Slovene Verbs - Classification of Verbs

Classification of Verbs

The Slovene verb can be classified based on the forms of the present and infinitive into 6 different conjugation patterns:

1. First conjugation in -a-, for example, oddati (to let, rent)
2. Second conjugation in -ni-, for example, veniti (to fade/wilt)
3. Third conjugation in -je-, for example, biti (to be) compare with the first person singular present indicative form bijem
4. Fourth conjugation in -e-, for example, risati (to draw) compare with the first person singular present indicative form rišem
5. Fifth conjugation in -i-, for example, hoditi (to walk)
6. Sixth conjugation which consists of all the irregular verbs, such as biti (to be).

As well, verbs can be classified based on their transitivity (Glagolska prehodnost) and aspect (Glagolski vid). Many verbs in Slovene can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their use in a sentence. However, all reflexive verbs, which are marked by the participle se (one self) are intransitive.

As in all Slavic languages, Slovene verbs are classified based on their aspect into 2 categories: perfective (dovršni) verbs, which represent a completed action, and imperfective (nedovršni) verbs, which represent a continued action. For example, the concept of jumping is expressed in the 2 different aspects is skakati, which has an imperfective aspect and can roughly be translated as to be jumping (continuously), and skočiti, which has a perfective aspect and can roughly be translated as to jump (once). In Slovene, this difference in aspects is found in all tenses and voices.