stavi

Stavi is a verb form in several South Slavic languages, most notably Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Montenegrin, meaning “to put”, “to place” or “to set”. It is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb “staviti”, which derives from the Proto‑Slavic *stati “to stand”. As an imperative, stavi is used to give a direct command or instruction to a single individual, for example “Stavi knjigu na sto” (“Put the book on the table”).

In addition to its literal sense, stavi is employed in a range of idiomatic expressions. Phrases such as “stavi to na svoje mjesto” (“put it in its proper place”) or “stavi se na stranu” (“step aside”) illustrate its figurative usage for arranging, positioning or assigning roles. The verb also appears in colloquial speech to indicate a temporary placement, as in “stavi ga kod mene” (“leave it with me for now”).

The form stavi is phonologically regular, retaining the root “stav‑” and adding the imperative suffix “‑i”. Its conjugation follows the standard pattern of the a‑stem verbs in the language group. The past participle “stavljen” and the future form “staviću” (first‑person singular future) are derived from the same lexical base.

Outside of its grammatical function, the term has been adopted as a title in popular culture. Several Balkan music tracks and folk songs incorporate “Stavi” in their titles, using the word metaphorically to convey themes of offering, dedication or emotional placement. The word also appears in surnames and place names, though these uses are unrelated to the verb’s imperative form.