-ím

Present Verbs in -ím

Level 1

Verbs like robiť use -ím, -íš, -í, -íme, -íte and -ia: robím, robíš, robí, robíme, robíte, robia.

How It Works

Here is robiť (to do, to make):

  • ja robím, ty robíš, on, ona, ono robí
  • my robíme, vy robíte, oni, ony robia

Verbs in -iť like this include hovoriť (to speak), variť (to cook), učiť sa (to learn), platiť (to pay) and nosiť (to carry, to wear).

Verbs in -ieť like vidieť (to see) use the same endings: vidím, vidíš, vidí, vidíme, vidíte, vidia. So do myslieť (to think), sedieť (to sit) and musieť (must). Be careful, because not every -ieť verb belongs here. Rozumieť (to understand) has its own pattern: rozumiem.

A few verbs in -ať also use these endings: kričať (to shout): kričím, kričia; spať (to sleep): spím, spia; bežať (to run): bežím, bežia.

The rhythmic law. After a long syllable, the endings use a short i: chválim, chváliš, chváli, chválime, chválite (to praise). The they ending -ia does not shorten: chvália. Other examples are pálim (I burn) and túžim (I long for).

Remember the they ending -ia: oni hovoria (they speak), deti spia (the children are sleeping).

Examples (6)

  1. Hovoríš po slovensky?

    Do you speak Slovak?

  2. Dnes večer varím ja.

    Tonight I'm the one cooking.

    Putting ja at the end stresses who is cooking.

  3. Z okna vidíme hory.

    We can see the mountains from the window.

    Vidieť uses the same endings as robiť.

  4. Deti ešte spia.

    The children are still asleep.

    Spať is an -ať verb that takes -ím endings.

  5. Čo robíte cez víkend?

    What are you doing at the weekend?

  6. Učitelia chvália žiakov.

    The teachers are praising the pupils.

    The they ending -ia stays even after the long syllable chvá-.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping a long í after a long syllable.

    Chválím ťa.
    Chválim ťa.

    Chvá- is already long, so the rhythmic law makes the ending short.

  • Using the he or she form for they.

    Deti robí úlohy.
    Deti robia úlohy.

    Deti is plural, so the verb needs the they ending -ia.

  • Giving an -iť verb the -ám endings.

    Hovorám po anglicky.
    Hovorím po anglicky.

    Hovoriť ends in -iť, so it takes -ím, not -ám.

How It Connects

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

-ímLevel 1Present Verbs in -ím

Learn This First

Before Present Verbs in -ím, learn Present Verbs in -ám. -ím verbs use the same person pattern with í instead of á.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.