This kind of Serbian future tense is used only in subordinate clauses (dependent sentences) and never on their own. Ja ću raditi – I will do is a proper future tense that shows an action that will happen in the future, and there is another form of the future tense in which this sentence would look like Ja budem radio. Formally, this tense is called „Future II“. Some linguists say that this is a tense, and some say that it is a mood. As it was said before, this form of Serbian future tense can be used only in the subordinate clause, and to be more specific, only with these conjunctions:
Ako – if
Kad – when
Dok – while, until
Čim – as soon as
One can draw a parallel with the subjunctive mood in Spanish or in English here.
In order to conjugate verbs in this tense, we need to know one more form of BITI – to be, and the conjugated verb will be in form of past tense:
RADITI – to do/to work
| Ja budem radio(m)
Ja budem radila(f) |
I will do |
| Ti budeš radio(m)
Ti budeš radila(f) |
You will do |
| On bude radio | He will do |
| Ona bude radila | She will do |
| Mi budemo radili | We will do |
| Vi budete radili | You will do |
| Oni, one, ona budu radili | They will do |
Examples:
Ako budem radio mnogo, biću umoran – if I work a lot, I will be tired
Dok ne bude završila, neće biti srećna – Until she finishes, she will not be happy
Čim budemo dovršili sve, otići ćemo u pozorište – As soon as we complete everything, we will go to the theater
Pozovi me kad budeš išao kući – Call me when you go home
Čim se budem vratio kući, zvaću te – As soon as I return home, I will call you
Kad budemo bogati, kupićemo veliku kuću – When we are rich, we will buy a big house
Čim Zoran bude došao, počećemo da slavimo – As soon as Zoran comes, we will start celebrating
Ako budeš lenj, nećeš postići uspeh – If you are lazy, you will not achieve success
Dok bude radila tamo, neće imati vremena ni za šta – While she works there, she will not have time for anything
Čim Milorad bude spreman, napustiće to mesto gde živi – As soon as Milorad gets ready, he will leave the place where he lives
U kojem gradu ćeš da živiš ako budeš živeo u Hrvatskoj? – In which city will you live if you live in Croatia?
Dok te tvoji prijatelji ne budu podržavali, neće biti dobri prijatelji – Until your friends support you, they won’t be good friends
Kad svi budu u dvorani, biće vreme za početak konferencije – When everybody is in the hall, it will be time to start the conference
Vocabulary
| umoran – tired
završiti – to finish dovršiti – to complete srećan – happy napustiti – to leave/abandon dvorana – hall |
spreman – ready
uspeh – success podržati – to support bogat – rich početak – start |
Exercises
Decide whether to use future I or future II and use the correct conjugation
- Dok svi _______________, mi ćemo piti (PLESATI – to dance, stem change S-Š) – While everybody will be dancing, we will be drinking
- Podsetiću te da bi ________________ ovde u potrebnom vremenu (BITI – to be) – I will remind you to be here at the right time (literally: I will remind you in order to be here at the right time)
- Kada ____________ svoja obećanja? (ISPUNITI – to fulfill) – When will you fulfill your promises?
- Ja takođe ______________ kafu ako ti nećeš (PITI – to drink) – I won’t drink coffee if you don’t want
- Gde tvoj otac _________________ novac? (INVESTIRATI – to invest) – Where will your father invest money?
- Ako _______________ pijan, neću ti dozvoliti da ideš napolje (BITI – to be) – If you get drunk, I won’t allow you to go outside
- ____________________ ništa novo dok ne _______________ sigurni u ono što smo prošli pre toga (STUDIRATI – to study, BITI – to be) – We will not study anything new until we get confident* in what we have passed before that (*literally: will be confident)
- Da li __________________ onu haljinu ako znaš da ista postoji jeftinija u drugoj prodavnici? (KUPITI – to buy) – Will you buy that dress if you know that there is the same one cheaper in another store?
- Pozvaću te sutra ujutru da ______________ spreman kad dođem (BITI – to be) – I will call you tomorrow morning so that you get ready when I come
- Čim ___________________, preselićemo se u drugu zemlju (ODRASTI – to grow up) – As soon as we grow up, we will move to another country
Answers
1: budu plesali; 2: budeš; 3: ćeš ispuniti; 4: neću piti; 5: će investirati; 6: budeš; 7: nećemo studirati, budemo; 8: ćeš kupiti; 9: budeš; 10: budemo odrasli