A modal verb is usually followed by a main verb, which clarifies the meaning of the modal verb. For example, "can" must be followed by a verb that describes the action that is able to be performed. In Macedonian, when two verbs are used one after the other, like in the examples in this tutorial, they must be separated by да, which is similar to English "to" like in the examples: like to sleep, have to eat, etc. Eventhough in English, we do not say "can to eat", in Macedonian the "to" must separate any two verbs used in this way.
The modal verbs in Macedonian are:
- сака - like, love, want (to)
- смее - may, is allowed (to)
- може - can, is able (to)
- мора - must, has (to)
- треба - should, needs (to)
In the present, сака and смее always have present tense endings, whereas they are optional for може and мора. No endings are added to треба - the form (треба) is used for all persons. For example:
| |
сака |
смее |
може |
мора |
треба |
| јас |
сакам |
смеам |
можам
or може |
морам
or мора |
треба |
| ти |
сакаш |
смееш |
можеш
or може |
мораш
or мора |
треба |
| тој, таа, тоа |
сака |
смее |
може |
мора |
треба |
| ние |
сакаме |
смееме |
можеме
or може |
мораме
or мора |
треба |
| вие |
сакате |
смеете |
можете
or може |
морате
or мора |
треба |
| тие |
сакаат |
смеат |
можат
or може |
мораат
or мора |
треба |
There is a slight difference in meaning with the може verb when it is used in the different persons v. just as може for all persons. In the first case, it is emphasizing the physical ability to do the action, for example: Можеш да зборуваш? Are you physically able to speak? (Maybe the person had an accident or has laryngitis.) In the second case, it is emphasizing whether it is allowed or possible under the circumstances to do the action, for example: Може да зборуваш? Can you speak? (Maybe the person is hiding from someone who might overhear the conversation.)
In the future tense, the forms in the table are preceded by ќе, whereas in the past all of the verbs, including треба, must have endings added.
The main verb, i.e. the verb that follows the да, is always in present tense, regardless of the tense of the modal verb. But the endings of the modal and main verbs have to reflect the same person (i.e. I, you, he/she/it, we, you or they). For example:
-
- (јас) Сакам да одам. "I want to go."
- (јас) Ќе сакам да одам. "I will want to go."
- (ние) Мора/мораме да одиме. "We must go."
- (ние) Ќе мора/мораме да одиме. "We will have to go."
These modal verbs are all imperfective, but the main verbs can be either perfective or imperfective, depending on what the speaker wants to emphasize. Remember,
-
- imperfective verbs are used for actions that are repeated or habitual; refered to in general or their entirety; or for actions that last a long time.
- perfective verbs are used for actions that happen one time; where the focus is on a part of the action, such as its completion, lack thereof, beginning, or completion up to a certain point; and for actions that are quick or take a short time.
In the vocabulary column, as in the dictionary, the pairs of verbs are listed imperfective, perfective.