Verbal Nouns

01

Formation: the -nje Ending

Almost all verbal nouns are made by adding -nje to the verb stem, normally the stem of the imperfective verb. The result always ends in -nje and is neuter.

• plivati (to swim) → plivanje (swimming)
• gledati (to watch) → gledanje (watching)
• pitati (to ask) → pitanje (a question)
• putovati (to travel) → putovanje (a trip)

• Plivanje je zdravo.

  Swimming is healthy.

02

They Are Neuter Nouns

A verbal noun is grammatically neuter and declines like any neuter noun in -e. Its ending changes with its role in the sentence.

• Volim plesanje.

  I love dancing. (accusative)

• Razmišljam o putovanju.

  I am thinking about a trip. (locative)

• Nemam vremena za igranje.

  I have no time for playing. (after za)

03

From Action to Concrete Meaning

Some verbal nouns have settled into a fixed, concrete sense. pitanje, literally "asking", now means "a question"; zanimanje, "being interested", now also means "occupation".

• Imam jedno pitanje.

  I have one question.

• Koje je tvoje zanimanje?

  What is your occupation?

04

English '-ing' Is Often a Verb

Be careful: English "-ing" is not always a verbal noun. Where English says "I like reading", Bosnian usually prefers a plain verb - volim čitati ("I like to read") - and saves the verbal noun for when the action is treated as a real thing or stands as the subject.

• Volim čitati.

  I like reading.

• Čitanje je korisno.

  Reading is useful.

05

After Prepositions

Verbal nouns are common after prepositions, where English would also use "-ing": za (for), prije (before), nakon (after).

• pasta za pranje zuba

  paste for cleaning teeth

• prije spavanja

  before sleeping

06

Aspect Carries Over

Because it is built from a verb, a verbal noun keeps that verb's aspect. The imperfective -nje noun names the ongoing activity or the activity in general, which is by far the form you meet at this level.

• Čitanje je korisno.

  Reading is useful.

• Vježbanje pomaže.

  Exercising helps.