A2 · Elementary
📅 Past and future الماضي والمستقبل
Both are built with a helper verb plus one main form. Compare them side by side.
1. Past and future side by side
Past = sam, si, je… + a form ending in -o (man), -la (woman), -li / -le (plural). Future = the verb + ću, ćeš, će…
| Person | Past · man | Past · woman | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| jaI | radio sam | radila sam | radit ću |
| tiyou | radio si | radila si | radit ćeš |
| on / onahe / she | radio je | radila je | radit će |
| miwe | radili smo | radile smo | radit ćemo |
| viyou (pl.) | radili ste | radile ste | radit ćete |
| oni / onethey | radili su | radile su | radit će |
💡 In writing, “raditi + ću” becomes “radit ću” — the final -i of the infinitive drops. With a pronoun first it stays whole: “Ja ću raditi.”
2. Saying no
Past uses nisam, nisi, nije… Future uses neću, nećeš, neće… Both go before the main verb.
| Person | I did not work | I will not work |
|---|---|---|
| jaI | nisam radio | neću raditi |
| tiyou | nisi radio | nećeš raditi |
| on / onahe / she | nije radio | neće raditi |
| miwe | nismo radili | nećemo raditi |
| viyou (pl.) | niste radili | nećete raditi |
| oni / onethey | nisu radili | neće raditi |
3. Irregular past forms
Most verbs just swap -ti for -o / -la. These common ones change more, so learn them by heart.
| Verb | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|
| bitito be | bio | bila |
| ićito go | išao | išla |
| doćito come | došao | došla |
| jestito eat | jeo | jela |
| moćican | mogao | mogla |
| rećito say | rekao | rekla |
| vidjetito see | vidio | vidjela |
| htjetito want | htio | htjela |
4. Questions
Examples
- Jesi li radio jučer?
Did you work yesterday? · هل عملت أمس؟ - Hoćeš li raditi sutra?
Will you work tomorrow? · هل ستعمل غدًا؟ - Jeli smo u restoranu.
We ate at a restaurant. · أكلنا في مطعم. - Vidjet ćemo se.
We will see each other. · سنتقابل.
Now practise it
Malingo turns this grammar into short exercises with listening and speaking. Free, in English or Arabic.
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