-нем

Present Forms in Nem

Level 2Sounds Like prezent na -nem

The ending -нем (along with -неш, -не, -немо, -нете, -ну) marks the present tense for verbs whose stem contains a nasal -н-. Most verbs in this group are perfective, meaning their present forms appear inside clauses with да, ако, or кад rather than describing ongoing actions right now.

How It Works

Verbs taking -нем belong morphologically to the -е- conjugation class (-ем, -еш, -е, -емо, -ете, -у), where the consonant -н- forms the final consonant of the present stem.

1. Two Major Formation Patterns:

  • Verbs with the stem suffix -ну- in the infinitive: The infinitive has -ну-ти, where -ну- alternates with the present stem segment -н-: кренути → крен-ем, викнути → викн-ем, окренути → окрен-ем.
  • Root verbs with stem extension: Several verbs ending in -сти, -ти, or -ћи build their present stem with -н-: почети → почнем, пасти → паднем, сести → седнем, срести → сретнем, стати → станем, стићи → стигнем, дићи → дигнем, лећи → легнем.

2. Conjugation Paradigm (кренути – to set off):

  • ја кренем
  • ти кренеш
  • он / она / оно крене
  • ми кренемо
  • ви кренете
  • они / оне / она крену (never *кренеју or *кренују)

3. Aspect and Sentence Usage:
As discussed in verb aspect, the vast majority of these verbs are perfective. A perfective present cannot express an ongoing progressive action happening right now (прави презент). Instead, you encounter them in:

  • Subordinate modal clauses: with ability and necessity (Морам да кренем – 'I have to leave').
  • Time and conditional clauses: with clauses with кад (Када стигнем, јавићу се – 'When I arrive, I will get in touch') or ако (Ако паднем... – 'If I fail...').
  • Main clauses for habits or narration: Perfective present forms can appear in main clauses to express repeated customary habits (Они увек седну ту – 'They always sit down there') or vivid narrative sequences.

Important Exception: A small group of -нути verbs are imperfective (e.g., бринути 'to care / take care', тонути 'to sink', гинути 'to perish'). Because they are imperfective, they can describe ongoing situations: Ја бринем о свему ('I look after / take care of everything') or Бринем за тебе ('I worry about you').

Examples (5)

  1. Морам да кренем одмах.

    I have to leave right away.

    Word by Word: Must-I that I-set-off immediately.

    The perfective verb 'кренути' appears in the present tense ('кренем') after 'морам да'.

  2. Ако паднем на овом испиту, полагаћу поново.

    If I fail this exam, I will take it again.

    Word by Word: If I-fall on this exam, I-will-take again.

    'Пасти' uses the nasal present stem 'паднем' in an open conditional clause.

  3. Када стигнем у стан, послаћу ти поруку.

    When I arrive at the apartment, I will send you a message.

    Word by Word: When I-arrive in apartment, I-will-send to-you message.

    'Стићи' forms the present stem 'стигнем' in a temporal clause referring to future completion.

  4. Не брини, ја бринем о свему.

    Don't worry, I am taking care of everything.

    Word by Word: Not worry, I care about everything.

    'Бринути' is an imperfective verb in -нути, so 'бринем' can express an ongoing action.

  5. Они увек седну на иста места.

    They always sit down in the same seats.

    Word by Word: They always sit-down on same places.

    The third-person plural of 'сести' is 'седну' (stem 'седн-' + '-у'), used here in an independent clause for a habitual action.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a perfective -нем verb as an independent present action

    Сада паднем.
    Сада падам.

    Because 'пасти' (паднем) is perfective, it cannot express ongoing durative action in an independent sentence. Use its imperfective counterpart 'падати' (падам) instead.

  • Forming the third-person plural with -ју or -еју

    Они кренују сутра.
    Они крену сутра.

    Verbs in the -е- class add only '-у' to the present stem: 'крен-' + '-у' = 'крену'.

  • Guessing regular -ам endings for root verbs like пасти or сести

    Ја пастим често.
    Ја паднем понекад.

    'Пасти' does not conjugate like a regular -а- verb; its present stem inserts dental '-д-' and nasal '-н-', producing 'паднем'.

How It Connects

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

-немLevel 2Present Forms in Nem

Learn This First

Understanding present forms in -нем requires familiarity with standard present-tense personal endings and the concept of verbal aspect, as verbs belonging to this class are predominantly perfective.