Questions & Answers about Kada idem u grad, nosim torbu sa papirom i olovkom.
Why is there no ja in the sentence?
In Serbian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.
- idem = I go / I am going
- nosim = I carry / I wear / I take
So Kada idem u grad, nosim torbu... already clearly means When I go into town, I carry a bag...
You could add ja for emphasis, but it is not necessary in a neutral sentence.
What is the role of kada here?
Kada means when and introduces a time clause.
So:
- Kada idem u grad = When I go into town
It connects the first part of the sentence with the main clause:
- Kada idem u grad, nosim torbu...
In everyday speech, kad is also very common and means the same thing here.
So Kad idem u grad... would sound natural too.
Why are idem and nosim in the present tense if the sentence talks about a repeated action?
Serbian uses the present tense for habitual actions, just like English often does.
So this sentence does not mean only right now. It can mean something like:
- Whenever I go into town, I carry a bag with paper and a pencil
- When I go into town, I take a bag with paper and a pencil