да + Perfective Verb

Perfective Verbs After Да

Level 2Sounds Like svʺršen vid sled da

After да, a perfective verb means one whole action: Искам да купя хляб. An imperfective verb means an activity or a habit: Обичам да чета.

How It Works

1. Why this matters. A perfective verb like купя cannot describe what you are doing now (see perfective and imperfective aspect). After да, however, it is completely normal. Constructions with да include искам да, мога да, трябва да, за да and хайде да.

2. Perfective: one complete action.

  • Искам да купя хляб. (I want to buy some bread, one purchase.)
  • Трябва да ти кажа нещо. (I have to tell you something.)
  • Можеш ли да затвориш прозореца? (Can you close the window?)

3. Imperfective: an activity, a habit or a general statement.

  • Обичам да чета. (I like reading.)
  • Трябва да ставам рано всеки ден. (I have to get up early every day.)
  • Искам да уча испански. (I want to study Spanish, as an ongoing activity.)

4. Verbs that always take the imperfective. започвам / започна (start), спирам / спра (stop), продължавам (continue), престана (stop, quit) and свиквам (get used to) describe a stage of an activity, so the verb after да is imperfective: Започнах да уча български. Liking or hating an activity in general usually takes the imperfective too: Обичам да готвя. (I love cooking.)

Tip: learn each verb with its partner, such as купувам/купя, so the right one is ready when you need it. See prefix pairs and suffix pairs.

Examples (6)

  1. Искам да купя хляб.

    I want to buy some bread.

    Купя is perfective: one complete purchase.

  2. Обичам да чета вечер.

    I like to read in the evening.

    Чета is imperfective: a general activity.

  3. Трябва да ти кажа нещо.

    I have to tell you something.

  4. Можеш ли да затвориш прозореца?

    Can you close the window?

  5. Трябва да ставам рано всеки ден.

    I have to get up early every day.

    A daily routine usually takes the imperfective ставам.

  6. Започнах да уча български.

    I started learning Bulgarian.

    After започвам, use the imperfective.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a perfective verb after започвам or започна.

    Започнах да науча български.
    Започнах да уча български.

    Verbs about starting, stopping and continuing need an imperfective verb after да.

  • Using a perfective verb after спирам or спра.

    Спри да извикаш!
    Спри да викаш!

    Спирам and спра mean stopping an activity that is going on, so the verb after да is imperfective: викам (shout), not извикам (give one shout).

How It Connects

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да + Perfective VerbLevel 2Perfective Verbs After Да

Learn This First

Perfective verbs after да need aspect and да clauses.

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