not a mistake.

Никад не идем колима.

I never go by car.

Routine time phrases

сваког јутра, понедељком, викендом and после посла place an action in a routine.

Викендом шетамо поред реке.

At weekends we walk by the river.

Put It Together

Keep the lesson goal in view: увек, понекад, никад — habits in real Serbian. Revisit the examples, then test yourself in practice.