-em Present

Present Verbs Like Pisati

Level 1

Some verbs have a present stem that differs from the infinitive. Pisati has pišem, pišeš, piše, pišemo, pišete and pišu.

How It Works

For pisati, learn the present stem piš-. Combining it with the endings gives pišem, pišeš, piše, pišemo, pišete, pišu. The š is part of the actual present pattern.

Other verbs also use e-series endings but may have their own stem changes. Learning the infinitive and first-person present together gives you a useful anchor; a dictionary or paradigm supplies the remaining irregularities.

As with other present forms, pišem can mean I write or I am writing. The third-person plural pišu needs -u, not the -aju of čitaju or the -e of rade. Compare whole forms instead of treating one plural ending as universal.

Examples (4)

  1. Pišem poruku.

    I am writing a message.

    Pišem uses the present stem piš-.

  2. Pišemo prijatelju.

    We are writing to a friend.

    -emo identifies first-person plural.

  3. One pišu pjesmu.

    They are writing a poem.

    Pišu is third-person plural.

  4. Pišeš li često?

    Do you write often?

    The finite form precedes li.

How It Connects

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

-em PresentLevel 1Present Verbs Like Pisati

Learn This First

A conjugation table assumes the person and number distinctions shown by subject pronouns.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

pisati