-AM group ("-am" for 1st person Sg)
1. Kada obično ručaš? Obično ručam u tri.
When do you usually have lunch - I usually have lunch at 3.
KADA = when
RUČATI = have lunch/dinner
2. Kada obično večeraš? Obično večeram u 7.
When do you usually have dinner? I usually have dinner at 7.
OBIČNO - usually
VEČERATI = have dinner/supper
3. Gde obično večeraš? Večeram u kuhinji.
Where do you usually have dinner? I have dinner in the kitchen.
GDE = where
KUHINJA = kitchen (u kuhinjI- in the kitchen)
4. Gde obično gledaš televiziju? Ne gledam televiziju.
where do you usually watch TV? I don't watch TV.
GLEDATI = to watch
TELEVIZIJA = television (gledam televizijU)
5. Koliko često čitaš knjige? Čitam knjige vikendom, kad imam vremena.
How often do you read books? I read books at weekends, when I have time.
KOLIKO ČESTO = how often
ČITATI = read
KNJIGE = books
VIKEND = weekend (vikendOM = at weekends)
IMATI = to have (imaM = I have)
VREME = time (imam vremena = I have time)
All the verbs in this group have these endings:
I = JA PEVAM - am,
YOU = TI PEVAŠ - aš,
HE,
SHE,
IT, = ON, ONA, ONO PEVA -
WE = MI PEVAMO - mo
YOU = VI PEVATE - te
THEY = ONI-ONE-ONA PEVAJU - ju
other verbs from this group:
čekati, čitati, duvati, gledati, igrati, imati, izgledati, mešati, obožavati, padati
A good idea for an exercise:
Use the first 5 sentences and start each one with
a. On
b. Mi
c. Vi
d. Oni
-IM group - Video practice:
A small detail changes the whole message. The -AM group becomes easier when questions and answers move through different persons instead of staying with ja.
Notice the mirror inside blog post
The -AM group becomes easier when questions and answers move through different persons instead of staying with ja. The pattern becomes visible through comparison. Read the Serbian examples as complete thoughts, not as containers for isolated vocabulary. Notice which word changes the meaning most strongly, and allow the surrounding words to show its grammatical job.
Five careful lines for blog post
| Latinica | Ćirilica | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kada obično doručkujete vikendom? | Када обично доручкујете викендом? | When do you usually have breakfast at weekends? |
| Moja braća večeraju veoma kasno. | Моја браћа вечерају веома касно. | My brothers have dinner very late. |
| Čitamo novine dok čekamo ručak. | Читамо новине док чекамо ручак. | We read the newspaper while waiting for lunch. |
| Da li Ana često peva u kuhinji? | Да ли Ана често пева у кухињи? | Does Ana often sing in the kitchen? |
| Ne gledate televiziju posle ponoći. | Не гледате телевизију после поноћи. | You do not watch television after midnight. |
A rhythm from recognition to speech with blog post
Move from Kada obično doručkujete vikendom? towards Ne gledate televiziju posle ponoći., but stop at the sentence that feels least comfortable. Record one reading and listen for the endings, and then use that thought as the beginning of a two-line exchange. Tomorrow, return through a different sentence so that the order of the table cannot do the remembering for you.
Five moves before the trail disappears from blog post
- Translate into English: Kada obično doručkujete vikendom?
- Rebuild in Serbian from memory: “My brothers have dinner very late.”
- Write the third sentence in Cyrillic without copying it.
- Change one detail in Da li Ana često peva u kuhinji? and keep the sentence grammatical.
- Create a new question connected with Ne gledate televiziju posle ponoći..
Check the map you have made through blog post
- When do you usually have breakfast at weekends?
- Moja braća večeraju veoma kasno. / Моја браћа вечерају веома касно.
- Читамо новине док чекамо ручак.
- Answers vary; the changed word must still agree with the rest of the sentence.
- Answers vary; keep the question directly connected with the situation.