How to Conjugate Slovak Verbs in the Present Tense for English Speakers

Understanding Slovak Present Tense Verbs

In Slovak, the present tense is used to describe actions that are currently happening or habitual actions. Unlike English, Slovak verbs change their endings depending on the subject pronoun. This process is called conjugation.

Subject Pronouns in Slovak

Before conjugating verbs, it's important to know the Slovak subject pronouns, as verb endings depend on them. Here are the Slovak subject pronouns with their English equivalents:

Regular Verb Conjugation Patterns

Slovak verbs are divided into three conjugation groups based on their infinitive endings: -ať, -iť, and -eť/-ieť. Each group has its own pattern for present tense endings.

Conjugation of a Regular Verb Ending in -ať (e.g., 'robiť' - to do)

Let's look at the verb robiť (to do), which is a regular verb ending in -iť but follows the -ať conjugation pattern for present tense.

• ja robím (I do)
• ty robíš (you do)
• on/ona/ono robí (he/she/it does)
• my robíme (we do)
• vy robíte (you do)
• oni/ony robia (they do)

Conjugation of a Regular Verb Ending in -iť (e.g., 'vidieť' - to see)

The verb vidieť (to see) is a regular verb ending in -ieť and follows its own conjugation pattern.

• ja vidím (I see)
• ty vidíš (you see)
• on/ona/ono vidí (he/she/it sees)
• my vidíme (we see)
• vy vidíte (you see)
• oni/ony vidia (they see)

Conjugation of a Regular Verb Ending in -eť (e.g., 'písať' - to write)

The verb písať (to write) is a regular verb ending in -ať and follows the -ať conjugation pattern.

• ja píšem (I write)
• ty píšeš (you write)
• on/ona/ono píše (he/she/it writes)
• my píšeme (we write)
• vy píšete (you write)
• oni/ony píšu (they write)

Tips for Learning Slovak Present Tense Conjugation

• Memorize the subject pronouns first.
• Learn the conjugation endings for each verb group.
• Practice with common regular verbs.
• Listen to native speakers to get familiar with pronunciation.
• Use flashcards to reinforce verb forms.

Common Irregular Verbs in Slovak Present Tense

Some Slovak verbs are irregular and do not follow the standard conjugation patterns. Here are a few common irregular verbs in the present tense:

• byť (to be): ja som, ty si, on/ona/ono je, my sme, vy ste, oni/ony sú
• mať (to have): ja mám, ty máš, on/ona/ono má, my máme, vy máte, oni/ony majú
• ísť (to go): ja idem, ty ideš, on/ona/ono ide, my ideme, vy idete, oni/ony idú

Practice Example Sentences

Here are some example sentences using present tense verbs in Slovak:

• Ja robím domácu úlohu. (I am doing homework.)
• Ty vidíš ten strom. (You see that tree.)
• On píše list. (He is writing a letter.)
• My sme šťastní. (We are happy.)
• Vy máte veľa kníh. (You have many books.)
• Oni idú do školy. (They are going to school.)