The Dictionary Form of Verbs

Level 1Sounds Like glagolot se naveduva vo treto lice ednina

Macedonian has no infinitive. A dictionary lists чита (he or she reads) where English lists to read.

How It Works

1. No infinitive
English has a base form, to read. Macedonian does not. A dictionary lists the form that means he or she reads: чита. The English meaning is still given as read or to read.

2. The last vowel tells the group

  • -а: чита (read), сака (like), зборува (speak)
  • -е: пие (drink), јаде (eat), живее (live)
  • -и: оди (go), работи (work), учи (learn)

3. Building other forms
Start from the dictionary form and change the ending: чита → читам (I read), оди → одам (I go). Every group makes its I form with -ам.

4. The exception
The verb to be is listed as сум, its I form.

5. Looking ahead
Where English says to read after another verb, Macedonian uses да + a form with a person ending: Сакам да читам. (I want to read.) Dictionaries also list related verbs such as чита and прочита as separate entries.

Examples (5)

  1. Ана чита весник.

    Ana is reading a newspaper.

    Word by Word: Ana reads newspaper.

    Чита is both the he or she form and the dictionary form.

  2. Марко пие чај.

    Marko drinks tea.

    Word by Word: Marko drinks tea.

    Пие is the dictionary form of drink.

  3. Бојан оди дома.

    Bojan is going home.

    Word by Word: Bojan goes home.

    Оди is the dictionary form of go.

  4. Читам книга.

    I'm reading a book.

    Word by Word: I-read book.

    Built from чита by adding -м.

  5. Таа работи во Скопје.

    She works in Skopje.

    Word by Word: She works in Skopje.

    Работи ends in -и, so it follows the и-group.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the dictionary form for every person.

    Јас чита книга.
    Јас читам книга.

    Чита means he or she reads. For I, add the ending: читам.

  • Inventing an infinitive, as in Serbian or Russian.

    Сакам читати.
    Сакам да читам.

    Macedonian has no infinitive. After another verb, use да and the verb with its person ending.

How It Connects

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

The Dictionary Form of VerbsLevel 1

Learn This First

The dictionary form is explained through the persons of the verb.