Repeated Actions

Level 4

Habits use the imperfective verb.

How It Works

When you say what you usually do, choose the imperfective.

  • Svaki dan pijem kafu. I drink coffee every day.
  • Prije sam pio čaj. I used to drink tea.
  • Selma uvijek ide pješice. Selma always walks.

It works in the past too: Svake nedjelje smo išli u Travnik. (We used to go to Travnik every Sunday.)

A time word often tells you about a habit, but it is not required. The imperfective already says that no single result is meant.

In lively speech the perfective present can also appear in a habit made of steps, as in Svako jutro popijem kafu i krenem na posao (every morning I have my coffee and set off). Learner courses teach the imperfective for habits, and it is always safe: Svako jutro pijem kafu.

For a single completed event, switch to the perfective: Jučer sam popio kafu (I drank a coffee yesterday).

Examples (4)

  1. Svaki dan pijem kafu.

    I drink coffee every day.

    Svaki dan marks a habit.

  2. Prije sam pio čaj.

    I used to drink tea.

    Prije marks a past habit.

  3. Selma uvijek ide pješice.

    Selma always walks.

    Uvijek points to a habit.

  4. Svake nedjelje idemo u Travnik.

    Every Sunday we go to Travnik.

    Svake nedjelje is a repeat time.

How It Connects

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

Repeated ActionsLevel 4

Learn This First

Repeated actions use imperfective verbs.