Aspect in the Past

Level 3

In the past, aspect decides between process and result.

How It Works

AspectPastIdea
imperfectiveČitao sam knjigu.I was reading, or I read for a while
perfectivePročitao sam knjigu.I finished it

Use the imperfective for a process, a repeated action or the fact that something happened: Jučer sam cijeli dan pisala. Use the perfective for one finished event, especially one that has a result: Jučer sam napisala pismo.

Both are the perfect tense. Many English sentences with did can be either, so think about the idea. Was the focus on the time spent, or on the result? A simple test helps: if you can add cijeli dan (all day), use the imperfective.

Examples (5)

  1. Čitao sam knjigu cijelu večer.

    I read the book all evening.

    Imperfective: time spent.

  2. Pročitao sam knjigu.

    I finished the book.

    Perfective: done.

  3. Jučer sam pisala cijeli dan.

    Yesterday I wrote all day.

    Process.

  4. Jučer sam napisala pismo.

    Yesterday I wrote a letter.

    One finished letter.

  5. Gledali smo film.

    We watched a film.

    We were watching it.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a perfective with a time span

    Pročitao sam knjigu cijelu večer.
    Čitao sam knjigu cijelu večer.

    A time span like cijelu večer fits a process, so use the imperfective.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Aspect in the PastLevel 3

Learn This First

Aspect matters in past verbs.

Words in This Pattern

čitatipročitati