Present tense of regular verbs (-am, -im, -em)
Regular verbs fall into three present-tense patterns named for the 'I' ending: -am verbs (gledati → gledam), -im verbs (raditi → radim), and -em verbs (pisati → pišem). Each set has matching endings for all six persons (e.g. -am, -aš, -a, -amo, -ate, -aju).
Examples
- Gledam film. I am watching a film.
- Radim kod kuće. I work at home.
- Pišem pismo. I am writing a letter.
The full lesson
Everything in the video, in text.
-
I watch, I work, I write — almost every regular Serbian verb follows one of just three present-tense patterns. The catch? You can't always guess which one from the infinitive.
-
Here's the idea. Regular verbs split into three groups, each named for its 'I' ending: -am verbs, -im verbs, and -em verbs. Learn the 'I' form and the rest of the group falls into place.
-
Three sample verbs show all three groups. Gledati, to watch, is -am. Raditi, to work, is -im. And pisati, to write, is -em. gledam, radim, pišem
-
Start with the -am group. Take the stem gleda- and add the endings. Hear how the 'a' runs through every form: gledam, gledaš, gleda, gledamo, gledate, gledaju
-
Now the -im group, with raditi. The marker vowel switches to 'i'. Watch the 'they' form — it's rade, not radiju: radim, radiš, radi, radimo, radite, rade
-
And the -em group, with pisati. Here the stem changes from pisa- to piš-, and the marker vowel is 'e': pišem, pišeš, piše, pišemo, pišete, pišu
-
Let's put each group to work. An -am verb in a real sentence: 'I'm watching a film.' The 'I' form is gledam. Gledam film.
-
Now an -im verb: 'I work at home.' The 'I' form takes the 'i' marker — radim. Radim kod kuće.
-
And an -em verb: 'I'm writing a letter.' Remember the stem shifted — so it's not pisam, it's pišem. Pišem pismo.
-
Here's the trap. Pisati ends in -ati, so it looks like an -am verb — you'd expect pisam. But it isn't: it's an -em verb with a stem change, pišem. The infinitive isn't a reliable guide. pisati → pišem
-
So the safe move: learn each new verb with its 'I' form. Gledam tells you -am, radim tells you -im, pišem tells you -em. From that one form, the whole present tense unfolds.
-
Lock in three things. Three present groups: -am, -im, -em. Each shares one set of endings across all six persons. And you can't trust the infinitive — so always learn the 'I' form.