Verb aspect pairs

Imperfective and perfective pairs, and the prefixes that build them.

Imperfective / perfective

Imperfectiveprocess · duration · habit
Perfectivebounded whole · result
Imperfective: Pišem pismo.Пишем писмо.I am writing a letter.
Perfective: Kad napišem pismo…Кад напишем писмо…when I write the letter…
Imperfective: Pisao sam pismo.Писао сам писмо.I was writing a letter.
Perfective: Napisao sam pismo.Написао сам писмо.I wrote the letter.
Imperfective: Pisaću pismo.Писаћу писмо.I will be writing a letter.
Perfective: Napisaću pismo.Написаћу писмо.I will write the letter.

Suffix and stem pairs

Imperfective: kupкупovaоваtiтиbuy / shop
Perfective: kupкупiиtiтиbuy
Imperfective: otvотвaraараtiти
Perfective: otvотвoriориtiти
open
Imperfective: daдаvaваtiти
Perfective: daдаtiти
give
Imperfective: zaboravзаборавljaљаtiти
Perfective: zaboravзаборавiиtiти
forget
Imperfective: uzузimaимаtiти
Perfective: uzузeеtiти
take
Imperfective: paпаdaдаtiти
Perfective: paпаsсtiти
fall
Imperfective: govoritiговоритиspeak / talk
Perfective: rećiрећиsay

Prefix pairs

Imperfective: pisatiписатиwrite
Perfective: naнаpisatiписатиwrite (finish)
Imperfective: učitiучитиlearn / study
Perfective: naнаučitiучитиlearn (master)
Imperfective: pravitiправити
Perfective: naнаpravitiправити
make
Imperfective: gledatiгледатиwatch / look
Perfective: poпоgledatiгледатиtake a look
Imperfective: jestiјестиeat
Perfective: poпоjestiјестиeat (up)
Imperfective: pitiпитиdrink
Perfective: poпоpitiпитиdrink (up)
Imperfective: raditiрадитиwork / do
Perfective: uуraditiрадитиdo (once)
Imperfective: ulazitiулазити
Perfective: uуćiћи
enter / go in
Imperfective: upoznaупознаvaваtiтиmeet / get to know
Perfective: upoznaупознаtiтиmeet (for the first time)
Imperfective: vaditiвадитиtake out / pull out
Perfective: izизvaditiвадитиtake out
Imperfective: biratiбиратиchoose / pick
Perfective: izизabratiабратиchoose
Imperfective: graditiградитиbuild
Perfective: izизgraditiградитиbuild (finish)
Imperfective: dolazitiдолазитиcome / be coming
Perfective: doдоćiћиcome / arrive
Imperfective: donдонosiосиtiти
Perfective: donдонeеtiти
bring
Imperfective: dobiдобиjaјаtiти
Perfective: dobiдобиtiти
get / receive
Imperfective: čitatiчитатиread
Perfective: proпроčitatiчитатиread (finish)
Imperfective: prolazitiпролазити
Perfective: proпроćiћи
pass / go through
Imperfective: provпровodiодиtiти
Perfective: provпровesесtiти
spend (time)