Serbian Verb (Future Tense)
Learning how to use verbs in the future tense is important in any language, including Serbian. In Serbian, future tense verb forms change depending on who is doing the action (person) and whether you’re talking about one person or many (number). Understanding these changes will help you speak Serbian more naturally and confidently.
Why Learn Verb Inflections?
In Serbian, verbs in the future tense change their endings based on the person performing the action (I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, they)
Native speakers use two ways to construct the future tense:
1.Long Form: Personal pronoun + future tense endings (ću, ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete) + infinitive verb.
- Example: Ja ću raditi. (I will work.)
2.Short Form: Remove the “ti” and attach future tense endings directly to the verb stem.
- Example: Radiću. (I will work.)
Both forms are commonly used, so you can choose whichever feels more natural to you.
Before proceeding into the future tense, make sure you know the personal pronouns. If you’re not familiar with them yet, check out our Personal Pronouns Guide.
Future Tense Conjugation Rules
Serbian verbs in their infinitive form end with “ti” or “ći”. Learning these base forms helps you understand how to change them for different people and numbers.
General Steps to Conjugate Future Tense:
- Choose the Construction Method:
- Long Form: Personal pronoun + future tense ending (ću, ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete) + infinitive verb.
- Short Form: Attach future tense ending directly to the verb stem after removing the “ti”
- Apply the Appropriate Endings based on the person and number.
Future Tense Endings
| English | Serbian |
| I will | ja ću |
| You will (singular) | ti ćeš |
| He will | on će |
| She will | ona će |
| It will | ono će |
| We will | mi ćemo |
| You will (plural) | vi ćete |
| They will | oni će |
Note: The endings “ću, ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete” are added to indicate the future tense.
Examples of Future Tense Conjugation
“raditi” (to work)
| Person | Long Form | Short Form |
| I | ja ću raditi | radiću |
| You (singular) | ti ćeš raditi | radićeš |
| He/She/It | on/ona/ono će raditi | radiće |
| We | mi ćemo raditi | radićemo |
| You (plural) | vi ćete raditi | radićete |
| They | oni će raditi | radiće |
As you can see, in the short form, the future tense indicators from the long form are moved to the end of the verb.
Examples:
- I will work tomorrow.
- Ja ću raditi sutra.
- Radiću sutra.
- We will work later.
- Mi ćemo raditi kasnije.
- Radićemo kasnije.
You can use either of the two variants.
Key Points:
- Learn Personal Pronouns First: Before diving into verb inflections, ensure you are familiar with the personal pronouns.
- Master Present Tense Inflections: It’s recommended to learn the present tense verb forms before tackling the future tense.
- Choose Your Future Tense Variant: There are two ways to express the future tense in Serbian. Both are commonly used by native speakers, so feel free to use whichever you find more comfortable.
Understanding the future tense in Serbian is essential for expressing actions that will happen. By learning the personal pronouns first and mastering the present tense inflections, you’ll find it easier to grasp the future tense forms. Practice using both the long and short forms to become more fluent and confident in your Serbian conversations.
Try creating your own sentences using both future tense variants to reinforce your learning and make the forms feel more natural.
