Verbs for Repeated Actions
From many imperfective verbs Slovak can form a verb of repetition: chodiť → chodievať, sedieť → sedávať, hrať → hrávať, robiť → robievať. It means doing something again and again, as a habit.
How It Works
How they are formed.
- chodiť → chodievať, robiť → robievať
- sedieť → sedávať, spať → spávať, hrať → hrávať
- jesť → jedávať, mať → mávať, byť → bývať
- after a long syllable: čítať → čítavať, písať → písavať
The short -avať after čí- and pí- is the rhythmic law: two long syllables do not follow each other.
What they mean. The action happened many times or as a habit:
- Past habits: Starý otec nám večer čítaval rozprávky. (Grandpa used to read us fairy tales in the evening.)
- Present habits: Často tu sedávam. (I often sit here.)
- What is usually true: V zime tu býva veľa snehu. (There is usually a lot of snow here in winter.)
They are all imperfective, so the future is formed with budem: budem chodievať.
Two words to watch. Bývať is also the everyday verb for "to live somewhere", and mávať also means "to wave". Context shows the meaning: Kedysi sme mávali psa. (We used to have a dog.)
Style. These verbs are standard, but they can sound a little nostalgic or bookish, and in everyday speech many people prefer the ordinary verb with a time word: V lete sme chodili k moru. Use them for habits, never for one single event.
Not the same as secondary imperfectives. Verbs like prepisovať or vypisovať are aspect partners of perfective verbs, not habit verbs: see Imperfectives From Prefixed Verbs.
Examples (6)
- V lete sme chodievali k moru.
In the summer we used to go to the seaside.
Word by Word: In summer we-used-to-go to sea.
- Často tu sedávam a čítam.
I often sit here and read.
Word by Word: Often here I-sit(habitually) and read.
- Starý otec nám večer čítaval rozprávky.
Grandpa used to read us fairy tales in the evening.
Word by Word: Old father to-us evening used-to-read fairy-tales.
After the long čí-, the suffix is short: čítaval.
- V zime tu býva veľa snehu.
There is usually a lot of snow here in winter.
Word by Word: In winter here is(usually) much of-snow.
- Ako dieťa som hrával futbal každý deň.
As a child I used to play football every day.
Word by Word: As child I-am used-to-play football every day.
- Kedysi sme mávali psa.
We used to have a dog.
Word by Word: Once we used-to-have dog.
Common Mistakes
Keeping -ávať long after a long syllable.
Starý otec nám čítával rozprávky.Starý otec nám čítaval rozprávky.Čí- is already long, so the rhythmic law shortens the next syllable: čítaval, písaval.
Using a habit verb for one single event.
Včera večer som čítaval knihu.Včera večer som čítal knihu.Včera večer (last night) is one occasion, so use the ordinary verb. Čítaval would mean that you read it again and again.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Verbs for Repeated Actions, learn Imperfective and Perfective Aspect. Iterative verbs are a special kind of imperfective.
Related Patterns
- The Rhythmic Law
Explains the short -avať in čítavať and písavať.
Level 1 - Imperfectives From Prefixed Verbs
Another kind of imperfective verb built with a suffix, with a different meaning.
Level 4 - The Past Tense
Iterative verbs are most common in the past tense for habits.
Level 2 - ísť / chodiťGoing Now and Going Regularly
Chodievať takes the habit meaning of chodiť one step further.
Level 2 - How Long and How Often
Time words like každý deň often go with these verbs.
Level 3
Practice Verbs for Repeated Actions in Bubblegum
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