Irregular Past Participles

Level 3

A few common verbs have their own participle stems.

How It Works

InfinitiveMasculineFemininePlural
ićiišaoišlaišli
doćidošaodošladošli
moćimogaomoglamogli
rećirekaoreklarekli
jestijeojelajeli
pitipiopilapili
htjetihtiohtjelahtjeli

The feminine and plural forms often show the stem more clearly than the masculine. In išao the stem is išl-, which you see in išla.

Verbs made from these, such as pomoći (pomogao) or naći (našao), follow the same pattern.

Practise them in short sets. Say the masculine forms in a row, then the feminine ones. Saying them aloud helps them stay in your head, because these verbs are everywhere in daily talk.

Examples (5)

  1. Amir je išao u školu.

    Amir went to school.

    Ići gives išao.

  2. Selma je došla jučer.

    Selma came yesterday.

    Doći gives došla.

  3. Nisam mogao doći.

    I could not come. (a man speaking)

    Moći gives mogao.

  4. Šta je Ajla rekla?

    What did Ajla say?

    Reći gives rekla.

  5. Pili smo kafu na Baščaršiji.

    We drank coffee at Baščaršija.

    Piti gives pili.

Common Mistakes

  • Treating ići like a regular verb.

    Amir je idio u školu.
    Amir je išao u školu.

    Ići has its own participle stem.

  • Using the wrong stem for piti.

    Pijala sam kafu.
    Pila sam kafu.

    The participle of piti is pio, pila.

How It Connects

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

Irregular Past ParticiplesLevel 3

Learn This First

Some participles are irregular.

Words in This Pattern

ićidoćimoćirećijestipitihtjeti