сака

Liking and Wanting

Level 1Sounds Like saka

Сака means wants, likes and loves. Сакам кафе is I want coffee, Сакам музика is I like music, and Те сакам is I love you.

How It Works

Сака is an ordinary a-verb, so its present forms follow the pattern in Present Tense of A-Verbs:

  • сакам I want / like
  • сакаш you want / like
  • сака he, she or it wants / likes
  • сакаме we want / like
  • сакате you (plural or polite) want / like
  • сакаат they want / like

Because the ending already shows who is speaking, јас is usually left out: Сакам чај.

Three meanings, one verb. Context chooses the English word:

  • want: Сакаш чај? (Do you want tea?)
  • like: Сакам музика. (I like music.)
  • love: Те сакам. (I love you.) Learn this as a whole phrase for now; те is a short pronoun meaning you, taught in Short Object Pronouns.

Say it without a "the". At this level, name the thing in general: Сакам торта, Сакаш кафе? When the object is a specific, definite thing (the music, the cake), Macedonian also adds a short pronoun: Ја сакам музиката. That is Doubling a Definite Object.

Going further. To want to do something, add да and a second verb: Сакам да пијам кафе (Wanting to Do Something). To say that something appeals to you, Macedonian also uses Saying Something Pleases You.

Examples (6)

  1. Сакам кафе.

    I want coffee. / I would like a coffee.

    Word by Word: Want-I coffee.

    Said to a waiter, this is a simple order. Adding ве молам makes it softer.

  2. Сакам музика.

    I like music.

    Word by Word: Like-I music.

    Here the context is taste, so сакам means like.

  3. Те сакам.

    I love you.

    Word by Word: You love-I.

    A fixed phrase. Те is the short form of you and sits before the verb.

  4. Сакаш чај?

    Do you want tea?

    Word by Word: Want-you tea?

    A yes-or-no question can be just a statement said with a rising voice.

  5. Марко не сака месо.

    Marko doesn't like meat.

    Word by Word: Marko not likes meat.

    Не goes straight before the verb.

  6. Ана сака пица, а Марко сака торта.

    Ana likes pizza, and Marko likes cake.

    Word by Word: Ana likes pizza, and Marko likes cake.

    А joins two sentences that contrast.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Serbian or Bulgarian verb for like or love.

    Волим кафе.
    Сакам кафе.

    Волим is Serbian and обичам is Bulgarian. Macedonian uses сака for want, like and love alike.

  • Putting да in front of a noun.

    Сакам да кафе.
    Сакам кафе.

    Да only comes before a verb: Сакам да пијам кафе. When you simply want a thing, name it right after сакам.

  • Leaving out the short pronoun with a definite object.

    Сакам музиката.
    Ја сакам музиката.

    A definite object (музиката, the music) must be doubled with a short pronoun before the verb. If you do not mean a specific thing, drop the article instead: Сакам музика.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

сакаLevel 1Liking and Wanting

Learn This First

Liking and wanting uses an а-verb.

Words in This Pattern

сака