Adverbial Participle -vši / -avši
After Doing Something
Forms such as završivši and pročitavši compress an earlier action into a nonfinite expression. They are especially common in written narrative.
How It Works
The usual formation uses a perfective infinitive stem with -vši or -avši: završiti → završivši, pročitati → pročitavši. Some verbs require a less transparent stem, so do not manufacture forms from spelling alone.
The form is invariant and locates its event before the main action. It can occur with a past, present or future main verb; “past” here names the relation between actions rather than a fixed calendar tense.
The same participant normally performs both actions in this construction. For a different actor, use an explicit clause with nakon što. Use a present verbal adverb, not the past one, when the intended actions overlap.
Examples (3)
- Završivši posao, Marko je ugasio računalo.
Having finished the work, Marko switched off the computer.
- Pročitavši pismo, Petra ga je pažljivo spremila.
After reading the letter, Petra carefully put it away.
- Zaključavši vrata, krenuli smo prema kolodvoru.
After locking the door, we set off towards the station.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The earlier-event verbal adverb retains subject control while changing the temporal relation.
Related Patterns
Practice Adverbial Participle -vši / -avši in Bubblegum
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