Popravljati

Popravljati is an imperfective transitive verb used in South Slavic languages such as Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian. It means to repair, mend, or fix something, often implying an ongoing or repeated action, as opposed to a single completed repair. The term can also be used in a broader sense to adjust, improve or rectify something, including figurative usage like correcting mistakes or behavior.

Etymology and usage notes: the verb is formed with the prefix po- added to the verb praviti (to make, to do) and the imperfective suffix -avati, yielding an action that is habitual or ongoing. Popravljati is the imperfective counterpart to the perfective verb popraviti (to fix, to repair). The two form an aspectual pair common in these languages, where popraviti signals a completed repair, while popravljati indicates ongoing or repeated repairing.

Conjugation and grammar: in the present tense, forms include ja popravljam, ti popravljaš, on/ona/ono popravlja, mi popravljamo, vi popravljate, oni/one popravljaju. The past tense is formed with the appropriate auxiliary (sam/ses/je etc.) and the past participle (e.g., ja sam popravljao/ poprlavljala). The future is typically ja ću popravljati (I will be repairing). The verb takes a direct object, e.g., "popravljam kvar na frižideru" (I am repairing a fault in the fridge).

Examples: "Danas popravljam kvar na perilici." "Jutro sam popravljao auto." "Sutra ću popravljati bojler." Figuratively, one can say "popravljati greške" to mean rectifying mistakes.

See also: popraviti, ispraviti, popravak.