Lijevaju

Lijevaju is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian verb lijevati, meaning to pour liquids from one container into another. It is used to describe an action performed by subjects in the present tense, for example, Oni lijevaju vodu u čašu (They are pouring water into a glass). The verb is transitive and imperfective, typically taking a direct object such as voda, ulje, mlijeko or čaj.

Etymology and cognates: Lijevati derives from the common Slavic verb root for “to pour.” The form and meaning are shared across many South Slavic languages, with cognates in Russian (лить) and other Slavic languages reflecting a similar sense of pouring or shedding liquid. The Croatian form shows the characteristic reflexes of Proto-Slavic liti and its evolution in the western South Slavic languages.

Usage notes: Lijevaju is used for ongoing or habitual pouring actions in the present. In contrast, a perfective alternative such as izliti would indicate pouring out completely or in a completed action. The verb can also be used in metaphorical expressions, such as liti suze, meaning to shed tears, underscoring the broader sense of pouring out liquids.

Form and variation: As a common verb, lijevati follows standard present-tense conjugation patterns in the language group, with forms like lijevam, lijevaš, lijeva, lijevamo, lijevate, and lijevaju for different subject persons. Its usage is widespread in everyday speech, cooking, and descriptions of weather or processes involving liquids.