Questions & Answers about Čekaj barem deset minuta.
What does čekaj mean grammatically?
Čekaj is the imperative form of the verb čekati (to wait), used when speaking to one person informally.
So:
- čekati = to wait
- čekaj! = wait!
If you were speaking to more than one person, or to one person formally, you would say čekajte.
Why is it čekaj, not something like čekaš?
Because čekaš means you wait / you are waiting, while čekaj means wait!
Compare:
- čekaš = statement/question about what someone does
- čekaj = command/request
So in this sentence, the speaker is telling someone to wait, not describing what they do.
What does barem mean here?
Barem means at least.
So barem deset minuta = at least ten minutes.
It adds the idea that ten minutes is the minimum amount of time.
You may also see:
- bar
- makar
These can often mean something similar to at least, depending on context. But in this sentence, barem is a very natural choice.
Why is it deset minuta and not deset minute?