Lenguia | A2 Croatian Grammar: 63 Topics & Examples

Almost every Croatian verb belongs to one of two aspects, and this is one of the biggest ideas in the language. An imperfective verb (nesvršeni glagol) describes an action as a process: ongoing, repeated, or habitual, with no eye on the finish line — pisati means 'to be writing / to write regularly'. A perfective verb (svršeni glagol) presents the action as a single whole event that reaches its endpoint — napisati means 'to write (something) all the way to done'. The two are usually separate words that come as a pair (pisati / napisati). English uses one verb plus tenses and the word 'finish' to show this difference, but Croatian builds it into the verb itself, so you must choose the aspect every time you speak.

Key rule

Choose the imperfective for an action seen as a process (ongoing, repeated, habitual) and the perfective for an action seen as one completed whole.

Examples

Svaki dan pišem dnevnik.
Svaki dan napišem dnevnik.
A daily, repeated action needs the imperfective pisati; the perfective napisati pictures one finished act and clashes with 'every day'.
Jučer sam napisao pismo.
Jučer sam pisao pismo i poslao ga.
When the result counts (the letter got finished and sent), the perfective napisati is right; pisao leaves it open whether it was completed.
Volim čitati prije spavanja.
Volim pročitati prije spavanja.
A general habit of reading takes the imperfective čitati; the perfective would mean finishing one specific book, not a habit.

Common mistakes

Using a perfective for a repeated or habitual action
Svaki dan napišem zadaću.
Svaki dan pišem zadaću.
Repetition and habit are processes, so they require the imperfective; the perfective forces a single completed event.
Using an imperfective when the completed result is the point
Jesi li čitao cijelu knjigu?
Jesi li pročitao cijelu knjigu?
Asking whether the whole thing got finished is about result, which the perfective expresses; the imperfective only asks about the activity.

A2Aspect

Recognising Aspect Pairs (pisati/napisati)

Prepoznavanje vidskih parova

Most Croatian verbs travel in pairs: one imperfective and one perfective sharing the same basic meaning. Learning a verb really means learning both members of its pair, like learning a noun's gender. Dictionaries help: an entry such as 'pisati nesvrš.' or 'napisati svrš.' tells you the aspect, and good dictionaries list the partner. There are recurring shapes to spot. Often the perfective just adds a prefix (čitati → pročitati). Sometimes the perfective is shorter or has a different suffix, and the imperfective is the longer, derived one (kupiti svrš. → kupovati nesvrš.). A few pairs use completely different roots. Getting into the habit of storing verbs two-by-two now will save you from guessing aspect later.

Key rule

Learn each verb together with its aspectual partner, watching for prefixation (čitati→pročitati), suffix imperfectivisation (kupiti→kupovati), and suppletive pairs (reći/govoriti).

Examples

Par je: raditi (nesvršeno) i napraviti (svršeno).
Par je: raditi (nesvršeno) i raditi (svršeno).
A pair must have two different forms with two aspects; raditi is only the imperfective, napraviti is its perfective partner.
Svršeni 'kupiti' ima nesvršeni par 'kupovati'.
Svršeni 'kupiti' ima nesvršeni par 'kupiti'.
Here the perfective is the shorter form and the imperfective kupovati is derived by suffix; they cannot be the same word.
Glagol 'pisati' nesvršeni je, a 'napisati' svršeni.
Glagol 'pisati' svršeni je, a 'napisati' nesvršeni.
The labels are swapped: the bare pisati is imperfective and the prefixed napisati is perfective.

Common mistakes

Inventing a partner instead of learning the real one
Nesvršeni par od 'reći' je 'rekati'.
Nesvršeni par od 'reći' je 'govoriti'.
Some pairs are suppletive and must be memorised; you cannot derive govoriti by a regular rule from reći.
Assuming both members share the same form
Vidski par je dati i dati.
Vidski par je dati (svrš.) i davati (nesvrš.).
A pair always has two distinct verbs; davati is the imperfective derived from dati.

A2Aspect

Perfectivisation by Prefix (pisati → napisati)

Tvorba svršenih glagola prefiksom

The most common way Croatian builds a perfective is by adding a prefix to an imperfective verb. The prefix gives the verb an endpoint: pisati ('be writing') → napisati ('write to completion'). Different verbs take different prefixes — na- for pisati, pro- for čitati, po- for piti, na- for raditi (napraviti) — so the prefix is part of what you memorise, not something you can always predict. With many base verbs, one particular prefix produces the 'neutral' perfective partner that just adds completion and no extra meaning. Other prefixes on the same verb add meanings (prepisati 'rewrite/copy', potpisati 'sign'), but at this stage focus on the one prefix that gives the clean perfective partner of each common verb.

