upaliti

Upaliti is a verb used in several South Slavic languages, notably Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian. It means to light or to ignite a flame and, in everyday usage, to turn on a device or a light. It is the perfective counterpart of paliti, and is used when the speaker emphasizes the initiation or completion of the action. Common phrases include upaliti vatru (to light a fire), upaliti šibicu (to strike a match), or upaliti svjetlo, lampu, televizor (to turn on the light, a lamp, or the television).

Etymology and scope: Upaliti is formed from the verb paliti (to burn or shed light) with the prefix u-, which marks the action as completed or instantaneous. The term is widely used across the region in both informal and formal contexts, though in some cases zapaliti may be preferred when referring to starting a flame rather than simply turning something on.

Usage and grammar: As a perfective verb, upaliti conveys a definite, completed action. In past tense, it forms with the auxiliary biti, yielding constructions such as upalio sam or upalila je, depending on gender. In the present or future sense, forms vary by language, but the imperative is common in everyday speech, as in Upali televizor! (Turn on the TV).

See also: paliti; zapaliti; lighting and electrical terms in South Slavic languages.