Aspect: delati or narediti, and why the border is not where you expect
Slovenian sorts verbs into pairs: delati and narediti, pisati and napisati, kupovati and kupiti. One half of the pair is the unfinished action, the other the finished one. For example: “Vsak večer pišem dnevnik, danes pa sem napisal tri strani” — Every evening I write in my diary, but today I wrote three pages. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Slovenian sorts verbs into pairs: delati and narediti, pisati and napisati, kupovati and kupiti. One half of the pair is the unfinished action, the other the finished one.
The first surprise is the future. Both halves go through the same helper: bom delal and bom naredil. English marks the difference with 'I'll be working' against 'I'll get it done'.
The second is what follows 'must'. Moram napisati pismo — write it once, to the end. Moram pisati pismo — sit and write. Slovenian reaches for the finished verb far more often: moram vprašati, moram poklicati, moram plačati.
The third: borrowed verbs in -irati make no distinction at all — rezervirati, blokirati, kopirati. Rezerviram sobo is both 'I am booking' and 'I will book'. Do not add a prefix: zarezervirati does not exist.
Table
| imperfective | perfective | where the difference is heard |
|---|---|---|
| delati | narediti | delal sem / naredil sem |
| pisati | napisati | pisal sem uro / napisal sem pismo |
| kupovati | kupiti | kupujem vsak teden / kupim danes |
| plačevati | plačati | ni treba plačevati / moram plačati |
| jemati | vzeti | jemljem zdravila / vzamem tableto |
| the future | one for both | bom delal / bom naredil |
| the perfective 'present' | not a present | ko naredim, ti povem |
| -irati verbs | no aspect pair | rezerviram = I reserve and I will reserve |
By example
- Vsak večer pišem dnevnik, danes pa sem napisal tri straniEvery evening I write in my diary, but today I wrote three pages
- Moram poklicati konzulat, preden zaprejoI have to call the consulate before it closes
- Sobo sem rezerviral, ker jutri rezerviram še avtoI booked the room, because tomorrow I am booking a car as well
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Slovenian aspect: delati or narediti?
Slovenian sorts verbs into pairs: delati and narediti, pisati and napisati, kupovati and kupiti. One half of the pair is the unfinished action, the other the finished one.
How to say I will do it if the future is one?
The first surprise is the future. Both halves go through the same helper: bom delal and bom naredil. English marks the difference with 'I'll be working' against 'I'll get it done'.
Do verbs in irati need a prefix in Slovenian?
The second is what follows 'must'. Moram napisati pismo — write it once, to the end. Moram pisati pismo — sit and write. Slovenian reaches for the finished verb far more often: moram vprašati, moram poklicati, moram plačati.
Does naredim mean I do or I will do?
The third: borrowed verbs in -irati make no distinction at all — rezervirati, blokirati, kopirati. Rezerviram sobo is both 'I am booking' and 'I will book'. Do not add a prefix: zarezervirati does not exist.
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Vsak večer pišem dnevnik, danes pa sem napisal tri strani” — Every evening I write in my diary, but today I wrote three pages. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.