Key rule

Form the neutral perfective by adding the verb's conventional prefix to its imperfective (pisati→napisati), remembering that other prefixes add meaning rather than only completion.

Examples

Cijelo jutro sam pisao, a tek navečer sam napisao izvještaj.
Cijelo jutro sam napisao, a tek navečer sam napisao izvještaj.
The morning of process is imperfective pisati; the prefixed napisati marks the single completion in the evening.
Popio sam čašu vode na eks.
Pio sam čašu vode na eks.
Drinking a glass in one go is a completed event, so the prefixed perfective popiti is correct.
Napokon sam pročitao članak.
Napokon sam čitao članak.
'Finally finished' needs the prefixed perfective pročitati; the bare imperfective only reports the activity.

Common mistakes

Using the imperfective when a completed result is meant
Jučer sam pisao i poslao prijavu.
Jučer sam napisao i poslao prijavu.
Sending implies the application was finished, so the prefixed perfective napisati is needed.
Picking a prefix that changes the meaning
Trebam prepisati zadaću prvi put.
Trebam napisati zadaću prvi put.
prepisati means 'copy/rewrite'; the neutral 'write (and finish)' is napisati.

A2Aspect

Imperfectivisation by Suffix — Intro (-avati/-ivati)

Tvorba nesvršenih glagola sufiksom (uvod)

Sometimes the perfective is the simpler verb and the imperfective is built from it by adding a suffix. This is the opposite direction from prefixing. Common imperfectivising suffixes are -avati, -ivati and -vati: dati (perfective 'give') → davati ('be giving / give regularly'); zapisati (perfective 'jot down') → zapisivati; kupiti (perfective 'buy') → kupovati. You meet this most with prefixed perfectives that need an everyday 'doing it' form. The suffix lengthens the verb and often shifts the stem a little, so it is worth learning these derived imperfectives as whole words. This is just a first look: the point is to recognise that a longer -avati/-ivati verb is usually the imperfective member of its pair.

Key rule

An imperfective can be built from a perfective by adding -ivati/-avati/-vati (dati→davati, kupiti→kupovati), often with a stem change, giving the 'process/habit' partner.

Examples

Svaki tjedan dajem instrukcije iz matematike.
Svaki tjedan dam instrukcije iz matematike.
A weekly habit needs the derived imperfective davati; the perfective dati names one single act of giving.
Često zapisujem ideje u bilježnicu.
Često zapišem ideje u bilježnicu.
Repeated jotting takes the suffixed imperfective zapisivati; the perfective zapisati fits a single completed note.
Oni prodaju voće na tržnici svaki dan.
Oni prodadu voće na tržnici svaki dan.
Selling as an ongoing activity is the imperfective prodavati; the perfective prodati pictures one completed sale.

Common mistakes

Using the perfective for a habit instead of the suffixed imperfective
Svaki dan dam savjet.
Svaki dan dajem savjet.
Daily repetition is a process, so the derived imperfective davati is required.
Dropping the stem change when forming the imperfective
Trgovina se otvori svako jutro.
Trgovina se otvara svako jutro.
The imperfective of otvoriti is otvarati, with the regular stem change; the bare perfective cannot mark a routine.

A2Aspect

Aspect in the Perfekt (čitao sam vs pročitao sam)

Vid u perfektu

The Croatian past (perfekt) is the same form for both aspects — auxiliary plus the l-participle — but the aspect of the verb changes the meaning a lot. The imperfective perfekt (čitao sam) describes the past action as a process: 'I was reading / I read (for a while) / I used to read', without saying it was finished. The perfective perfekt (pročitao sam) presents it as one completed whole: 'I read it (and finished)'. So the choice is not about a different tense but about how you frame the past event. Use the imperfective for durations, backgrounds and habits in the past, and the perfective for single finished results and sequences of completed events.

Key rule

Both aspects use the same perfekt form, so pick the imperfective participle for an ongoing/habitual/background past and the perfective participle for a single completed result or event.

Examples

Cijelo popodne sam čitao u parku.
Cijelo popodne sam pročitao u parku.
A whole afternoon of reading is a process, so the imperfective perfekt čitao sam is correct.
Sinoć sam pročitao cijelu knjigu.
Sinoć sam čitao cijelu knjigu i završio je.
Finishing the whole book is one completed result, so the perfective pročitao sam fits.
Dok sam kuhao, zazvonio je telefon.
Dok sam skuhao, zazvonio je telefon.
The background 'while' clause must be imperfective kuhati; the perfective skuhati names a single completed event, not a backdrop.

