Questions & Answers about Sutra ću učiti na računaru.
Why is ću placed after sutra?
Because ću is a clitic in Serbian: a short unstressed word that usually takes second position in the sentence or clause.
So in Sutra ću učiti na računaru, the first element is sutra, and ću comes right after it.
This is very normal in Serbian:
- Sutra ću učiti.
- Danas ću raditi.
- Posle škole ću doći.
If you include the subject ja, that can also affect placement:
- Ja ću sutra učiti.
So the sentence is not using random word order; it is following the usual clitic-position rule.
What exactly is ću?
Ću is the 1st person singular form of the auxiliary verb used to make the future tense.
It corresponds to I will.
The full set is:
- ću = I will
- ćeš = you will
- će = he/she/it will
- ćemo = we will
- ćete = you all / you formal will
- će = they will
So:
- ja ću učiti = I will study
- ti ćeš učiti = you will study
- oni će učiti = they will study
Why is the main verb učiti in the infinitive instead of a conjugated form?
In this future construction, Serbian often uses:
auxiliary + infinitive
So:
- ću učiti = I will study
- ćeš raditi = you will work
- ćemo gledati = we will watch
The verb učiti stays in the infinitive, while ću carries the person information.
That is why you do not say something like a present-tense form here. The future meaning comes from ću, not from changing učiti into a present form.
Is this the normal way to form the future tense in Serbian?
Yes. This is the standard future I construction.
A very common pattern is:
clitic form of hteti + infinitive
Example:
- Sutra ću učiti.
- Večeras ćemo gledati film.
- On će doći kasnije.
There is also another very common written/spoken form when the infinitive comes before the auxiliary and joins with it:
- Učiću sutra na računaru.
So both are correct:
- Sutra ću učiti na računaru.
- Učiću sutra na računaru.
Can I say Učiću sutra na računaru instead?
Yes, absolutely.
That is another correct future form. When the infinitive comes directly before the future auxiliary, Serbian often combines them into one word:
- učiti + ću → učiću
- raditi + ću → radiću
- pisati + ću → pisaću
So these are both correct:
- Sutra ću učiti na računaru.
- Učiću sutra na računaru.
The difference is mostly about word order and style, not basic meaning.
Why is the verb učiti, and not naučiti?
This is about aspect, which is very important in Serbian.
- učiti = imperfective: to study, to be studying, to learn in an ongoing sense
- naučiti = perfective: to learn/master something, to finish learning
So:
- Sutra ću učiti suggests the activity of studying
- Sutra ću naučiti would sound more like I will learn/master it tomorrow, often implying a completed result
A native English speaker often expects one verb to learn/study, but Serbian separates:
- ongoing process: učiti
- completed achievement: naučiti
In this sentence, učiti is the natural choice because it focuses on the activity.
What case is računaru, and why is it not računar?
Računaru is in the locative case.
The preposition na often requires the locative when it means on / at / using in a static sense.
So:
- računar = nominative
- na računaru = on the computer / at the computer
This is the same pattern you see in other phrases:
- na stolu = on the table
- na poslu = at work
- na fakultetu = at the faculty/university department
So na računaru is not random; it is the expected case form after na here.
Why does Serbian use na računaru for on the computer?
Because that is simply the natural Serbian expression.
English says on the computer, and Serbian also uses na here:
- raditi na računaru = to work on the computer
- igrati na računaru = to play on the computer
- učiti na računaru = to study on the computer
This does not necessarily mean physically sitting on top of the computer. It is just the normal idiom.
A helpful way to remember it is: Serbian often uses na with devices, workplaces, and surfaces in ways that overlap with English on/at.
Could I use kompjuter instead of računar?
Yes.
Both are used:
- računar = a more native/standard Serbian word
- kompjuter = a very common loanword from English
So you may hear:
- na računaru
- na kompjuteru
Both are understandable and natural. In more formal or standard language, računar may be preferred, but kompjuter is extremely common in everyday speech.
Do I need to include ja in this sentence?
No. Serbian usually drops subject pronouns when they are not needed.
Because ću already shows 1st person singular, the subject I is understood.
So:
- Sutra ću učiti na računaru. = perfectly natural
- Ja ću sutra učiti na računaru. = also correct, but ja adds emphasis or contrast
You would use ja if you want to stress I:
- Ja ću učiti, a ti ćeš raditi.
I will study, and you will work.
How flexible is the word order in this sentence?
Serbian word order is fairly flexible, but not completely free. The main thing to remember here is that the clitic ću wants an early position, usually second position.
Natural variants include:
- Sutra ću učiti na računaru.
- Na računaru ću učiti sutra.
- Ja ću sutra učiti na računaru.
- Učiću sutra na računaru.
These versions can shift the emphasis:
- Sutra first emphasizes tomorrow
- Na računaru first emphasizes where/how
- Ja first emphasizes I
So the sentence can move around, but the clitic behavior still matters.
How is ću pronounced?
Ću is pronounced roughly like chyoo, but with a softer sound than English ch.
A few pronunciation notes:
- ć is a soft consonant, different from č
- u is like oo in food
So:
- ću ≈ soft chyoo
For many English speakers, the important thing at first is just to avoid pronouncing it like a hard koo or plain choo. It is a softer Serbian sound.
Is sutra only an adverb, or does it change form?
In this sentence, sutra is an adverb meaning tomorrow.
It does not change for case, gender, or number here. You can use it directly:
- Sutra radim.
- Sutra ću doći.
- Vidimo se sutra.
So unlike many Serbian nouns and adjectives, sutra stays the same in this kind of use.
Does učiti na računaru mean studying a subject by using a computer, not studying computers themselves?
Yes. The phrase na računaru tells you the means/location of the activity: you are studying using the computer or on the computer.
It does not automatically mean that the subject itself is computers.
If you wanted to say you are studying computer science or something similar, you would need different wording, such as:
- Učim informatiku.
- Studiram računarstvo.
So in this sentence, na računaru is about how/where the studying happens.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SerbianMaster Serbian — from Sutra ću učiti na računaru to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions