Stir and salt: the imperative, and how to say "don't"
A recipe, an instruction and a request all rest on the command form. It is built from the present: take the they-form (mešaju), cut the ending and add -j or -i. For example: “Промешај, посоли и остави да се охлади” — Stir, salt, and leave to cool. A rule from the Serbian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A recipe, an instruction and a request all rest on the command form. It is built from the present: take the they-form (mešaju), cut the ending and add -j or -i.
A stem in -a takes -j: mešaju → mešaj, čitaju → čitaj. A stem in -e or -i takes -i: pišu → piši, posole → posoli. The odd ones stand on their own: daj, idi, reci, budi.
For "you" plural add -te: mešajte, pišite, recite. For "we" add -mo: nađimo se — let us meet.
A ban is built two ways. Short and blunt: ne viči, ne brini. Polite and far commoner: nemoj da plus the present — nemoj da vičeš, nemoj da zaboraviš.
Table
| the stem | they-form | you | you (pl.) | the "don't" via nemoj |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in -a | mešaju | mešaj | mešajte | nemoj da mešaš |
| in -a | gledaju | gledaj | gledajte | nemoj da gledaš |
| in -e | pišu | piši | pišite | nemoj da pišeš |
| in -i | posole | posoli | posolite | nemoj da posoliš |
| in -i | vrate | vrati | vratite | nemoj da vratiš |
| oddballs | daju | daj | dajte | nemoj da daš |
| oddballs | kažu | reci | recite | nemoj da kažeš |
| oddballs | budu | budi | budite | nemoj da budeš |
By example
- Промешај, посоли и остави да се охладиPromešaj, posoli i ostavi da se ohladiStir, salt, and leave to cool
- Немој да бациш рачун, требаће ти за рекламацијуNemoj da baciš račun, trebaće ti za reklamacijuDo not throw away the receipt, you will need it for a claim
- Реците ми колико кошта поправкаRecite mi koliko košta popravkaTell me how much the repair costs
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
Stir and salt: how does it work in Serbian?
A recipe, an instruction and a request all rest on the command form. It is built from the present: take the they-form (mešaju), cut the ending and add -j or -i.
What does it look like in an example sentence Serbian?
“Промешај, посоли и остави да се охлади” (Promešaj, posoli i ostavi da se ohladi) — Stir, salt, and leave to cool. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.