Common mistakes

Using the perfective perfekt with a duration phrase
Tri sata sam napisao izvještaj.
Tri sata sam pisao izvještaj.
A span of time describes the process, so the imperfective perfekt is required.
Using the imperfective when the completed result is the point
Jesi li sinoć čitao tu poruku?
Jesi li sinoć pročitao tu poruku?
Asking whether it was actually read through is about completion, which the perfective expresses.

A2Aspect

Aspect in the Present (only imperfective is true present)

Vid u prezentu

There is an important rule about the present tense: only an imperfective verb can describe something happening now. The present form of an imperfective (pišem, čitam, jedem) really means 'I am doing it now / I do it regularly'. A perfective verb also has present-tense endings (napišem, pročitam, pojedem), but they do NOT mean 'now'. A perfective present is used for the future or, far more often, inside subordinate clauses after words like kad ('when'), ako ('if'), čim ('as soon as'), and da. So if you want to say what you are doing this very moment, you must reach for the imperfective; the perfective 'present' lives in those other constructions.

Key rule

Only the imperfective present states action happening now or habitually; a perfective present is not 'now' — it refers to the future or sits in kad/ako/čim/da subordinate clauses.

Examples

Sada pišem domaću zadaću.
Sada napišem domaću zadaću.
Action happening right now must be imperfective; the perfective present napišem cannot mean 'now'.
Kad napišem pismo, poslat ću ti ga.
Kad pišem pismo, poslat ću ti ga.
A completed future event in a kad-clause takes the perfective present napišem; the imperfective would mean 'while I am writing'.
Svaki dan čitam novine.
Svaki dan pročitam novine za pet minuta uvijek.
A daily habit is the imperfective present čitam; the perfective present is not used as a free-standing habitual.

Common mistakes

Using a perfective present for an action happening now
Trenutno napišem izvještaj.
Trenutno pišem izvještaj.
A perfective present cannot mean 'right now'; ongoing present action must be imperfective.
Using the imperfective present in a kad-clause meant as completed-future
Kad čitam ovo, sve ću razumjeti.
Kad pročitam ovo, sve ću razumjeti.
A completed future event after kad takes the perfective present pročitam; the imperfective means 'while reading'.

A2Aspect

Aspect with the Imperative (Pij! vs Popij!)

Vid u imperativu

Commands come in both aspects, and the aspect changes the flavour of the order. An imperfective imperative (Pij! Čitaj! Radi!) is a general, ongoing, or repeated command: 'drink (regularly) / keep drinking / go on reading'. A perfective imperative (Popij! Pročitaj! Napravi!) tells someone to carry one action through to completion, now and once: 'drink it up! / read it (through)! / get it done!'. Use the imperfective for general advice, habits, and 'keep doing it' instructions, and the perfective when you want a specific thing finished. There is also a polite-vs-blunt feel: a bare perfective can sound abrupt, while the imperfective can soften an invitation (Sjedi! vs the gentler everyday Sjedni!, depending on context).

Key rule

Use the perfective imperative to order one action completed now (Popij!) and the imperfective for general, ongoing or repeated commands and for negatives (Pij!, Ne brini!).

Examples

Popij lijek odmah!
Pij lijek odmah!
Taking the (whole) medicine now is a single completed act, so the perfective imperative popiti fits; the imperfective would mean 'keep drinking it'.
Pij puno vode tijekom dana.
Popij puno vode tijekom dana.
General, repeated advice across the day is the imperfective imperative piti; the perfective would order one single completed drinking.
Pročitaj ovo pismo, važno je.
Čitaj ovo pismo, važno je.
Reading this one letter through is a completed act, so the perfective pročitati is right.

Common mistakes

Using the imperfective imperative for a one-off completed command
Pij ovaj sok do kraja, brzo!
Popij ovaj sok do kraja, brzo!
Finishing this drink now is a single completed act, which the perfective imperative expresses.
Using the perfective imperative for a habit
Popij čaj svako jutro.
Pij čaj svako jutro.
A repeated daily instruction is durative, so the imperfective imperative is needed.

A2Aspect

Aspect with Phase Verbs (početi + imperfective)

Vid uz fazne glagole

Phase verbs name the beginning, middle, or end of an action: početi ('begin'), nastaviti ('continue'), prestati ('stop'), and similar. They have an iron rule about aspect: the verb that follows them must be imperfective. You say počinjem raditi, nastavljam čitati, prestajem pušiti — never with a perfective. The reason is logical: you can only 'begin', 'continue', or 'stop' an action seen as a process, not as a single finished whole. So even if you would otherwise reach for a perfective, after a phase verb you switch to the imperfective infinitive of the pair. The phase verb itself can be perfective or imperfective (počeo sam vs počinjem), but the verb it governs is always imperfective.

