Present Tense

Present tense is used for:

• habitual or routine actions
• general facts
• actions that are happening right now
• actions that started in the past and continue into the present (and may continue into the future)

The present tense is formed by special suffixes::
-m/-áš/-á + -áme/-áte/-ají
-i/-eš/-e + -eme/-ete/-jí
-m/-íš/-í + -íme/-íte/-í
-u/-eš/-e + -eme/-ete/-ou

The suffix depends on the verb class into which the verb belongs to. There are five verb classes.

The verb class is determined by the suffix of the verb in 3rd person singular masculine. We must memorize this, which is difficult for not native speakers (we can find detailed info in Verbs - Verb Classes).

The more accessible but accurate method is based on the ending of the infinitive. Of course, it also must be memorized and has many irregularities, but it offers an easier way for not native speakers to learn the Czech present tense.

We can divide verbs into four main groups.
Note: some endings belong to more than one group!!

1. group: verbs ending in -at or -át
dělat (to do), dát (to give), tleskat (to clap), zpívat (to sing), schovat (to hide), posílat (to send), chechtat se (to laugh)

Conjugation:
Singular:
1. person: -ÁM
2. person: -ÁŠ
3. person: -Á

plural:
1. person: -ÁME
2. person: -ÁTE
3. person: -AJÍ

1. já dělám - my děláme
2. ty děláš - vy děláte
3. on, ona, ono dělá - oni dělají

2. group: verbs ending in -ovat or -ýt or -ít or -at or -át
kupovat (to buy), sledovat (to watch), mýt (to wash), lít (to pour), pít (to drink), studovat (to study), krýt (to cover), kontrolovat (to check), malovat (to draw), hrát (to play), smát (to smile)

Conjugation:
Singular:
1. person: -JI
2. person: -JEŠ
3. person: -JE

plural:
1. person: -JEME
2. person: -JETE
3. person: -JÍ

1. já kupuji - my kupujeme
2. ty kupuješ - vy kupujete
3. on, ona, ono kupuje - oni kupují

3. group: verbs ending in -it or -ít or -et or -ět or -at or -át
prosit (to beg, to ask for), rozumět (to understand), spát (to sleep), chodit (to walk), čistit (to clean), trpět (to suffer), sázet (to bet), snít (to dream)

Conjugation:
Singular:
1. person: -ÍM
2. person: -ÍŠ
3. person: -Í

plural:
1. person: -ÍME
2. person: -ÍTE
3. person: -Í

1. já prosím - my prosíme
2. ty prosíš - vy prosíte
3. on, ona, ono prosí - oni prosí

4. group: verbs ending in -out or -ci or -st or -at or -át
vzpomenout (to remember), zapomenout (to forget), nést (to carry), brát (to take), tisknout (to print), minout (to miss), začít (to start), hnout (to move)

Conjugation:
Singular:
1. person: -U
2. person: -EŠ
3. person: -E

plural:
1. person: -EME
2. person: -ETE
3. person: -OU

1. já nesu - my neseme
2. ty neseš - vy nesete
3. on, ona, ono nese - oni nesou

Reflexive verbs and the present tense
Reflexive verbs have "se" or "si" added the verb.
If the subject is expressed, "se" or "si" stands before the verb.

Mýt se - to wash oneself
Myji se. (I am washing myself.)
Já se myji. (I am washing myself.)

Irregular verbs
There are many irregular verbs.
The most used are:
Být (to be): jsem, jsi, je - jsme, jste, jsou
Mít (to have): mám, máš, má - máme, máte mají

NOTE
You will find a marker in the dictionary telling you which group the verb belongs to, or we will put the verb into a category by its ending.