FSI Language Courses

Conjugation of the Serbo-Croatian Verb "biti"

biti
to be
Type
Irregular
Aspect (vid)
imperfective

Prezent (Present Tense)

Used for current actions, habits, and general truths. For perfective verbs, the present form expresses future meaning.

Pronoun Conjugation
ja jesam (sam)
ti jesi (si)
on/ona/ono jest(e) (je)
mi jesmo (smo)
vi jeste (ste)
oni/one/ona jesu (su)

Perfekat (Past Tense)

Formed with the l-participle + clitic forms of biti (sam, si, je, smo, ste, su). The participle changes for gender and number.

Gender / Number L-Participle Example (1st person)
Masculine singular bio bio sam
Feminine singular bila bila sam
Neuter singular bilo bilo je (3rd person)
Masculine plural bili bili smo (1st pl.)
Feminine plural bile bile smo (1st pl.)

Futur I (Future Tense)

Formed with the clitic forms of htjeti (ću, ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete, će) + infinitive.

Pronoun Conjugation
ja biću
ti bićeš
on/ona/ono biće
mi bićemo
vi bićete
oni/one/ona biće

Kondicional (Conditional)

Used for hypothetical situations, polite requests, and wishes. Formed with bih/bi/bismo/biste + l-participle.

Pronoun Conjugation (masc./fem.)
ja bih bio/bila
ti bi bio/bila
on/ona/ono bi bio/bila
mi bismo bili/bile
vi biste bili/bile
oni/one/ona bi bili/bile

Imperativ (Imperative)

Direct commands and requests for ti (singular), mi (let's), and vi (plural/formal).

Person Form
ti (singular) budi
mi (let's) budimo
vi (plural/formal) budite

Example Sentences (Primjeri)

Prezent

Ja sam student.

I am a student.

Perfekat

Bio sam umoran.

I was tired. (masc.)

Futur

Biću tamo sutra.

I will be there tomorrow.

Imperativ

Budi strpljiv!

Be patient!