Key rule

After a phase verb (početi, nastaviti, prestati), the complement verb must be in the imperfective (počinjem raditi, prestao sam pušiti), never the perfective.

Examples

Počeo sam učiti hrvatski prošle godine.
Počeo sam naučiti hrvatski prošle godine.
After početi the complement must be imperfective učiti; the perfective naučiti cannot be 'begun'.
Počinjem raditi u devet sati.
Počinjem napraviti u devet sati.
The phase verb počinjati requires the imperfective raditi; the perfective napraviti has no process to begin.
Nastavljam čitati taj roman.
Nastavljam pročitati taj roman.
'Continue' presupposes an ongoing action, so the imperfective čitati is required, not the perfective pročitati.

Common mistakes

Putting a perfective after početi
Počeo sam napisati zadaću.
Počeo sam pisati zadaću.
Phase verbs govern an imperfective complement; only a process can be begun.
Putting a perfective after nastaviti
Nastavila je pročitati knjigu.
Nastavila je čitati knjigu.
'Continue' requires the ongoing imperfective čitati, not the completed perfective.

A2Agreement

Adjective–Noun Agreement — Nominative

Slaganje pridjeva i imenice — nominativ

In Croatian an attributive adjective must match the noun it describes in gender, number and case. In the nominative singular this gives you three endings: zero/consonant for masculine (velik grad), -a for feminine (velika kuća) and -o or -e for neuter (veliko selo, vruće more). In the nominative plural the endings are -i for masculine (veliki gradovi), -e for feminine (velike kuće) and -a for neuter (velika sela). The adjective normally comes before the noun, and you change its ending to fit, not the other way round. Getting gender right on the noun first is the key, because the adjective simply copies the noun's gender, number and case.

Key rule

An attributive adjective copies its noun's gender, number and case; in the nominative use -∅/-a/-o(-e) in the singular and -i/-e/-a in the plural.

Examples

velik grad
velika grad
Grad is masculine, so the masculine nominative form velik is required, not the feminine velika.
lijepa kuća
lijep kuća
Kuća is feminine, so the adjective takes the feminine ending -a: lijepa.
malo selo
mali selo
Selo is neuter, so the neuter ending -o is needed: malo, not the masculine mali.

Common mistakes

Feminine adjective with a masculine noun
velika prozor
velik prozor
Prozor is masculine, so the adjective must be masculine velik, not feminine velika.
Masculine adjective with a neuter noun
dobar pivo
dobro pivo
Pivo is neuter, so the adjective takes the neuter ending -o: dobro.

A2Agreement

Definite vs Indefinite Adjective — Nominative Contrast

Određeni i neodređeni pridjev — nominativ

Masculine adjectives in Croatian have two nominative singular forms: a short (indefinite) form and a long (definite) form. The indefinite form ends in a consonant — dobar, velik, nov — and is used in the predicate after biti (On je dobar) and when you mean 'a … one'. The definite form adds -i — dobri, veliki, novi — and is used attributively when the noun is known or specific, the way English 'the' works (dobri učenik = the good pupil). Feminine and neuter mostly look the same in both, but the masculine contrast dobar vs dobri is real and productive. Use the short form to say what someone is like, and the long form to point to a particular one.

Key rule

Use the short masculine form (dobar) in the predicate after biti and for 'a … one'; use the long form with added -i (dobri) attributively for a specific or known noun.

Examples

On je dobar učenik.
On je dobri učenik.
After biti, describing what he is like, the predicate takes the short indefinite form dobar.
Dobri učenik uvijek pomaže.
Dobar učenik uvijek pomaže.
Here we mean a specific, known good pupil, so the definite long form dobri is correct.
Ovaj novi auto je skup.
Ovaj nov auto je skup.
After the demonstrative ovaj the adjective must be definite: novi, while the predicate skup stays short.

Common mistakes

Long form in the predicate
On je pametni.
On je pametan.
After biti, describing a quality, the short indefinite form pametan is required, not pametni.
Short form after a demonstrative
taj velik grad
taj veliki grad
Demonstratives force the definite long form: taj veliki grad.

A2Agreement

Adjective Agreement in the Oblique Cases

Slaganje pridjeva u zavisnim padežima

When a noun goes into an oblique case (genitive, dative, locative, instrumental), its adjective must take the matching case ending too. Croatian adjectives use long pronominal endings here: masculine and neuter share most forms (genitive velikog/velikoga, dative/locative velikom/velikome, instrumental velikim), while feminine has its own set (genitive velike, dative/locative velikoj, instrumental velikom). The adjective and the noun travel together: u velikom gradu, do velike kuće, s dobrim prijateljem. Learn the adjective endings as a block and attach them whenever the noun leaves the nominative. The accusative reuses the nominative form for inanimates and the genitive form for masculine animates.

