🔗 6 | 1 | Gramatika: Glagoli na -ati, 2.dio

Present Tense of –ati verbs

In Croatian, most verbs that end in –ati follow a regular pattern when conjugated in the present tense. However, there are some exceptions that make certain -ati verbs a bit more unique.

Regular -ati Verbs:

Many verbs that end in -ati follow (as you already know) a simple and predictable pattern in the present tense. For example, the verb promovirati (to promote) follows the regular conjugation pattern. To form the present tense, we first remove the -ati from the infinitive and add the appropriate endings based on the subject. Let’s look at promovirati as an example.

As you can see, the conjugation is straightforward, with the endings -am, -aš, -a, -amo, -ate, -aju. This regular pattern is typical of most -ati verbs.

6.1 Zadatak 1: Vježba

Use the correct form of the verb promovirati or zanimati to complete the sentences.

Group of –ati verbs: such as pomagati and utjecati, kazati

Now, there is a set of verbs that don’t quite follow this regular pattern. We will take two verbs from this lesson as an example: pomagati (to help) and utjecati (to influence). These verbs are considered somewhat irregular in the present tense because they don’t take the typical -am ending in the first person singular. Instead, they use -jem for I (they basically use a different set of ending). The reason for this is very straightforward. Some verbs that have d, t, k, g, s, z, c, h in front of –ati merge these sounds with j producing a new sound and then add the –em ending to form the present tense. Here are few examples.

Verbpomagati

Notice the change in the first person singular: pomag-jem becomes pomažem. This change happens because the combination of -g and -j causes the sound to shift, and the –gj combination changes to -ž.

Verbutjecati

Here, the -c plus -j sound change causes the -c to shift to -č in the first person singular (from utjec-jem to utječem). This is a common feature in some -ati verbs where the combination of certain consonants leads to sound changes. Verbs like kazati and prikazati also belong to this category. When z is followed by j, it changes to –ž.

Verbkazati

6.1 Zadatak 2: Vježba

Use the correct form of the verb pomagati or utjecati to complete the sentences.

Verbs that end in -ovati, -evati, -ivati

Finally, some verbs even though at first look they seem to be part of -ati verbs, are actually part of a different group. This is the case with the verb pokazivati (to show). It belongs to a group of verbs that end in -ovati (kupovati), -evati (kraljevati), or -ivati (pokazivati). These verbs add -u- between the stem of the verb (in this case, pokaz-) and the present tense ending -jem.

Verb pokazivati

6.1 Zadatak 3: Vježba

Use the correct form of the verb zarađivati, prikazivati, or pokazivati to complete the sentences.