ќе + Present Tense
The Future with Ќе
Macedonian makes the future with the small word ќе and a verb in the present form: Ќе одам утре (I will go tomorrow).
How It Works
Form. Take the verb in the present tense and put ќе in front of it: читам → ќе читам, јадеш → ќе јадеш, одат → ќе одат. Unlike Serbian ћу, ћеш, the Macedonian word never takes endings. The present forms themselves are covered in the present tense of а-verbs and the related е- and и-verb entries.
Word order. Ќе opens the verb group. Short pronouns and се stand between ќе and the verb, the to-someone pronoun first: Ќе го купам, Ќе ти го дадам, Ќе се видиме. No other word goes between them. See the order before the verb.
Both aspects. Either partner of an aspect pair can follow ќе. A perfective verb looks ahead to one complete event: Ќе го напишам писмото (I will write the letter and finish it). An imperfective verb looks at an ongoing or repeated activity: Ќе ти пишувам секој ден (I will write to you every day). See verb aspect.
Be. After ќе, the verb сум uses the forms бидам, бидеш, биде: Ќе бидам дома. See future forms of be.
Negative and questions. The everyday negative is нема да, which replaces ќе. A question can start with Дали or put ли after the verb: Дали ќе дојдеш?, Ќе дојдеш ли?
Spelling. Write ќе with ќ. The spelling ке appears in quick messages, but it is not standard.
Examples (6)
- Утре ќе одам во Скопје.
Tomorrow I will go to Skopje.
Word by Word: Tomorrow will go-I to Skopje.
Ќе comes right before the present form одам.
- Ќе ти се јавам попладне.
I will call you in the afternoon.
Word by Word: Will to-you self call-I afternoon.
The short words ти and се stand between ќе and the verb.
- Што ќе правиш во сабота?
What will you do on Saturday?
A question word comes before ќе.
- Ќе го напишам писмото утре.
I will write the letter tomorrow.
Напише is perfective: the letter will be finished.
- Ќе ти пишувам секој ден.
I will write to you every day.
Пишува is imperfective because the action repeats.
- Утре ќе врне.
It will rain tomorrow.
Ќе also makes predictions.
Common Mistakes
Putting a short pronoun before ќе.
Го ќе видам утре.Ќе го видам утре.Ќе always comes first in the verb group. Short pronouns follow it and stand right before the verb.
Spelling ќе as ке.
Ке дојдам во осум.Ќе дојдам во осум.The standard spelling has ќ. Ке is an informal spelling from quick messages.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The future with ќе uses the present forms.
Related Patterns
- нема даThe Negative Future
The negative future replaces ќе with нема да.
Level 2 - The Present for Planned Events
The plain present can also describe a fixed plan, but ќе is the general future.
Level 2 - ќе бидам / да бидамFuture and Da Forms of Be
After ќе, the verb сум uses бидам, бидеш, биде.
Level 2 - да / ќе / ако + Perfective VerbPerfective Verbs After Да Ќе and Ако
Ќе is one of the words that lets a perfective present appear.
Level 2 - кога ќеFuture Time Clauses
A future time clause with кога also uses ќе.
Level 3 - The Order Before the Verb
Explains where ќе stands relative to не and the short pronouns.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice ќе + Present Tense in Bubblegum
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