Key rule

Put the adjective into the same case as its noun using the long endings: m/n gen -og(a), dat/loc -om(e), ins -im; f gen -e, dat/loc -oj, ins -om.

Examples

Živim u velikom gradu.
Živim u velik gradu.
The locative after u requires the locative adjective ending: velikom, agreeing with gradu.
Idem do velike kuće.
Idem do velika kuće.
Do takes the genitive; the feminine genitive adjective ending is -e: velike.
Razgovaram s dobrim prijateljem.
Razgovaram s dobar prijateljem.
The instrumental with s requires the instrumental ending -im: dobrim.

Common mistakes

Adjective left in the nominative while the noun is declined
u velik gradu
u velikom gradu
The adjective must share the noun's case; the locative requires velikom.
Feminine genitive adjective treated as nominative
iz nova kuće
iz nove kuće
After iz the noun is genitive; the feminine genitive adjective ending is -e: nove.

A2Cases

Full Singular Declension Across All Cases

Cjelovita sklonidba u jednini

This brings all seven singular cases of a noun together so you can see the whole pattern at once. For a masculine noun like grad: grad, grada, gradu, grad, grade, gradu, gradom. For a feminine -a noun like žena: žena, žene, ženi, ženu, ženo, ženi, ženom. For a neuter noun like selo: selo, sela, selu, selo, selo, selu, selom. Notice that the dative and locative are identical, and that masculine inanimate accusative looks like the nominative. Learning each gender as one block — instead of one case at a time — makes the system click, because the endings recur across many nouns of the same type.

Key rule

Learn the seven singular cases as one block per gender; remember that dative = locative, the locative always needs a preposition, and masculine animates take a genitive-shaped accusative.

Examples

Vidim grad.
Vidim grada.
Grad is inanimate, so the accusative equals the nominative: grad, not grada.
Vidim brata.
Vidim brat.
Brat is animate, so the accusative takes the genitive shape: brata.
Dajem knjigu ženi.
Dajem knjigu žena.
The dative recipient of a feminine -a noun is ženi, not the nominative žena.

Common mistakes

Animate accusative left as nominative
Tražim brat.
Tražim brata.
Animate masculines take the genitive-shaped accusative: brata.
Dative confused with nominative for -a nouns
Dajem sestra knjigu.
Dajem sestri knjigu.
The dative of a feminine -a noun is -i: sestri.

A2Agreement

Comparative — Formation (-iji / -ji / -ši)

Komparativ — tvorba

To say 'more …' in Croatian you build a comparative adjective with one of three suffixes. The default, very productive one is -iji: nov → noviji, star → stariji, pametan → pametniji. A smaller group adds -ji, which fuses with the final consonant and triggers a sound change: jak → jači, drag → draži, tih → tiši, mlad → mlađi. A few one-syllable adjectives take -ši: lijep → ljepši, lak → lakši. The comparative is itself an adjective, so it still agrees in gender, number and case with its noun (noviji auto, novija kuća, novije selo). Learn -iji as the safe default and memorise the smaller -ji and -ši groups.

Key rule

Build the comparative with a suffix on the adjective itself — productive -iji, or -ji (with jotation), or -ši for a small set — never with a separate word for 'more'.

Examples

Ovaj auto je noviji.
Ovaj auto je više nov.
Croatian forms the comparative with a suffix (noviji), not with a separate word like English 'more'.
Moja sestra je starija od mene.
Moja sestra je stariji od mene.
The comparative agrees in gender; with a feminine subject it must be starija.
On je jači od brata.
On je jakiji od brata.
Jak takes -ji with jotation k→č, giving jači, not the regular -iji form.

Common mistakes

Using a separate word for 'more'
Ovo je više skupo.
Ovo je skuplje.
Croatian comparatives are formed with a suffix on the adjective (skuplji/skuplje), not with a word meaning 'more'.
Regular -iji where -ji with jotation is required
On je dragiji.
On je draži.
Drag belongs to the -ji group with jotation g→ž: draži.

A2Agreement

Superlative — Formation (naj- + comparative)

Superlativ — tvorba (naj-)

The superlative ('the most …', 'the …-est') is wonderfully simple in Croatian: take the comparative and put naj- in front of it, written as one word. noviji → najnoviji, stariji → najstariji, jači → najjači, ljepši → najljepši. Because it is built on the comparative, all the comparative's sound changes carry over, and the superlative still agrees in gender, number and case (najljepša kuća, najbolji učenici). With irregular comparatives the same rule applies: bolji → najbolji, veći → najveći. The only spelling point is that naj- is joined to the word, never separated, even before a vowel (najjači keeps both j's).

