со / без
With and Without
Со means with and без means without: кафе со млеко (coffee with milk), чај без шеќер (tea without sugar).
How It Works
Со: with.
- something added: кафе со млеко, пица со печурки
- company: Живеам со Ана. (I live with Ana.)
- means of travel: Одам со автобус. (I go by bus.) More in Means of Transport.
Без: without. чај без шеќер, пица без месо, без проблем (no problem).
The noun stays the same. After со and без the noun keeps its dictionary form, because Macedonian nouns have no cases.
Pronouns are the exception. A pronoun after a preposition takes its long object form: со мене (with me), со тебе (with you), без него (without him), со неа (with her). You will meet the whole set in Full Object Pronouns.
Later, без also combines with да and a verb: Without and Instead Of.
Examples (6)
- Кафе со млеко, ве молам.
A coffee with milk, please.
Word by Word: Coffee with milk, please.
- Пијам чај без шеќер.
I drink tea without sugar.
Word by Word: Drink-I tea without sugar.
- Одам со автобус.
I go by bus.
Word by Word: Go-I with bus.
Со also names how you travel.
- Марко живее со Ана.
Marko lives with Ana.
Word by Word: Marko lives with Ana.
- Пица без месо, ве молам.
A pizza without meat, please.
Word by Word: Pizza without meat, please.
- Одиш со мене?
Are you coming with me?
Word by Word: Go-you with me?
After a preposition, I becomes мене.
Common Mistakes
Using the Serbian form са.
кафе са млекокафе со млекоСа is Serbian. Macedonian always writes со.
Using the subject pronoun after со or без.
Одиш со јас?Одиш со мене?Nouns never change, but pronouns do. After a preposition use the long object form: мене, тебе, него, неа.
How It Connects
Learn This First
With and without follow the first prepositions.
Related Patterns
- со автобус / пешкиMeans of Transport
Uses со for the vehicle you travel by.
Level 2 - мене / тебе / него / неаFull Object Pronouns
Gives the pronoun forms used after со and без.
Level 2 - Nouns Without Case Endings
Explains why млеко stays млеко after со.
Level 1 - без да / наместо даWithout and Instead of
Extends без to a whole action: без да каже.
Level 3 - за + NounFor and About
Another everyday preposition that comes before an unchanged noun.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice со / без in Bubblegum
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