How to Form and Use the Past Tense in Slovak for English Speakers

Understanding the Past Tense in Slovak

The past tense in Slovak is used to describe actions that have already happened. Unlike English, Slovak verbs change their endings based on gender and number in the past tense. This article will guide English speakers through the formation and usage of the Slovak past tense with clear examples.

Forming the Past Tense: The Basics

To form the past tense in Slovak, you generally take the infinitive verb, remove the ending -ť, and add the appropriate past tense ending depending on the subject's gender and number. The auxiliary verb "to be" is not used in the past tense as it is in English.

For example, the verb robiť (to do):
Remove -ť → robi-
Add past tense endings depending on the subject.

Past Tense Endings in Slovak

The past tense endings vary according to gender and number. Here are the common endings for regular verbs:

• -l for masculine singular (he)
• -la for feminine singular (she)
• -lo for neuter singular (it)
• -li for masculine plural (they, masculine)
• -ly for feminine plural (they, feminine and neuter)

Note that the verb stem may change slightly depending on the verb conjugation group.

Examples of Past Tense Conjugation

Let's conjugate the verb robiť (to do) in the past tense:

• Ja som robil (I did) – masculine speaker
• Ja som robila (I did) – feminine speaker
• Ty si robil/robila (You did)
• On robil (He did)
• Ona robila (She did)
• Ono robilo (It did)
• My sme robili (We did)
• Vy ste robili (You all did)
• Oni robili (They did, masculine)
• Oni robili (They did, feminine/neuter)

Using the Auxiliary Verb "Byť" (To Be)

In Slovak past tense, the auxiliary verb "byť" (to be) is used in compound tenses but not in the simple past tense. However, in spoken Slovak, the past tense is often formed with the auxiliary verb "byť" in the present tense plus the past participle.

For example, "I have done" can be expressed as Ja som urobil/urobila (depending on gender). This is important for perfect tenses but not for the simple past.

Common Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense

Some Slovak verbs are irregular in the past tense and do not follow the regular pattern. For example, the verb ísť (to go) changes to šiel (he went), šla (she went), etc.

• Ja som šiel/šla (I went)
• Ty si šiel/šla (You went)
• On šiel (He went)
• Ona šla (She went)
• Ono šlo (It went)
• My sme išli (We went)
• Vy ste išli (You all went)
• Oni išli (They went)

Tips for English Speakers Learning Slovak Past Tense

1. Pay attention to gender endings: Unlike English, Slovak verbs change endings based on the speaker's gender and the subject's gender.
2. Practice irregular verbs: Memorize common irregular past tense forms.
3. Use context: Slovak often omits the auxiliary verb in simple past tense, so context is key.
4. Listen and repeat: Listening to native speakers helps internalize the correct forms.