Verbs With Both Aspects
Most Macedonian verbs come in aspect pairs, but some verbs in -ира do both jobs with one form. организира can mean "organizes (regularly)" or "organize (once)".
How It Works
One form, two aspects. Verbs that end in -ира usually come from international words: организира (organize), реагира (react). Many of them are two-aspect verbs, and dictionaries mark them "св. и несв." (perfective and imperfective).
As imperfective. In the present tense they describe ongoing or repeated actions, like any imperfective verb: Секоја година организираме концерт. Тој секогаш реагира мирно.
As perfective. After да, ќе or ако they can mean one complete action (see perfective verbs after да, ќе and ако), and they form an aorist for a single finished event (see the aorist past):
- Сакам да организирам забава. (I want to organize a party.)
- Кога ја слушна веста, реагира многу мирно. (When he heard the news, he reacted very calmly.)
Watch the look-alikes. For these verbs the present and the aorist look the same in the "he/she" form: реагира can be "reacts" or "reacted". The aorist and the imperfect differ only there: Вчера организира средба (she organized a meeting, once) but Секоја недела организираше средби (she used to organize meetings every week).
No -ува needed. Because these verbs already work as imperfectives, they do not take the -ува suffix from aspect pairs with suffixes. Some -ира verbs lean toward the imperfective and form a clear perfective with a prefix instead, as in aspect pairs with prefixes: интересира → заинтересира.
Examples (6)
- Секоја година организираме концерт во училиштето.
Every year we organize a concert at the school.
Word by Word: Every year we-organize concert in school-the.
Present tense, repeated action: imperfective reading.
- Сакам да организирам забава за неговиот роденден.
I want to organize a party for his birthday.
Word by Word: I-want to I-organize party for his-the birthday.
One event after да: perfective reading.
- Вчера организира средба со родителите.
Yesterday she organized a meeting with the parents.
Word by Word: Yesterday organized meeting with parents-the.
With вчера, this form is the aorist.
- Секоја недела организираше средби.
She used to organize meetings every week.
Word by Word: Every week organized meetings.
The imperfect for a repeated past action.
- Тој секогаш реагира мирно.
He always reacts calmly.
Word by Word: He always reacts calmly.
- Кога ја слушна веста, реагира многу мирно.
When he heard the news, he reacted very calmly.
Word by Word: When it he-heard news-the, reacted very calmly.
Here реагира is an aorist: one reaction in the past.
Common Mistakes
Adding -ува to make an imperfective from a two-aspect verb.
Тие организируваат фестивал секое лето.Тие организираат фестивал секое лето.Организира is already imperfective in the present, so it needs no -ува. The form организирува does not exist.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Verbs with both aspects follow aspect pairs.
Related Patterns
- Verb Aspect
The two aspects that these verbs combine.
Level 2 - Aspect Pairs With -ува / -аAspect Pairs with Suffixes
The suffix these verbs do not need.
Level 3 - The Aorist Past
The perfective use forms an aorist.
Level 2 - The Imperfect Past
The imperfect differs from the aorist only in the he/she/you forms.
Level 2 - -изам / -ист / -цијаInternational Word Endings
Other international word endings that often go with -ира verbs.
Level 5
Practice Verbs With Both Aspects in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Macedonian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