Key rule

Form the superlative by prefixing naj- to the comparative, written as one word; it keeps all the comparative's sound changes and still agrees with its noun.

Examples

Ovo je najnoviji model.
Ovo je naj noviji model.
Naj- is written joined to the comparative, never as a separate word.
Ona je najstarija u razredu.
Ona je najstariji u razredu.
The superlative agrees in gender; with a feminine subject it is najstarija.
On je najjači igrač.
On je najači igrač.
Both j's are kept when naj- meets a j-initial comparative: najjači.

Common mistakes

Writing naj- as a separate word
naj bolji film
najbolji film
Naj- is a prefix written solid with the comparative: najbolji.
Adding the superlative to the positive instead of the comparative
najdobar učenik
najbolji učenik
The superlative is built on the comparative (bolji), giving najbolji.

A2Agreement

Comparison: "than" (od + genitive / nego)

Poredba — od + genitiv ili nego

Croatian has two ways to say 'than' after a comparative. The neat, very common way is od + genitive: Viši sam od brata ('taller than my brother'); Ona je starija od mene. This works when you compare two simple things. The second way is nego (or negoli), which is used when you compare whole phrases, when the second element is not a noun you can put in the genitive, or when it carries a preposition: Bolje je raditi nego spavati; Radije pijem čaj nego kavu. As a rule of thumb: one noun → od + genitive; clauses, infinitives, or marked phrases → nego. Both follow a comparative or superlative degree.

Key rule

Use od + genitive to compare two simple nouns/pronouns; use nego when comparing clauses, infinitives, prepositional phrases, or two elements in the same role.

Examples

Viši sam od brata.
Viši sam nego brat.
Comparing two simple nouns calls for od + genitive: od brata, not nego brat.
Ona je starija od mene.
Ona je starija od ja.
Od governs the genitive, so the pronoun is mene, not the nominative ja.
Bolje je raditi nego spavati.
Bolje je raditi od spavanja.
Comparing two actions/infinitives requires nego; od + genitive cannot link infinitives here.

Common mistakes

Nominative after od instead of genitive
Viši od brat
Viši od brata
Od always governs the genitive: od brata.
od + genitive across an infinitive
Bolje je raditi od spavanja.
Bolje je raditi nego spavati.
When comparing actions/infinitives, use nego, not od + genitive.

A2Agreement

Irregular Comparison (dobar→bolji, velik→veći)

Nepravilna komparacija

A small group of very common adjectives forms its comparative irregularly — you cannot predict it from the suffix rules, so you simply memorise them. The essential four are dobar → bolji ('better'), zao/loš → gori ('worse'), velik → veći ('bigger') and malen → manji ('smaller'). A few more useful ones: dug → dulji/duži, visok → viši, nizak → niži, lak → lakši. The superlative is regular on top of these: just add naj- (najbolji, najgori, najveći, najmanji). These irregulars still behave like ordinary comparatives: they agree in gender, number and case (bolja ideja, u boljem svijetu) and take od + genitive or nego for 'than'.

Key rule

Memorise the suppletive comparatives — dobar→bolji, loš/zao→gori, velik→veći, malen→manji — and form their superlatives regularly with naj- (najbolji, najgori, najveći, najmanji).

Examples

Ovo je bolja ideja.
Ovo je dobrija ideja.
Dobar has the suppletive comparative bolji/bolja, not the regular dobrija.
Danas je vrijeme gore nego jučer.
Danas je vrijeme zlije nego jučer.
The suppletive comparative of zao is gori (adverb gore); a regularised zlije does not exist. Both gore and lošije are standard, but the wrong move is regularising zao itself.
Zagreb je veći od Splita.
Zagreb je velikiji od Splita.
Velik forms the irregular comparative veći, never the regular velikiji.

Common mistakes

Regularising dobar
Ovo je dobriji plan.
Ovo je bolji plan.
Dobar has the suppletive comparative bolji; dobriji does not exist.
Regularising velik
velikiji grad
veći grad
Velik forms the irregular comparative veći, never velikiji.

A2Agreement

Comparison of Adverbs (brzo→brže)

Komparacija priloga

Adverbs of manner formed from adjectives also have comparative and superlative forms, and they are built in parallel to adjectives. Most adverbs end in -o (brzo, sporo, lijepo); the comparative usually looks like the neuter comparative of the adjective: brzo → brže, sporo → sporije, lijepo → ljepše. The superlative adds naj-: najbrže, najsporije, najljepše. Crucially, adverbs do NOT agree — they have ONE invariable form whatever the subject (Ona trči brže; Oni trče brže). The common irregulars match the adjectives: dobro → bolje → najbolje, loše → gore → najgore, mnogo → više → najviše, malo → manje → najmanje. Use od + genitive or nego for 'than', exactly as with adjectives.

