кажи му да
Reporting a Request
Pass on a command with да + a present verb: Ми рече да дојдам. (He told me to come.) Кажи му да почека. (Tell him to wait.)
How It Works
From command to report.
- „Почекај!“ → Кажи му да почека. (Tell him to wait.)
- „Дојди во осум!“ → Ми рече да дојдам во осум. (He told me to come at eight.)
- „Не доцнете!“ → Им реков да не доцнат. (I told them not to be late.)
Who acts. The main verb (рече, кажи, реков) takes a short pronoun for the person who hears the request: ми, му, им. The verb after да has the ending of the person who should act: Ми рече да дојдам (I should come), Кажи ѝ да ми се јави (she should call me).
Да, not дека. A statement uses дека: Ми рече дека доаѓа. (He told me he was coming.) A request uses да: Ми рече да дојдам. (He told me to come.)
Negative requests. Put не after да: Им реков да не доцнат. This is how a report of немој да sounds: „Немој да доцниш!“ → Му реков да не доцни.
Aspect and short pronouns. For a single action, a perfective present follows да: да дојдам, да почека. See perfective verbs after да. Short pronouns that belong to the second verb come after да: Кажи му да ми се јави. (Tell him to call me.)
Examples (5)
- Ми рече да дојдам во осум.
He told me to come at eight.
Word by Word: To-me said to I-come in eight.
- Кажи му да почека малку.
Tell him to wait a little.
Word by Word: Tell him to waits little.
- Им реков да не доцнат.
I told them not to be late.
Word by Word: To-them I-said to not they-be-late.
- Мама рече да си ги измиеш рацете.
Mom said you should wash your hands.
Word by Word: Mom said to self them you-wash hands-the.
Си ги belongs to измиеш: си means your own, and ги stands for the hands.
- Кажи ѝ да ми се јави вечерва.
Tell her to call me tonight.
Word by Word: Tell her to me self calls tonight.
Common Mistakes
Using дека for a request.
Ми рече дека дојдам.Ми рече да дојдам.Дека reports a fact. A command or request is reported with да.
Giving the verb after да the wrong person.
Кажи му да почекам. (meaning: tell him to wait)Кажи му да почека.The verb after да names the person who should act. Почекам means that I should wait; for him, use почека.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Reporting a request combines reported speech and commands.
Related Patterns
- бара / моли / дозволува + даAsking and Allowing Someone
Other verbs that pass on a request or permission with да: Ме замоли да му помогнам.
Level 4 - немој да / немојте даNegative Commands
A negative command; its report uses да не: Му реков да не доцни.
Level 2 - да / ќе / ако + Perfective VerbPerfective Verbs After Да Ќе and Ако
Explains why a single request uses a perfective present such as дојдам.
Level 2 - нека + Present TenseLetting Someone Act
Another way to pass on a wish for someone else: Нека почека.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice кажи му да in Bubblegum
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