Uzimaju

Uzimaju is a present-tense, third-person plural form of the verb uzimati in South Slavic languages such as Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian. It means “they take” or “they are taking” and is used to describe ongoing or habitual taking of something or performing the act of taking in general.

Grammatically, uzimaju comes from the imperfective verb uzimati, which denotes an ongoing, repeated, or routine action. The corresponding perfective form has a different paradigm; for the same verb pair, a common perfective third-person plural present would be uzmu, used when the action is presented as a completed, single instance. This aspectual distinction affects nuance, not the basic meaning of “taking.”

Usage and examples: Uzimaju is used in everyday speech to indicate taking objects such as food, medicine, or belongings, as in Oni uzimaju lijek (They are taking medicine). It also appears in figurative expressions, for example uzimaju rizik (they take a risk). Because it is the present tense form, uzimaju generally refers to actions occurring at the moment of speaking or as part of a usual pattern.

Notes: While uzimaju is common across BCS languages, the exact usage can vary by dialect and register. It is one of several forms derived from the root uz- meaning “to take,” and it is distinct from the perfective counterparts that emphasize completion.

See also: uzeti, uzimati.