Key rule

Compare manner adverbs like adjectives (comparative = neuter comparative, e.g. brzo→brže; superlative naj-), but keep them invariable — they never agree with the subject.

Examples

Ona trči brže od mene.
Ona trči brža od mene.
The adverb is invariable (brže); brža would be the feminine adjective form, which is wrong here.
Govori sporije, molim te.
Govori sporiji, molim te.
Sporiji is the masculine adjective; the adverb must be the invariable sporije.
Pjeva najljepše u zboru.
Pjeva najljepša u zboru.
Modifying the verb pjeva, you need the adverb najljepše, not the adjective najljepša.

Common mistakes

Adverb made to agree with the subject
Ona radi brža.
Ona radi brže.
Adverbs are invariable; the comparative adverb is brže regardless of the subject's gender.
Adjective form used for a verb modifier
Pjeva ljepši.
Pjeva ljepše.
Modifying a verb requires the adverb ljepše, not the adjective ljepši.

A2Cases

Plural Nominative by Gender (-i / -e / -a)

Nominativ množine po rodovima

To talk about more than one thing in Croatian, you change the noun's ending, and the new ending depends on the gender of the noun. Masculine nouns (which usually end in a consonant in the singular) take -i in the nominative plural: grad becomes gradovi-style forms, but at the most basic level prozor becomes prozori. Feminine nouns ending in -a switch that -a to -e: kuća becomes kuće, žena becomes žene. Neuter nouns ending in -o or -e take -a: selo becomes sela, more becomes mora. The nominative plural is the form you use when the plural noun is the subject of the sentence, so learning these three endings is the gateway to everything else in the plural.

Key rule

Form the nominative plural by gender: masculine -i, feminine -a → -e, neuter -o/-e → -a.

Examples

Studenti uče u knjižnici.
Studenta uče u knjižnici.
The masculine plural subject takes -i (studenti), not the singular/genitive -a.
Kuće su velike.
Kuće je velike.
Feminine -a becomes -e in the plural (kuća → kuće), and the verb agrees as plural (su).
Sela su mirna.
Sele su mirna.
Neuter -o takes -a in the plural (selo → sela), not -e.

Common mistakes

Using feminine -e on a neuter noun
Sele su lijepa.
Sela su lijepa.
Neuter nouns in -o/-e form the plural in -a (selo → sela), not the feminine -e.
Using masculine -i on a feminine -a noun
Knjigi su nove.
Knjige su nove.
Feminine nouns ending in -a take -e in the nominative plural (knjiga → knjige).

A2Cases

The Long Plural of Short Masculines (-ovi/-evi)

Duga množina kratkih imenica muškog roda

Many short masculine nouns — usually those with only one syllable — do not simply add -i in the plural. Instead they insert an extra chunk, -ov- or -ev-, before the ending, giving forms like grad → gradovi, sin → sinovi, key changes you must memorise. You use -ovi after a hard consonant (grad → gradovi, stol → stolovi) and -evi after a soft consonant such as j, lj, nj, č, ć, ž, š, đ (kralj → kraljevi, muž → muževi, prijatelj → prijatelji is an exception). This 'long plural' runs through the whole plural paradigm, not just the nominative, so once a noun has -ov-/-ev-, that chunk stays in every plural case.

Key rule

Short (mostly one-syllable) masculine nouns insert -ov- (after hard consonants) or -ev- (after soft consonants) before the plural endings: grad → gradovi, muž → muževi.

Examples

U gradu su tri velika mosta, ali svi mostovi su stari.
...ali svi mosti su stari.
Most is a short masculine that takes the long plural mostovi, not the short *mosti.
Kraljevi su vladali stoljećima.
Kralji su vladali stoljećima.
After the soft consonant lj the infix is -ev-: kralj → kraljevi.
Njezini sinovi žive u inozemstvu.
Njezini sini žive u inozemstvu.
Sin takes the long plural sinovi; the short *sini does not exist.

Common mistakes

Using the short plural where the long plural is required
Mosti preko rijeke su novi.
Mostovi preko rijeke su novi.
Short masculines like most insert -ov-: mostovi, never the bare *mosti.
Using -ovi after a soft consonant
Kraljovi su bili moćni.
Kraljevi su bili moćni.
After soft consonants (j, lj, nj, č, ć, ž, š, đ) the infix is -ev-: kraljevi.

