The Serbian a-class is the most transparent present-tense pattern: читати → читам, гледати → гледам, чекати → чекам. Once the present stem is known, all six persons follow one regular set. The important warning is that not every infinitive ending in -ати belongs here—писати → пишем does not.
The complete paradigm
Use гледати “watch/look at” as the model. One analysis treats гледа- as the stem plus person endings; a learner-friendly analysis memorizes the full ending series -ам, -аш, -а, -амо, -ате, -ају.
| Person | гледати | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ја | гледам | I watch / am watching |
| ти | гледаш | you watch |
| он/она/оно | гледа | he/she/it watches |
| ми | гледамо | we watch |
| ви/Ви | гледате | you watch |
| они/оне/она | гледају | they watch |
Гледам нову серију, али још нисам стигао до последње епизоде.
I'm watching a new series, but I have not reached the final episode yet. (male speaker)
Сваке суботе гледамо утакмицу код пријатеља.
Every Saturday we watch the match at a friend's place.
Serbian present endings already identify person and number, so subject pronouns are usually omitted. Add ја, ти, ми when contrasting or correcting: Ја кувам, а ти постављаш сто.
Reliable members—and deceptive -ати infinitives
Many frequent verbs preserve -а- transparently:
| Infinitive | 1st singular | 3rd plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| читати | читам | читају | read |
| слушати | слушам | слушају | listen |
| чекати | чекам | чекају | wait |
| питати | питам | питају | ask |
| имати | имам | имају | have |
Чекам аутобус испред поште; требало би да стигне за двадесет минута.
I'm waiting for the bus outside the post office; it should arrive in twenty minutes.
Да ли слушате музику док радите?
Do you listen to music while you work? (plural or polite)
But -ати is an infinitive ending, not a guarantee of a-class present morphology. Compare писати — пишем — пишу, звати — зовем — зову, плакати — плачем — плачу. These belong to the e-class because their present stems and endings differ.
Пишем поруку док остали читају дневни ред.
I'm writing a message while the others read the agenda.
The best vocabulary record is therefore infinitive + first-person singular + third-person plural. See Present Stem and Conjugation Classes for the three-way system.
Current action, habit, and general truth
An imperfective a-class present can correspond to English simple present or present progressive. Serbian does not build a separate progressive tense.
Тренутно читам уговор и бележим нејасне ставке.
I'm currently reading the contract and noting the unclear provisions.
Обично читам вести уз јутарњу кафу.
I usually read the news with my morning coffee.
Вода испарава и на температурама нижим од тачке кључања.
Water evaporates even at temperatures below boiling point.
Adverbs and context decide whether читам means “I read” or “I am reading.” Do not search for an equivalent of English be + -ing.
Perfective a-class presents
The class describes endings, not aspect. Perfective verbs such as погледати — погледам and сачекати — сачекам also belong to it. Their morphological present usually does not describe an event unfolding right now in an independent clause. It commonly appears after a conjunction or modal with future or bounded reference.
Кад погледам распоред, јавићу ти који термин ми одговара.
When I look at the schedule, I'll tell you which time suits me.
Морам да сачекам потврду пре него што купим карту.
I have to wait for confirmation before I buy the ticket.
Гледам распоред presents looking as an activity now; кад погледам распоред presents one completed look as the boundary before the future message. Present morphology alone does not determine present time.
Negation and questions
Regular negation places separate не before the finite verb. Questions use да ли, postverbal ли, or intonation—never English-style do/does plus an infinitive.
Не гледам телевизију радним данима.
I don't watch television on weekdays.
Да ли чекате некога или сте управо стигли?
Are you waiting for someone, or have you just arrived? (plural or polite)
Имаш ли минут да погледаш овај рачун?
Do you have a minute to look at this bill?
In имаш ли, ли follows the initial finite verb. In да ли чекате, the verb remains fully conjugated.
Clitics and government
Object clitics occupy an early position. When the verb begins the clause, it can host a following clitic; when an adverbial comes first, the clitic follows that first constituent.
Чекам га испред главног улаза.
I'm waiting for him in front of the main entrance.
Сваког јутра га чекам код исте пекаре.
Every morning I wait for him by the same bakery.
The verb still determines case: чекати некога takes accusative, питати некога нешто takes an accusative person and thing, and разговарати са неким uses са + instrumental.
Питам колегиницу да ли жели да руча с нама.
I'm asking my colleague whether she wants to have lunch with us.
The finite да руча has its own third-person singular ending. An English infinitive translation does not erase Serbian person marking.
Practice Tasks
Task 1: Conjugate and diagnose
Conjugate читати through all six persons. Then give the first-person singular and third-person plural of писати and explain why its -ати infinitive does not make it an a-class verb.
Task 2: Interpret the present
Explain the time and aspect in Сада гледам распоред and Кад погледам распоред, јавићу ти. Identify the same endings but different aspectual and temporal readings.
Common Mistakes
❌ Ја читаш свако вече пре спавања.
Incorrect — first-person singular requires читам; читаш is second-person singular.
✅ Читам свако вече пре спавања.
I read every evening before going to sleep.
❌ Они гледа телевизију у другој соби.
Incorrect — third-person plural requires гледају.
✅ Они гледају телевизију у другој соби.
They are watching television in the other room.
❌ Писам ти чим добијем одговор.
Incorrect — писати is an e-class verb with first-person present пишем.
✅ Пишем ти чим добијем одговор.
I'll write to you as soon as I receive an answer.
❌ Да ли ти читати ову књигу?
Incorrect English-style question structure — Serbian needs the finite form читаш.
✅ Да ли ти читаш ову књигу?
Are you reading this book?
❌ Она је гледао филм синоћ.
Incorrect — the past l-participle must agree with the feminine subject: гледала.
✅ Она је гледала филм синоћ.
She watched a film last night.
Key Takeaways
- The a-class endings are -ам, -аш, -а, -амо, -ате, -ају.
- Many -ати verbs are regular a-class members, but some belong to the e-class.
- Imperfective presents express current activities, habits, and general truths; perfective presents need an appropriate context.
- Present endings mark person, while clitic order and lexical case government remain separate systems.
Now practice Serbian
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Start learning Serbian →Related Topics
- Present Stem and Conjugation ClassesA2 — How verbs sort into present-tense classes by their theme vowel.
- Present Tense: -i- VerbsA1 — The -im conjugation for many -iti and -jeti verbs.
- Present Tense: -e- Verbs and Stem ChangesA2 — The -em conjugation with its consonant and vowel alternations.
- Using the Present TenseA2 — Habitual, ongoing, future, and historic present — and aspect's role.
- Asking and Negating in the PresentA1 — Making present-tense questions and negatives.