How to Use the Present Tense of Croatian Verbs for English Speakers

Understanding the Present Tense in Croatian Verbs

The present tense in Croatian is used to describe actions that are currently happening or general truths, similar to English. However, Croatian verbs conjugate differently depending on the subject pronoun and verb group.

Subject Pronouns in Croatian

Before conjugating verbs, it's important to know the Croatian subject pronouns:

• Ja (I)
• Ti (You - singular informal)
• On (He)
• Ona (She)
• Ono (It)
• Mi (We)
• Vi (You - plural or formal)
• Oni (They - masculine or mixed)
• One (They - feminine)
• Ona (They - neuter)

Verb Groups and Conjugation Patterns

Croatian verbs are divided into three main conjugation groups based on their infinitive endings: -ati, -iti, and -eti/-jeti. Each group has its own conjugation pattern in the present tense.

Conjugation Example: Verb 'Raditi' (to work)

Let's look at the verb 'raditi' which belongs to the -iti group. Here's how it is conjugated in the present tense:

• Ja radim (I work)
• Ti radiš (You work)
• On/Ona/Ono radi (He/She/It works)
• Mi radimo (We work)
• Vi radite (You work)
• Oni/One/Ona rade (They work)

Conjugation Example: Verb 'Voljeti' (to love)

The verb 'voljeti' belongs to the -jeti group. Its present tense conjugation is:

• Ja volim (I love)
• Ti voliš (You love)
• On/Ona/Ono voli (He/She/It loves)
• Mi volimo (We love)
• Vi volite (You love)
• Oni/One/Ona vole (They love)

Tips for Learning Present Tense Verbs in Croatian

Here are some tips to help you master the present tense of Croatian verbs:

• Memorize subject pronouns and their verb endings
• Practice conjugating verbs from each group (-ati, -iti, -eti/-jeti)
• Use flashcards to remember irregular verbs
• Practice speaking and writing simple sentences using present tense verbs