по- for a Short While

Doing Something for a While with По-

Level 4Sounds Like predstavka po- za kratko dejstvie

The prefix по- can mean "for a while" or "a little": седя → поседя (sit for a while), говоря → поговоря (have a chat), чета → почета (read a little).

How It Works

1. The meaning. По- added to an imperfective verb can mean "do it for a short while" or "do a little of it":

  • седя → поседя (sit for a while), стоя → постоя (stay a while)
  • говоря → поговоря (have a chat), чета → почета (read a little)
  • чакам → почакам (wait a bit), спя → поспя (have a nap), играя → поиграя (play for a while), работя → поработя (work for a while)

2. It is perfective. The short activity is seen as a whole, so these verbs appear in the aorist, after да, in commands and in the future: Поседяхме в кафенето и си тръгнахме. (We sat in the café for a while and left.) Почакай малко! (Wait a moment!) Ще поспя половин час. (I'll have a half-hour nap.)

3. Friendly suggestions. With хайде да these verbs sound relaxed and inviting: Хайде да поседим малко в парка. (Let's sit in the park for a bit.) The word малко (a little) or the particle си often goes with them: Поговорихме си. (We had a nice chat.)

4. No hyphen. The prefix is part of the verb and is written together with it: поседя. The hyphen belongs only to comparatives: по-добър (better), по-бързо (faster).

5. Other meanings of по-. In many verbs по- simply makes a perfective with no "short while" meaning: моля → помоля (ask), каня → поканя (invite). Only some activity verbs get the "for a while" meaning. Compare на- + се, which means doing something until you have had enough.

Examples (6)

  1. Хайде да поседим малко в парка.

    Let's sit in the park for a bit.

  2. Поговорихме си и се разделихме.

    We had a chat and said goodbye.

  3. Почакай малко, идвам!

    Wait a moment, I'm coming!

    An imperative of the perfective почакам.

  4. Вечер обичам да почета малко преди сън.

    In the evening I like to read a little before sleep.

  5. Децата поиграха на двора и се прибраха.

    The children played outside for a while and came home.

  6. Ще поспя половин час.

    I'll have a half-hour nap.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the prefix with a hyphen.

    Хайде да по-седим малко.
    Хайде да поседим малко.

    The hyphen is used only in comparatives such as по-добър. The verb prefix по- is written together with the verb.

  • Using the perfective alone in the present for a plan.

    Сега поспя малко.
    Сега ще поспя малко.

    A perfective verb cannot stand alone in the present in a main clause. For a plan, use ще: ще поспя.

How It Connects

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

по- for a Short WhileLevel 4Doing Something for a While with По-

Learn This First

По- for a short while needs prefixed aspect pairs.

Words in This Pattern

по-