че́ка
čékaimperfective
To wait in Macedonian, use че́ка (čéka). Wiktionary also lists почека (počeka).
Meaning: delay until some event (verb)
Ways to say it
| Macedonian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| че́ка | čéka | imperfective | |
| почека | počeka | [ˈpɔt͡ʃɛka] (narrow) | perfective |
The verb is used to express the act of delaying until a certain event occurs. You can also use related nouns like чекање or исчекувње to describe a delay.
Which one should you use?
The imperfective form че́ка is used for an ongoing process or habitual waiting. In contrast, the perfective form почека refers to a specific instance of waiting or a completed action. When using future tense constructions such as ќе почека, the perfective form is used to indicate a specific or completed future action of waiting.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verbal noun чекање is the standard way to express the concept of 'waiting' as a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of че́ка is čéka.
Did you know?
- Using чекај as a command to a stranger can be perceived as quite blunt or even rude in Macedonian culture compared to the English 'wait a second'.
- While чекај is the imperative, in very formal Macedonian service settings, a waiter might avoid the command and use a phrase that translates to 'to stay' or 'to remain' to suggest waiting.
- Macedonians often use the phrase чекај ми literally meaning 'wait for me', but it can be used colloquially to tell someone to be patient while the speaker thinks of a response.
Examples in context
- Ќе го почекам Том.I'll wait up for Tom.This sentence shows how to use the form почека to express waiting up for someone.Tatoeba #4392716 by Lepotdeterre, translation #3330067 by CK
- Ќе те почекам тука.I'm going to wait here for you.This sentence uses почека to indicate waiting for someone in a specific place.Tatoeba #4301407 by Lepotdeterre, translation #3917647 by CK
- Ќе ги почекам тука.I'm going to wait here for them.This sentence demonstrates the use of почека when waiting for a group of people in a specific location.Tatoeba #4301408 by Lepotdeterre, translation #3917648 by CH
- Почекајте еден момент, ве молам.Please wait a moment.
- Почекај ме, ќе бидам на готово.Wait for me, I'll be ready.
- Молам, почекајте додека го најдам билетот.Please wait until I find the ticket.
- 103 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wait” translations and entries почека, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
