Grammar reference

Key forms of standard Albanian — checked with a native speaker and grammars.

Aorist — regular (past)

✓ native

Simple completed past. Endings shown with punoj (to work) and bëj (to do).

unë	punova
ti	punove
ai/ajo	punoi
ne	punuam
ju	punuat
ata/ato	punuan

unë	bëra
ti	bëre
ai/ajo	bëri
ne	bëmë
ju	bëtë
ata/ato	bënë

Aorist — irregular (triples)

✓ native

Learn as a set: present → aorist → participle.

present	aorist	participle	meaning
ha	hëngra	ngrënë	to eat
bie	ra	rënë	to fall
vij	erdha	ardhur	to come
them	thashë	thënë	to say
jap	dhashë	dhënë	to give
shoh	pashë	parë	to see
marr	mora	marrë	to take
sjell	solla	sjellë	to bring
kam	pata	pasur	to have
fle	fjeta	fjetur	to sleep
dua	desha	dashur	to want
lë	lashë	lënë	to leave
vë	vura	vënë	to put
heq	hoqa	hequr	to remove
dal	dola	dalë	to go out

⚠️ jam (to be): the aorist qeshë is rarely used in speech — people say isha (imperfect) or kam qenë (perfect). The participle qenë is very common: si ke qenë? (how have you been?).

Regular participles — by group

✓ verified

How regular verbs form the participle. Checked against grammars (Newmark, FSI).

-uar-oj verbs

punoj → punuar work – donemësoj → mësuar learn – learnedtakoj → takuar meet – metharroj → harruar forget – forgottenmendoj → menduar think – thoughtkërkoj → kërkuar search – soughtshikoj → shikuar watch – watcheddëgjoj → dëgjuar listen – heardfilloj → filluar begin – begunmbaroj → mbaruar finish – finishedkujtoj → kujtuar remember – remembereduroj → uruar congratulate – congratulatedlejoj → lejuar allow – allowedlexoj → lexuar read – readkontrolloj → kontrolluar check – checkedorganizoj → organizuar organize – organizedvizatoj → vizatuar draw – drawnpastroj → pastruar clean – cleaned

-r-uaj / -yej verbs

paguaj → paguar pay – paidshkruaj → shkruar write – writtenlyej → lyer smear – smearedthyej → thyer break – brokenkryej → kryer carry out – carried out

-urconsonant stem

hap → hapur open – openedmbyll → mbyllur close – closedkap → kapur grab – caughtpjek → pjekur bake – bakedhedh → hedhur throw – thrownprek → prekur touch – touchedqep → qepur sew – sewnndez → ndezur light – litshtyp → shtypur print – printedmbyt → mbytur drown – drownedpërdor → përdorur use – usednjoh → njohur know – knownmat → matur measure – measuredshpreh → shprehur express – expressed

-rëvowel + j / monosyllabic

bëj → bërë do – donelaj → larë wash – washedthaj → tharë dry – driedfryj → fryrë blow – blownpi → pirë drink – drunkndaj → ndarë divide – dividedfshij → fshirë wipe – wiped

-nëmonosyllabic vowel stem

vë → vënë put – putzë → zënë occupy – occupiedlë → lënë leave – leftnxë → nxënë absorb – absorbed

Also frequent: ha→ngrënë, jap→dhënë, them→thënë, bie→rënë (see triples above).

Articles i / e / të (gender & number)

✓ native

Small linking words before adjectives and in the genitive. They agree in gender/number.

article	when	example	meaning
i	masc. sing.	Plazhi i vjetër	the old beach
e	fem. sing.	vajza e mirë	a good girl
të	plural / oblique	ujëra të ndotura	dirty waters
i	genitive (possession)	libri i Anës	Ana's book

The particle të in dua të / duhet të is different (subjunctive) — don't confuse it with the article.

Clitics — simple

✓ native

Short pronouns. Natives use them constantly, especially e.

—	meaning	example
e	him / it (acc.)	nuk e di · s'e di · ku e ke?
më	to me / me	më pa
të	to you / you	të pashë
na	to us / us	na pa
ju	to you / you (pl.)	ju falënderoj
i	to him / her (dat.)	i fola

Clitics — double (dat. + acc.)

✓ native

Dative + accusative pronouns merge into one.

—	meaning	example
ma	to me + it	ma solle
ta	to you + it	ta dhashë
ia	to him/her + it	ia solla
na e	to us + it	na e solli
ua	to them + it	ua tregova
iu	to him/them (dat., fused)	iu flet

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Albanian Grammar Explained Simply, Step by Step

Grammar reference

Aorist — regular (past)

Aorist — irregular (triples)

Regular participles — by group

Articles i / e / të (gender & number)

Clitics — simple

Clitics — double (dat. + acc.)