Serbian, a South Slavic language, is the official language of Serbia and a recognized minority language in neighboring countries. An important aspect of Serbian grammar is the formation and usage of the Simple Future tense, which is widely used to indicate future actions or events. In this article, we will discuss the rules and practices governing the Simple Future tense in Serbian.

Formation of Simple Future in Serbian

Rule 1: Simple Future with Auxiliary Verb

In Serbian, the Simple Future tense can be formed using the auxiliary verb “hteti” (to want), followed by the infinitive form of the main verb. The auxiliary verb “hteti” is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence.

Here is a conjugation chart of the verb “hteti”:

1. Ja ću (I will)
2. Ti ćeš (You will, singular)
3. On/ona/ono će (He/she/it will)
4. Mi/Mi ćemo (We will)
5. Vi ćete (You will, plural)
6. Oni/one/ona će (They will)

For example, the Simple Future tense of the verb “raditi” (to work) can be expressed as:

1. Ja ću raditi (I will work)
2. Ti ćeš raditi (You will work)
3. On će raditi (He will work)
4. Mi ćemo raditi (We will work)
5. Vi ćete raditi (You will work)
6. Oni će raditi (They will work)

Rule 2: Simple Future Formation for the Verb “biti” (to be)

The verb “biti” (to be) has an irregular Simple Future conjugation that does not require the use of “hteti”. The conjugation is as follows:

1. Ja ću biti (I will be)
2. Ti ćeš biti (You will be)
3. On/ona/ono će biti (He/she/it will be)
4. Mi ćemo biti (We will be)
5. Vi ćete biti (You will be)
6. Oni/one/ona će biti (They will be)

Negation in Simple Future

To form a negative sentence in the Simple Future tense, the negation “ne” is placed before the auxiliary verb “hteti”. For example:

1. Ja neću raditi (I will not work)
2. Ti nećeš raditi (You will not work)
3. On neće raditi (He will not work)
4. Mi nećemo raditi (We will not work)
5. Vi nećete raditi (You will not work)
6. Oni neće raditi (They will not work)

Interrogatives in Simple Future

Forming questions in the Simple Future tense is simple – you just need to reverse the subject and the auxiliary verb “hteti”. For example:

1. Ću li ja raditi? (Will I work?)
2. Ćeš li ti raditi? (Will you work?)
3. Će li on raditi? (Will he work?)
4. Ćemo li mi raditi? (Will we work?)
5. Ćete li vi raditi? (Will you work?)
6. Će li oni raditi? (Will they work?)

Conclusion

Mastering the Simple Future tense in Serbian grammar is essential for effective communication. It entails understanding the use of the auxiliary verb “hteti” and the proper conjugation of the main verb. Additionally, negation and interrogation in the Simple Future tense should be observed. By grasping these concepts, you will be well on your way toward achieving proficiency in this fascinating language.