Bolesna sam i odmaram se.

to be

Breakdown of Bolesna sam i odmaram se.

• i: and
• odmarati se: to rest
• bolestan: sick or ill

Questions & Answers about Bolesna sam i odmaram se.

Why is it bolesna and not bolestan?

Because bolesna is the feminine singular form of bolestan (sick / ill).

So this sentence is said by a female speaker:

• Ja sam bolesna. = I am sick. (female speaker)

A male speaker would say:

• Ja sam bolestan. = I am sick. (male speaker)

This is a very common feature in Serbian: adjectives change to match the gender and number of the person or thing they describe.

Why is sam used here?

Sam is the 1st person singular form of the verb biti (to be) in the present tense.

So:

• sam = I am

In this sentence:

• Bolesna sam literally means Sick am, but in natural English it is I am sick.

Serbian often uses this pattern:

• adjective + form of to be

Examples:

• Umorna sam. = I am tired. (female speaker)
• Srećan sam. = I am happy. (male speaker)

Where is the word for I?

It is from the verb form, so Serbian often leaves it out.