Aspect Pairs With -ува / -а

Aspect Pairs with Suffixes

Level 3Sounds Like vidski parovi so -uva; -a

Many verb pairs are linked by an ending. The perfective купи (buy, once) gives the imperfective купува (buy, regularly or right now), and отвори (open) gives отвора.

How It Works

In видски парови со префикс, the perfective was the longer verb because it added a prefix. In the pairs on this page it is the other way round: the perfective is the base, and the imperfective is made from it with a suffix.

1. The suffix -ува is the most common way, and new verbs follow it:

  • купи → купува (buy)
  • стане → станува (get up, become)
  • замине → заминува (leave)
  • заврши → завршува (finish)
  • каже → кажува (tell)
  • покаже → покажува (show)

2. An -а ending belongs to a smaller, older group of everyday verbs. Sometimes the vowel or consonant before it changes, so learn these as pairs:

  • отвори → отвора (open), затвори → затвора (close)
  • собере → собира (collect)
  • врати → враќа (give back), фати → фаќа (catch), роди → раѓа (give birth)
  • даде → дава (give), продаде → продава (sell)

Which one do I use? The present tense on its own needs the imperfective, because it describes something happening now or regularly: Продавницата се отвора во осум. (The shop opens at eight.) The perfective present appears only after words such as ќе, да and ако, as explained in свршен глагол по да; ќе; ако. For one finished past event, use the aorist of the perfective: купив, станав, отворив (see аорист: купив; прочитав; дојдов). For past habits, use the imperfect of the imperfective: купував, станував.

Tip: you cannot always predict whether the partner takes -ува or -а, so learn each new verb together with its partner. Pairs whose stems differ even more, such as доаѓа and дојде, are in видски парови со различна основа.

Examples (6)

  1. Секое утро купувам леб, но денес купив и млеко.

    Every morning I buy bread, but today I also bought milk.

    Word by Word: Every morning I-buy bread, but today I-bought also milk.

    Купувам is a habit; купив is one finished purchase.

  2. Обично станувам во седум, но утре ќе станам во шест.

    I usually get up at seven, but tomorrow I will get up at six.

    Word by Word: Usually I-get-up at seven, but tomorrow will I-get-up at six.

  3. Продавницата се отвора во осум часот.

    The shop opens at eight o'clock.

    Word by Word: Shop-the itself opens at eight hour-the.

    A timetable is a repeated event, so the imperfective отвора is used.

  4. Тој продава стари книги, а вчера ја продаде последната.

    He sells old books, and yesterday he sold the last one.

    Word by Word: He sells old books, and yesterday it sold-he last-the.

  5. Секогаш ги враќа парите навреме.

    He always pays the money back on time.

    Word by Word: Always them returns money-the on-time.

    Враќа is the imperfective of врати; the т becomes ќ before the -а ending.

  6. Кога заминуваш за Скопје?

    When are you leaving for Skopje?

    Word by Word: When you-leave for Skopje?

    A planned departure uses the imperfective present, like the English "are you leaving".

Common Mistakes

  • Using the perfective present for something happening right now.

    Сега купам леб.
    Сега купувам леб.

    Купам is perfective and cannot stand alone in the present. For "I am buying bread now", use the imperfective купувам.

  • Using the perfective present for a habit.

    Секој ден станам рано.
    Секој ден станувам рано.

    A daily habit is a repeated action, so it needs the imperfective станувам, not the perfective станам.

  • Using the perfective for a regular opening time.

    Банката се отвори во девет секој ден.
    Банката се отвора во девет секој ден.

    Се отвори is perfective: on its own it can only mean one opening, "opened". A daily schedule needs the imperfective present се отвора.

How It Connects

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

Aspect Pairs With -ува / -аLevel 3Aspect Pairs with Suffixes

Learn This First

Suffix pairs follow prefix pairs.

Words in This Pattern

-ува