Questions & Answers about Ako ne kasniš, stižeš rano na posao.
Why is there no word for you in the sentence?
Because Serbian usually drops subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb form.
- kasniš = you are late / you’re running late
- stižeš = you arrive
The ending -š already shows 2nd person singular, so ti is not necessary.
You could say Ako ti ne kasniš, ti stižeš rano na posao, but that sounds emphatic, as if contrasting you with someone else.
Why are both verbs in the present tense?
In Serbian, the present tense is often used for general truths, habits, and regular if-conditions, just like in English:
- Ako ne kasniš, stižeš rano na posao.
- If you’re not late, you arrive at work early.
This sounds like a general rule or something that usually happens.
If you wanted to talk about one specific future situation, Serbian would more naturally use a future-oriented form, for example:
- Ako ne budeš kasnio, stići ćeš rano na posao.
- If you’re not late, you’ll arrive at work early.
So the original sentence sounds habitual / general, not like a one-time prediction.
What exactly does ako mean, and is it always translated as if?