Verbal Nouns After Prepositions
Official texts shorten a time clause into a preposition plus a verbal noun: При влегувањето покажете документ. (Show an ID when you enter.)
How It Works
The building block. A verbal noun names an activity: влегување (entering), завршување (finishing), пристигнување (arriving). It comes from the imperfective verb: влегува → влегување.
Preposition + verbal noun. Formal writing puts a preposition in front to say when or how something happens:
- при = at the moment of, on: при влегувањето (on entering)
- по = after: по завршувањето (after the end)
- пред = before: пред започнувањето (before the start)
- до = until: до пристигнувањето (until the arrival)
- со = by, with: со потпишувањето (by signing)
Who or what it is about. Add the person or thing with на: по завршувањето на состанокот (after the meeting ends), до пристигнувањето на лекарот (until the doctor arrives). For a person, you can also use a possessive word: по нашето враќање (after we come back), при неговото заминување (on his departure).
With or without the article. With the article, the phrase points to one known event: при влегувањето (when you enter here). Without it, it sounds like a general rule, as on signs: При влегување во објектот, покажете документ.
The everyday version. In speech, turn the noun back into a verb with кога, откако or пред да: Кога ќе влезете, покажете документ. Откако ќе заврши состанокот... (see after and before). The noun version is shorter and sounds official, so you will meet it on signs, in rules and in the news. See noun-based formal style.
Examples (6)
- При влегувањето покажете документ.
Show an ID when you enter.
Word by Word: At entering-the show document.
Speech would say: Кога ќе влезете, покажете документ.
- По завршувањето на состанокот, министерот даде изјава.
After the meeting ended, the minister made a statement.
Word by Word: After finishing-the of meeting-the, minister-the gave statement.
На состанокот tells you what finished.
- Пред започнувањето на испитот, исклучете ги телефоните.
Turn off your phones before the exam starts.
Word by Word: Before starting-the of exam-the, turn-off them phones-the.
Пред + verbal noun works like пред да + a verb.
- До пристигнувањето на лекарот, не го поместувајте повредениот.
Do not move the injured person until the doctor arrives.
Word by Word: Until arriving-the of doctor-the, not him move injured-the.
A typical first-aid instruction.
- Со потпишувањето на договорот станувате член на клубот.
By signing the contract, you become a member of the club.
Word by Word: With signing-the of contract-the you-become member of club-the.
Со here means by doing this.
- По нашето враќање од одмор, ќе ве повикаме.
We will call you after we come back from vacation.
Word by Word: After our returning from vacation, will you we-call.
Нашето shows who comes back; it takes the article.
Common Mistakes
Making the verbal noun from a perfective verb.
При влезењето покажете документ.При влегувањето покажете документ.Verbal nouns come from imperfective verbs, so use влегува → влегување, not влезе.
Leaving out на before the thing the action is about.
По завршувањето состанокот, сите си заминаа.По завршувањето на состанокот, сите си заминаа.The thing the action is about is always joined to the verbal noun with на: завршувањето на состанокот.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Verbal nouns after prepositions follow noun-based style.
Related Patterns
- Verbal Nouns in -њеVerbal Nouns
How to form the verbal noun that follows the preposition.
Level 3 - откако / пред даAfter and Before
The everyday clause version of по and пред with a verbal noun.
Level 3 - за време на / во текот наDuring
Other formal time phrases that also take a noun.
Level 3 - по + NounAfter and Along
The preposition по with ordinary nouns, as in по ручекот.
Level 3 - се врши / е извршеноAdministrative Passive
Another feature of the official style where these phrases appear.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice Verbal Nouns After Prepositions in Bubblegum
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