често / обично / секогаш / никогаш

Describing Habits

Level 2Sounds Like često; obično; sekogaš; nikogaš

Обично станувам во седум. (I usually get up at seven.) Никогаш не доцнам. (I am never late.)

How It Works

From always to never.

  • секогаш always
  • обично usually
  • често often
  • понекогаш sometimes
  • ретко rarely
  • никогаш не never

Where they go. They usually come before the verb, often at the start of the sentence: Секогаш пијам кафе наутро. · Често одиме на море.

Imperfective verbs. A habit is a repeated action, so use the imperfective partner of a verb pair: Секогаш читам весник наутро, not the perfective прочита. A perfective present cannot stand alone like this (Verb Aspect).

Никогаш needs не. Macedonian uses double negation, so никогаш comes with не before the verb: Никогаш не пушам. See Double Negation. When никогаш denies one single event rather than a habit, the verb can be perfective: Тој никогаш не ми се јави. (He never called me.)

Habits in the past. For past habits, use the imperfect: Кога бев мал, често одев кај баба ми. (When I was little, I often went to my grandma's.) See The Imperfect Past.

Every day. Phrases such as секој ден (every day) and секое утро (every morning) work the same way (Each All and Everything).

Examples (6)

  1. Обично станувам во седум.

    I usually get up at seven.

    Word by Word: Usually I-get-up at seven.

  2. Секогаш пијам кафе наутро.

    I always drink coffee in the morning.

    Word by Word: Always I-drink coffee in-morning.

  3. Често одиме на море.

    We often go to the seaside.

    Word by Word: Often we-go to sea.

  4. Понекогаш готвам за целото семејство.

    Sometimes I cook for the whole family.

    Word by Word: Sometimes I-cook for whole-the family.

  5. Никогаш не доцнам.

    I am never late.

    Word by Word: Never not I-am-late.

    Никогаш needs не before the verb.

  6. Кога бев мал, често одев кај баба ми.

    When I was little, I often went to my grandma's.

    Word by Word: When I-was small, often I-went at grandma my.

    A past habit uses the imperfect одев.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out не after никогаш.

    Никогаш доцнам.
    Никогаш не доцнам.

    Macedonian negative words such as никогаш still need не before the verb.

  • Using a perfective verb for a habit.

    Секогаш прочитам весник наутро.
    Секогаш читам весник наутро.

    A habit is a repeated action, so it takes the imperfective чита. The perfective прочита cannot stand alone in the present.

How It Connects

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често / обично / секогаш / никогашLevel 2Describing Habits

Learn This First

Describing habits needs aspect and double negation.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

честообичнопонекогашретко