Questions & Answers about Uzimam lek svako jutro.
What does uzimam mean grammatically?
Uzimam is the 1st person singular present tense of uzimati, so it means I take / I am taking.
In this sentence, because of svako jutro (every morning), it is understood as a habitual action:
- Uzimam lek svako jutro. = I take medicine every morning.
So this is not mainly about what you are doing right now, but about your routine.
Why is the verb uzimam and not uzmem?
This is about aspect.
- uzimati → imperfective
- uzeti / uzmem → perfective
Serbian usually uses the imperfective for repeated, regular, habitual actions. Since every morning describes something repeated, uzimam is the natural choice.
Compare:
- Uzimam lek svako jutro. = I take medicine every morning.
- Uzmem lek = I take the medicine / I will take the medicine once, as a completed action, depending on context.
Why is it lek, not leka or leku?
Because lek is the direct object of the verb uzimam, so it goes in the accusative case.
For a masculine inanimate noun like lek, the accusative singular looks the same as the nominative singular:
- nominative: lek
- accusative: lek
So:
- lek je ovde = the medicine is here
- uzimam lek = I take the medicine
If it were a masculine animate noun, the accusative would usually match the genitive instead.
Why is there no word for the or a before lek?
Serbian has no articles like English a/an/the.
So lek can mean:
- a medicine
- the medicine
- sometimes just medicine in a general sense
The exact meaning comes from context.
If Serbian speakers want to be more specific, they can use other words, for example:
- taj lek = that medicine
- ovaj lek = this medicine
- moj lek = my medicine
Why is it singular lek? In English we often say medicine.
In Serbian, lek is a normal noun meaning a medicine / a drug / a remedy.
So Serbian often uses a singular countable noun where English might use the uncountable word medicine.
- Uzimam lek. = I take medicine / I take a medicine
- Uzimam lekove. = I take medicines / medications
If you are talking about one specific prescribed medication, lek is very natural.
What is svako jutro grammatically?
Svako jutro means every morning.
- svako = every
- jutro = morning
Here svako agrees with jutro:
- jutro is neuter singular
- so the form is svako
This expression is used adverbially to show when something happens.
Why is it svako jutro without a preposition?
Serbian often expresses time without a preposition when talking about repeated time expressions like every day, every week, every morning, etc.
So:
- svako jutro = every morning
- svaki dan = every day
- svake nedelje / svaku nedelju = every week
English also does this in a similar way: we say every morning, not in every morning.
Can I also say svakog jutra?
Yes. Svakog jutra is also possible and means essentially the same thing: every morning.
So both can work:
- Uzimam lek svako jutro.
- Uzimam lek svakog jutra.
For many learners, svako jutro is the simplest and most straightforward form to learn first. You may hear both in real Serbian.
Can the word order change?
Yes. Serbian word order is more flexible than English word order.
You can say:
- Uzimam lek svako jutro.
- Svako jutro uzimam lek.
Both are correct. The difference is mostly emphasis:
- Uzimam lek svako jutro. → neutral
- Svako jutro uzimam lek. → slightly stronger focus on every morning
English also does something similar:
- I take medicine every morning.
- Every morning, I take medicine.
Could I say pijem lek instead of uzimam lek?
Sometimes yes, but the meaning is a bit different in feel.
- uzimam lek = I take medicine / medication
- the most general and standard phrasing
- pijem lek = literally I drink the medicine, but it can also be used for medicine taken by mouth, especially pills or liquid medicine
So uzimam lek is broader and safer in general. It works even when you are not focusing on the physical act of swallowing it.
Is lek the same as medicina?
Not usually.
- lek = a medicine, medication, drug, remedy
- medicina = medicine as a field/science, or sometimes medical practice
So in this sentence, lek is the correct everyday word.
Examples:
- Studira medicinu. = He/She studies medicine.
- Uzimam lek. = I take medicine.
Does this sentence mean I am taking the medicine right now?
Not necessarily. The present tense in Serbian can describe:
- what is happening now
- what happens regularly
- a general habit
Because the sentence includes svako jutro, the normal interpretation is habitual:
- I take medicine every morning.
Without that time phrase, Uzimam lek could mean either:
- I am taking the medicine
- I take the medicine
depending on context.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SerbianMaster Serbian — from Uzimam lek svako jutro 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