Finite Verb + li

Questions with Li

Level 1

Li forms a yes-no question after a suitable finite form: Govoriš li hrvatski? Write li as a separate word.

How It Works

Radiš li danas? begins with the verb that already carries person and number. Li follows it. Do not insert je li before another independently conjugated verb: Možeš li doći? is the standard pattern.

The short copula has special question forms: Jesi li spreman? and Je li Ana ovdje? Future questions similarly use a form such as hoće li. Learn these together with their affirmative counterparts.

Da li and reduced je l’ occur in real conversation; this entry teaches the standard written finite-verb-plus-li construction. Its rule is not a claim that every regional question is unintelligible or belongs to another language.

Examples (4)

  1. Govoriš li hrvatski?

    Do you speak Croatian?

    Li follows the finite verb govoriš.

  2. Je li Ana ovdje?

    Is Ana here?

    Je li is appropriate because the predicate contains biti.

  3. Možete li ponoviti?

    Can you repeat that?

    Možete carries respectful or plural second person.

  4. Hoće li doći?

    Will he or she come?

    The future question uses hoće before li.

How It Connects

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

Finite Verb + liLevel 1Questions with Li

Learn This First

Li follows a finite form, so first identify an ordinary conjugated verb.

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