Serbian 'da' + present tense: the infinitive substitute
If you have an English habit of reaching for an infinitive ('I want TO GO'), Serbian will surprise you: in everyday speech it usually drops the infinitive and uses 'da' + the present tense instead. So instead of the bookish "Hoću ići", a Serb naturally says "Hoću da idem" (I want to go), and "Moram da radim" (I must work). The verb after 'da' is a real, conjugated present-tense form, and it agrees with its subject in person and number — that is the whole trick. Here is the part that trips English speakers up the most. In English we use the same infinitive whether the subjects match or not: 'I want to go' vs 'I want YOU to go'. Serbian splits these. When the two subjects are the same, you can technically still use the infinitive, but "Hoću da idem" sounds far more natural. When the subjects differ, the infinitive is simply impossible — you must say "Hoću da ideš" (I want you to go), with the present tense agreeing with 'you'. There is no Serbian sentence that mirrors English 'I want you to go' with an infinitive; "Hoću ići ti" is wrong. The construction shows up after the verbs you will use constantly: hteti (to want), morati (must), moći (can), trebati (should), željeti (to wish). Notice the agreement march through the persons: da idem, da ideš, da ide, da idemo, da idete, da idu. It also carries advice and obligation cleanly — "Treba da učiš" (you should study) — and permission — "Možeš da dođeš sutra" (you can come tomorrow). Master 'da' + present and your Serbian immediately stops sounding like a textbook and starts sounding like a person.
Examples
- Hoću da idem. I want to go.
- Hoću da ideš. I want you to go.
- Treba da učiš. You should study.
The full lesson
Everything in the video, in text.
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Hoću ići — it's correct, but it sounds like you're reading from an old book. In living speech we say something completely different.
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In Serbian we very often use the construction da plus present instead of the infinitive. Especially in everyday speech it's the natural choice after verbs like hteti, morati and moći.
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Look at how it works. We turn the infinitive ići into da idem. The main verb stays the same, while the second verb goes into the present and agrees with the subject in person and number.
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Let's start with the most ordinary example. After the verb hteti we naturally say: Hoću da idem.
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It works the same way after the verb morati. The second verb goes into the present and agrees with the subject: Moram da radim.
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Since the present agrees with the subject, the form after da changes by person. For the verb ići it looks like this: da idem, da ideš, da ide, da idemo, da idete, da idu.
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And now the most important thing. The subject of the main verb and the subject of the present don't have to be the same. When they are, you say hoću da idem — ja hoću, ja idem. But if you want someone else to do something, the present agrees with that other person.
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Here's how it sounds when you want someone else to do something. Ja hoću, but ideš ti: Hoću da ideš.
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And that's exactly where the key rule lies. When the subjects are different, the infinitive doesn't work — you have to use da plus present. You can't say hoću ići ti; the only correct form is hoću da ideš.
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The construction also carries advice or a mild obligation beautifully. After the verb trebati we say: Treba da učiš.
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And after the verb moći, for permission or possibility, it's again da plus present: Možeš da dođeš sutra.
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Watch out for one more detail. When the subjects are the same, the infinitive is correct, but it sounds formal and bookish. In conversation da plus present is more natural — so choose hoću da idem over hoću ići.
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Remember: instead of the infinitive use da plus present, make the present agree with the subject, and when the subjects are different — da plus present is obligatory.
