vrti

Vrti is the third-person singular present indicative form of the South Slavic verb vrtiti, used in Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Montenegrin. The core meaning is to turn, twist, or rotate. The verb can denote turning an object, rotating movement, or twisting something, and it also appears in reflexive forms with se to mean to spin or revolve.

Etymology and related forms: vrtiti derives from the Proto-Slavic root vrt‑, associated with turning or twisting. Cognates appear in other Slavic languages with similar meanings, such as Russian veret’ (to twist). In the same family, related verbs such as vrnuti or vrteti are used for related aspectual or nuance differences.

Usage: Transitive use expresses causing rotation of a thing: vrti ključem (he turns the key), vrti motor (he runs the motor). Intransitive reflexive use expresses spinning or revolving: vrti se (it spins, it revolves). Idioms include vrtiti glavom (to shake one’s head) and vrtiti se u krug (to go around in circles). The sense can be literal (mechanical turning) or figurative (revolving around a topic or issue).

Conjugation: In the present tense, the pattern is regular: ja vrtim, ti vrtiš, on vrti, mi vrtimo, vi vrtite, oni vrte. Other tenses are formed in the standard Slavic manner, with auxiliary or perfective/imperfective distinctions common for vrtiti.

Notes: While vrtiti is the primary verb, speakers may choose related forms such as vrnuti in specific contexts to express brief, quick twisting or snapping. The word is widely used in everyday speech across the relevant languages.