Aspect in Commands
Седни! means "Sit down!" (one action), but Седи! means "Stay seated!" (keep doing it). Aspect changes the meaning of a command.
How It Works
Positive commands. Build the command as in commands, then choose the aspect (see verb aspect):
- Perfective: one action, done now. Седни, те молам. (Sit down, please.) Затвори ја вратата. (Close the door.)
- Imperfective: keep going, a rule, or a friendly invitation. Седи, седи, не станувај! (Stay seated, don't get up!) Затворај ја вратата кога излегуваш. (Close the door whenever you go out.) Јади, јади! (Go on, eat!)
Negative commands with не. A plain "don't" uses the imperfective, and a short pronoun comes before the verb: Не јади толку слатки. Не ја затворај вратата! A negated perfective such as Не ја затвори вратата! does not work as a normal request: it reads like the past statement "You did not close the door", or like a dare.
Negative commands with немој да. After немој да both aspects are possible. The imperfective gives a general "don't": Немој да купуваш слатки. The perfective warns about one particular occasion: Немој да заборавиш! (Don't forget!)
Politeness. These rules are the same for ти and Вие forms: Седнете! / Седете! Short pronouns follow a positive command, as in short pronouns after a command.
Examples (6)
- Седни, те молам.
Sit down, please.
Word by Word: Sit-down, you I-ask.
Седне is perfective: one action.
- Седи, седи, не станувај!
Stay seated, don't get up!
Word by Word: Sit, sit, not get-up!
Седи is imperfective: keep sitting. The negative станувај is imperfective too.
- Затвори ја вратата.
Close the door.
Word by Word: Close it door-the.
- Затворај ја вратата кога излегуваш.
Close the door whenever you go out.
Word by Word: Close it door-the when you-go-out.
The imperfective gives a general rule.
- Не јади толку слатки.
Don't eat so many sweets.
Word by Word: Not eat so-many sweets.
- Немој да заборавиш!
Don't forget!
Word by Word: Don't to forget!
After немој да, a perfective verb warns about one occasion.
Common Mistakes
Using a perfective verb after не to mean "Don't close the door!".
Не ја затвори вратата!Не ја затворај вратата!For a plain negative command, use the imperfective. Не ја затвори вратата reads as "You did not close the door" or as a dare.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Aspect in commands follows commands.
Related Patterns
- Commands
Shows how to form commands.
Level 2 - Verb Aspect
The aspect difference behind these choices.
Level 2 - Aspect Pairs With -ува / -аAspect Pairs with Suffixes
Helps you find the imperfective partner for a negative command.
Level 3 - Short Pronouns After a Command
Where short pronouns go with a command.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Aspect in Commands in Bubblegum
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