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Questions & Answers about Ostajem ovde zauvek.
Why doesn't the sentence include ja?
Because Serbian often drops subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.
Ostajem ends in -m, which tells you the subject is I. So Ostajem ovde zauvek is perfectly complete without ja.
You can add ja for emphasis or contrast:
- Ja ostajem ovde zauvek. = I’m staying here forever.
That can sound more emphatic, as if contrasting with someone else.
What is the base form of ostajem?
The base form is ostajati, which is an imperfective verb.
So:
- ostajati = to stay, to remain
- ostajem = I stay / I am staying / I’m remaining
In this sentence, ostajem is 1st person singular present tense.
Why is ostajem used instead of ostanem?