Kada idem u kancelariju, skrećem levo kod banke.

to go

Breakdown of Kada idem u kancelariju, skrećem levo kod banke.

• u: to
• kancelarija: office
• banka: bank

Questions & Answers about Kada idem u kancelariju, skrećem levo kod banke.

Why is it idem and skrećem instead of infinitives like ići and skretati?

Because Serbian uses conjugated verb forms in normal sentences, just like English uses I go rather than to go.

• idem = I go / I am going
• skrećem = I turn / I am turning

The infinitives are:

• ići = to go
• skretati = to be turning / to turn (imperfective)

So in this sentence, the speaker is saying what they do, not just naming the action.

Why are both verbs in the present tense if the sentence talks about a route or repeated action?

In Serbian, the present tense is often used for habitual actions or things that happen regularly.

So Kada idem u kancelariju, skrećem levo kod banke means something like:

• When I go to the office, I turn left at the bank
• Whenever I’m going to the office, I turn left at the bank

This is very natural in Serbian. The present tense here does not have to mean only right now.

Why is kada used here? Can I also say kad?

Yes. kada and kad both mean .