прво / потоа / на крајот
Telling a Short Story
Прво ручавме, потоа прошетавме, а на крајот отидовме на кино. (First we had lunch, then we went for a walk, and in the end we went to the cinema.)
How It Works
The sequence words.
- прво first
- потоа then, after that (you will also hear после)
- тогаш then, at that moment
- на крајот in the end, finally
Where they go. Put them at the start of each step. А or и can join the steps: Прво ручавме, потоа прошетавме, а на крајот отидовме на кино.
Past stories. Each finished step is an aorist: ручавме, прошетавме, отидовме (The Aorist Past). For habits, use the present: Наутро прво се туширам, а потоа пијам кафе. For plans, use ќе: Прво ќе купиме билети, потоа ќе јадеме.
Потоа or тогаш? Потоа moves to the next step. Тогаш points to the moment just described, often when something new happens: Тогаш го видов Марко. (That is when I saw Marko.)
Прво, not првиот. Прво is an adverb and never changes. Прв, прва, првиот are ordinal adjectives that go with a noun: првиот ден (Ordinal Numbers).
Examples (5)
- Прво ручавме, потоа прошетавме.
First we had lunch, then we went for a walk.
Word by Word: First we-lunched, then we-walked.
- Наутро прво се туширам, а потоа пијам кафе.
In the morning I shower first and then drink coffee.
Word by Word: In-morning first myself I-shower, and then I-drink coffee.
- Прво ќе купиме билети, потоа ќе јадеме.
First we will buy tickets, then we will eat.
Word by Word: First will we-buy tickets, then will we-eat.
- Тогаш го видов Марко.
That is when I saw Marko.
Word by Word: Then him I-saw Marko.
Го repeats the known person Marko, as with every definite object.
- На крајот сите отидовме дома.
In the end we all went home.
Word by Word: At end-the all we-went home.
Common Mistakes
Using the ordinal adjective instead of the adverb прво.
Првиот ручавме, потоа прошетавме.Прво ручавме, потоа прошетавме.Првиот means "the first one" and needs a noun, as in првиот ден. To say "first" in a sequence, use прво.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Telling a short story combines the aorist and ordinals.
Related Patterns
- Aorist and Imperfect in a Story
Later you will set the scene with the imperfect and move the story on with the aorist.
Level 4 - што направи / каде бешеAsking About the Past
Questions about the past that a short story can answer.
Level 2 - да / не / и / аSimple Answers and Joining
И and а join the steps of a sequence.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice прво / потоа / на крајот in Bubblegum
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