мога/можеш

Consonant Changes in the Present

Level 3Sounds Like moga/možeš: smâna na sʺglasnata

мога, можеш, може, можем, можете, могат. The consonant changes wherever an е follows.

How It Works

1. The pattern. These verbs belong to the first conjugation, with endings -а, -еш, -е, -ем, -ете, -ат:

  • мога (can): мога, можеш, може, можем, можете, могат
  • пека (bake): пека, печеш, пече, печем, печете, пекат
  • сека (cut, chop): сека, сечеш, сече, сечем, сечете, секат

Other verbs that work this way include облека (dress, облечеш), влека (drag, влечеш) and тека (flow, тече).

2. A simple test. In the present tense, look at the letter after the stem. Before е you write ж or ч. Before а you write г or к. Other tenses have their own forms, such as the past можах.

3. The imperfect. The same change appears before the е of the imperfect: можех, печех, сечеше.

4. Мога in use. Мога is one of the most frequent verbs, so its forms come up constantly: Можеш ли да ми помогнеш? See being able with мога да and asking permission with може ли.

Examples (6)

  1. Можеш ли да ми помогнеш?

    Can you help me?

  2. Мама пече хляб всяка събота.

    Mom bakes bread every Saturday.

    Before the ending -е, к becomes ч: пече.

  3. Не можем да дойдем утре.

    We can't come tomorrow.

  4. Децата не могат да спят.

    The children can't sleep.

    The те form ends in -ат, so г stays.

  5. Какво печете за празника?

    What are you baking for the holiday?

  6. Дядо сече дърва в двора.

    Grandpa is chopping wood in the yard.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping г before an ending in е.

    Могеш ли да дойдеш?
    Можеш ли да дойдеш?

    Before the ending -еш, г becomes ж: можеш.

  • Keeping к before an ending in е.

    Какво пекеш?
    Какво печеш?

    Before the ending -еш, к becomes ч: печеш.

  • Using the past form можа instead of the present мога.

    Аз можа да плувам.
    Аз мога да плувам.

    The аз form of the present keeps г: мога. Можа is a past form meaning 'you, he or she managed to'.

How It Connects

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

мога/можешLevel 3Consonant Changes in the Present

Learn This First

Consonant changes are met in мога/можеш.

Words in This Pattern

могапекасека