Verbs That Are Both Aspects

Level 5

Obojvidové slovesá serve as both aspects. Informovať, organizovať, analyzovať, financovať, akceptovať, absolvovať and native venovať and počuť belong here.

How It Works

One verb, two aspects. Most Slovak verbs come in aspect pairs. A smaller group, the obojvidové slovesá, use one form for both. Most are international verbs in -ovať: informovať, organizovať, analyzovať, financovať, akceptovať, absolvovať, garantovať, aplikovať. A few are native: venovať, obetovať, počuť.

Reading the present tense. Like a perfective verb, the present form can point to the future; like an imperfective one, it can describe what is happening now or regularly:

  • Hneď ako to budem vedieť, informujem vás. As soon as I know, I will inform you. (perfective, future)
  • Pravidelne vás informujeme o novinkách. We regularly inform you about news. (imperfective, present)

Future of a process. With imperfective meaning, budem + infinitive is possible: Budem vás informovať. (I will keep you informed.)

Prefixed partners. Some of these verbs have also developed a prefixed perfective, for example organizovať → zorganizovať, informovať → poinformovať. A prefixed perfective can never stand with budem: say zorganizujem, not budem zorganizovať.

Examples (6)

  1. Hneď ako budem niečo vedieť, informujem vás.

    As soon as I know something, I will let you know.

    Word by Word: Immediately as I-will-be something know, I-inform you.

    Here informujem refers to one act in the future, so it is perfective.

  2. O zmenách vás pravidelne informujeme e-mailom.

    We regularly inform you about changes by email.

    Word by Word: About changes you regularly we-inform by-email.

    Pravidelne shows the imperfective, repeated meaning.

  3. Firma každý mesiac analyzuje údaje o predaji.

    The company analyses its sales data every month.

    Word by Word: Firm every month analyses data about sales.

  4. Stavbu mosta financuje Európska únia.

    The construction of the bridge is being funded by the European Union.

    Word by Word: Construction-ACC of-bridge finances European Union.

  5. Knihu venoval svojej mame.

    He dedicated the book to his mother.

    Word by Word: Book he-dedicated his-own mother.

  6. Počul som, že sa sťahuješ.

    I heard that you are moving.

    Word by Word: I-heard have, that self you-move.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting budem before a prefixed perfective partner.

    Budem zorganizovať stretnutie.
    Zorganizujem stretnutie. / Budem organizovať stretnutie.

    Zorganizovať is perfective, so it forms its future with the present form zorganizujem. Budem goes only with an imperfective or a biaspectual verb.

How It Connects

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

Verbs That Are Both AspectsLevel 5

Learn This First

Before Verbs That Are Both Aspects, learn Imperfective and Perfective Aspect. Two-aspect verbs are both imperfective and perfective.