The second major verb class, covering verbs of perception, speech, and many common actions.
How to Identify
Infinitives ending in -it or -et: mluvit (speak), vidět (see), rozumět (understand), prosit (ask/beg).
Remove -it/-et and often soften the final consonant. 'Mluvit' → 'mluv-', 'vidět' → 'vid-'. Some stems undergo consonant changes: prosit → pros- (but 'prosím' shows the softening).
Why Endings Encode the Subject
The -ím/-íš pattern with long 'í' distinguishes this class from -at verbs. Historically, these verbs had different thematic vowels in Proto-Slavic, which evolved into today's distinct patterns.
The long 'í' vowel appears in all forms. Third person plural can be -í (mluvit → mluví) or -ějí (trpět → trpí, but sázet → sázejí). This variation depends on the specific verb.
| Person | Pronoun | English | Ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | já | I | -ím |
| 2nd sg. | ty | you (sg.) | -íš |
| 3rd sg. | on/ona/ono | he/she/it | -í |
| 1st pl. | my | we | -íme |
| 2nd pl. | vy | you (pl./formal) | -íte |
| 3rd pl. | oni/ony/ona | they | -í/-ějí |
Past participle: -il/-ela/-elo
Example Verbs4
Present Tense
Past Tense (with gender)
mluv-Remove -it: mluvit → mluv-. The stem is straightforward.
Present Tense
Past Tense (with gender)
vid-Remove -ět: vidět → vid-. Note the consonant 'd' stays hard.
Present Tense
Past Tense (with gender)
rozum-Remove -ět: rozumět → rozum-. The stem preserves the root 'rozum' (reason/mind).
Present Tense
Past Tense (with gender)
pros-Remove -it: prosit → pros-. Consonant softening appears in some forms.