Perfective Verbs for the Future

Level 2

Conjugate a perfective verb like a present-tense verb and you get the future: urobím (I'll do it), zavolám (I'll call), kúpim (I'll buy). Never say budem urobiť.

How It Works

One form, future meaning

Perfective verbs take the same endings as the present tense, but the meaning is future:

  • urobiť → urobím (I'll do it), urobíš, urobí, urobíme, urobíte, urobia
  • zavolať → zavolám (I'll call)
  • kúpiť → kúpim (I'll buy)
  • prísť → prídem (I'll come)
  • pomôcť → pomôžem (I'll help)

The negative works the same way: neurobím to (I won't do it), neprídem (I won't come).

Two ways to talk about the future

  • Imperfective verbs use budem + infinitive for an activity or a habit: Zajtra budem celý deň písať. (Tomorrow I'll be writing all day.) See Future of Imperfective Verbs.
  • Perfective verbs use their own present form for one finished action: Zajtra ti napíšem. (I'll write to you tomorrow.)

Never combine the two: budem is not used with a perfective infinitive.

Everyday plans

Slovak often uses the imperfective present for fixed plans, as English does: V sobotu pracujem. (I'm working on Saturday.) The verb ísť has its own future pôjdem, see Future of Verbs of Motion.

For how aspect pairs are formed, see Imperfective and Perfective Aspect and Aspect Pairs With a Prefix.

Examples (6)

  1. Zajtra to urobím.

    I'll do it tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow it I-will-do.

    Urobím is the future of the perfective urobiť.

  2. Zavolám ti večer.

    I'll call you in the evening.

    Perfective zavolať: one future call.

  3. Kúpim chlieb cestou domov.

    I'll buy bread on the way home.

    Kúpim looks like a present form, but it means the future.

  4. Prídeme o piatej.

    We'll come at five.

    Prísť is perfective, so prídeme refers to the future.

  5. Počkaj, hneď ti pomôžem.

    Wait, I'll help you right away.

    Pomôžem is the future of the perfective pomôcť.

  6. Uvidíme.

    We'll see.

    A common reply. Uvidieť is perfective, so uvidíme is future.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding budem to a perfective verb.

    Zajtra to budem urobiť.
    Zajtra to urobím.

    Budem + infinitive is only for imperfective verbs. A perfective verb already has a future meaning in its own present form.

  • Using budem with the perfective zavolať.

    Večer ti budem zavolať.
    Večer ti zavolám.

    Zavolať is perfective, so its future is simply zavolám. With the imperfective volať you could say Budem ti volať, meaning you will call repeatedly or keep calling.

  • Using a perfective form for an action happening now. The intended meaning is "I'm buying bread right now".

    Práve kúpim chlieb.
    Práve kupujem chlieb.

    Kúpim means I will buy. For something in progress, use the imperfective present kupujem.

How It Connects

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Perfective Verbs for the FutureLevel 2

Learn This First

Before Perfective Verbs for the Future, learn Imperfective and Perfective Aspect. Perfective verbs have no present, so their present form refers to the future.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.