будем / будеш

Perfective Present of Be

Level 3Sounds Like biti: budem; budeš

The forms будем, будеш, буде, будемо, будете, буду make up the perfective present (свршени презент) of the verb бити (to be). Unlike the ordinary present tense (сам, си, је...), they cannot express an ongoing state right now in an independent sentence. Instead, they occur in subordinate clauses after modals, conditionals, or conjunctions like да, ако, and кад.

How It Works

In standard Serbian, the verb бити possesses two present-tense paradigms: the regular imperfective present (present forms of be: сам, си, је... / јесам, јеси, јесте...) and the perfective present (будем, будеш, буде, будемо, будете, буду).

1. Full Conjugation Paradigm:
• 1st person singular: (ја) будем
• 2nd person singular: (ти) будеш
• 3rd person singular: (он / она / оно) буде
• 1st person plural: (ми) будемо
• 2nd person plural: (ви) будете
• 3rd person plural: (они / оне / она) буду

Unlike enclitics (сам, си, је...), the будем series consists of stressed, full words. When negated, the negative particle не is written strictly as a separate word: не будем, не будеш, не буде... (contrast with fused forms like нисам or нећу).

2. Syntactic Environments:
Because a perfective present cannot express an ongoing state at the exact moment of speech (pravi prezent), будем is not used to say that something simply is right now (for which јесам / сам is required). Instead, it appears in specific syntactic roles and semantic contexts:

  • Subordinate modal complements with 'да': Following verbs like моћи, морати, требати or желети, or impersonal evaluations (важно је да...):
    Желим да будем бољи студент. (I want to be a better student.)
  • Potential or open conditions with 'ако': Under open conditions, будем functions directly as the future copula:
    Ако сутра будем слободан, доћи ћу. (If I am free tomorrow, I will come.)
  • Future II auxiliary: Together with an active verbal adjective, it forms futur II for actions in subordinate temporal or conditional clauses:
    Јавићу ти се чим будем стигао. (I'll reach out to you as soon as I arrive.)
  • Habitual or recurring outcomes: In independent or main clauses, it readily expresses recurring results, general truths, or habitual states:
    Сваки пут буде исто. (Every time it turns out the same.)

Examples (5)

  1. Морам да будем код куће пре поднева.

    I must be at home before noon.

    Word by Word: I-must that I-be at home before noon.

    Here, 'будем' serves as the copular complement under the modal verb 'морам da'.

  2. Ако сутра буде лепо време, идемо на излет.

    If the weather is nice tomorrow, we are going on a picnic.

    Word by Word: If tomorrow is nice weather, we-go on excursion.

    In conditional clauses with 'ако', 'буде' expresses a prospective future condition.

  3. Важно је да сви будете пажљиви на часу.

    It is important that you all be attentive in class.

    Word by Word: Important is that all you-be attentive in class.

    'Будете' is the second-person plural form governed by the impersonal phrase 'важно је да'.

  4. Кад будемо завршили састанак, попићемо кафу.

    When we finish the meeting, we will have a coffee.

    Word by Word: When we-be finished meeting, we-will-drink coffee.

    'Будемо завршили' illustrates the Future II (футур други), where 'будемо' functions as the auxiliary with an active past participle.

  5. Нећу доћи ако не будем имао времена.

    I will not come if I do not have time.

    Word by Word: Not-will come if not I-be had time.

    Shows negative spelling: 'не' is written separately ('не будем'), unlike 'нисам'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'будем' as a standalone indicative present instead of 'сам'

    Данас ја будем уморан.
    Данас сам уморан.

    You cannot use 'будем' to state a current reality or state of being in a main clause. Current states require the imperfective present clitic 'сам'.

  • Spelling the negative form as one single word (*небудем)

    Ако небудеш дошао, позови ме.
    Ако не будеш дошао, позови ме.

    Unlike 'нисам' or 'нећу', the negation of 'будем' is always spelled separately: 'не будем', 'не будеш', 'не буде'.

  • Using 'будем' as the simple future in a main independent clause

    Сутра будем у Новом Саду.
    Сутра ћу бити у Новом Саду.

    In standard Serbian, an independent future statement requires Futur I ('ћу бити' or 'бићу'). 'Будем' is restricted to dependent clauses or modal complements.

How It Connects

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

будем / будешLevel 3Perfective Present of Be

Learn This First

To understand the perfective present of 'бити' (будем, будеш), learners must already be familiar with the standard present tense of 'бити' (сам, си, је) and grasp the concept of verbal aspect, which explains why 'будем' is restricted to modal or subordinate environments rather than ordinary present statements.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

бити