би + L-Form
The Conditional with Би
Би with the l-form is the Macedonian “would”: Би сакал кафе (I would like a coffee).
How It Works
Form. Use би and the l-form: јас би сакал / сакала, ти би сакал / сакала, тој би сакал, таа би сакала, тоа би било, ние би сакале, вие би сакале, тие би сакале. Unlike Serbian or Bulgarian, Macedonian би has no person endings.
Polite requests. Би softens a wish or a question: Би сакал едно кафе, Дали би можеле да ми помогнете? With the polite Вие the l-form is plural: би можеле.
Imagined actions. Би also says what someone would do: Би дошла, ама имам работа. A full imagined condition uses кога би ... би: see imagined situations with би. For a condition that can really happen, use ако with the present.
Word order. Не comes before би, and short pronouns come after it: Не би го купил (I would not buy it), Би ти помогнал (I would help you).
Examples (6)
- Би сакал едно кафе, ве молам.
I would like a coffee, please.
Word by Word: Would liked one coffee, you I-ask.
A man speaking uses сакал; a woman would say сакала.
- Дали би можеле да ми помогнете?
Could you help me?
The polite Вие takes the plural l-form можеле.
- Би дошла, ама имам работа.
I would come, but I have work.
A woman is speaking, so the l-form is дошла.
- Јас не би го купил тоа.
I would not buy that.
Не goes before би, and го stands between би and the l-form.
- Би било убаво да се видиме.
It would be nice to meet.
The neuter l-form било goes with an it-subject.
- Што би направила ти на мое место?
What would you do in my place?
Ти is a woman here, so the l-form is направила.
Common Mistakes
Adding person endings to би.
Бих сакал кафе.Би сакал кафе.Serbian and Bulgarian say бих, but Macedonian би never changes. The l-form carries the gender and number.
Using a present form after би.
Би сакам кафе.Би сакал кафе.Би is always followed by the l-form, never by the present.
Using a singular l-form with ние or вие.
Ние би сакал да дојдеме.Ние би сакале да дојдеме.With a plural or polite subject the l-form ends in -ле.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The conditional needs the l-form.
Related Patterns
- кога би ... биImagined Situations with Би
Би in both halves of an imagined condition.
Level 4 - ако + Present TenseReal Conditions
Ако with the present is used for conditions that can really come true.
Level 3 - сакав да прашамPolite Requests with the Past
Another polite way to make a request.
Level 3 - би требало даOught to
Би with треба gives ought to.
Level 4 - може да / мора да / треба даCan Must and Should
Би often combines with може for polite questions: Би можел ли...?
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice би + L-Form in Bubblegum
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