A2Cases

Genitive Plural (-a / -ī / -∅)

Genitiv množine

The genitive plural is one of the trickiest forms in Croatian because it has several endings depending on the noun. The most common pattern: masculine and neuter nouns take -a (gradova, sela, mjesta), while many feminine and neuter nouns take a long -ā that is written the same as a normal -a but is pronounced long (kuća, žena, sela). A third group, mostly feminine i-declension and some others, takes -i (stvari, noći, ljudi). You need the genitive plural constantly: after numbers from five upwards (pet gradova), after quantity words (mnogo knjiga), and after many prepositions (iz gradova). Because the endings vary so much, learn the genitive plural together with each noun.

Key rule

Genitive plural: masculine -ā (-ova/-eva on long stems), feminine -a and neuter -o/-e take long -ā, and feminine i-nouns take -i (with -iju in a few words).

Examples

U gradu ima pet velikih parkova.
U gradu ima pet velikih parkovi.
After 5+ the noun goes into the genitive plural: parkova, not the nominative plural parkovi.
Imam mnogo knjiga kod kuće.
Imam mnogo knjige kod kuće.
Mnogo governs the genitive plural; knjiga (long -ā) is the genitive plural of knjiga.
Došlo je deset studenata.
Došlo je deset studenti.
After 10 the genitive plural studenata is required, not the nominative plural.

Common mistakes

Using the nominative plural after numbers 5+
pet gradovi
pet gradova
Numbers five and above govern the genitive plural: pet gradova, deset knjiga.
Using the nominative plural after quantity words
mnogo studenti
mnogo studenata
Mnogo, puno, nekoliko all take the genitive plural: mnogo studenata.

A2Cases

Fleeting a in the Genitive Plural (sestara, djevojaka)

Nepostojano a u genitivu množine

When a noun's stem would end in an awkward cluster of consonants in the genitive plural, Croatian inserts a helper vowel -a- between the last two consonants. This is called the 'fleeting a' (nepostojano a) because it appears only where it is needed and disappears elsewhere. So sestra has the genitive plural sestara (not *sestr), djevojka becomes djevojaka, and the neuter pismo becomes pisama. The same thing happens in feminine -a nouns and neuter -o/-e nouns whose stems end in two consonants. You will not hear this -a- in the nominative singular or other forms; it surfaces mainly to break up the consonant cluster left when the genitive plural ending is added.

Key rule

Insert a fleeting -a- between the last two stem consonants in the genitive plural when the bare stem would end in a consonant cluster: sestra → sestara, pismo → pisama.

Examples

Imam dvije sestre, a moja majka ima pet sestara.
...moja majka ima pet sestar.
The genitive plural of sestra needs the fleeting -a-: sestara, not the cluster-final *sestr.
U razredu je mnogo djevojaka.
U razredu je mnogo djevojki.
Djevojka takes the fleeting -a- in the genitive plural: djevojaka.
Dobio sam pet pisama.
Dobio sam pet pisma.
Neuter pismo has the genitive plural pisama with the inserted -a-, not the singular-looking pisma.

Common mistakes

Omitting the fleeting a, leaving a consonant cluster
pet sestr
pet sestara
The stem cluster -str must be broken with -a- in the genitive plural: sestara.
Using the i-declension -i instead of the fleeting-a form
mnogo djevojki
mnogo djevojaka
Djevojka is an -a noun and takes the long -ā genitive plural with a fleeting -a-: djevojaka.

A2Cases

Dative/Locative/Instrumental Plural Syncretism (-ima/-ama)

Sinkretizam dativa, lokativa i instrumentala množine (-ima, -ama)

Good news for the plural: three cases share a single ending. In the plural, the dative, locative and instrumental are identical. Masculine and neuter nouns use -ima (gradovima, selima), and feminine -a nouns use -ama (kućama, ženama). So whether you are saying 'to the cities', 'in the cities', or 'with the cities', the noun looks the same: gradovima. This is a big simplification compared with the singular, where these three cases all have different endings. You still need the right preposition or context to know which of the three meanings is intended, but the noun form is one and the same.

Key rule

In the plural, dative = locative = instrumental: masculine/neuter take -ima, feminine -a nouns take -ama; the preposition tells you which meaning applies.

Examples

Dajem poklone studentima.
Dajem poklone studentom.
The dative plural of student is studentima; -om would be an instrumental singular.
Knjige su na policama.
Knjige su na policom.
Locative plural of polica (feminine) is policama; the location is plural.
Putujem s prijateljima.
Putujem s prijateljem.
Instrumental plural prijateljima for 'with friends'; prijateljem is singular.

Common mistakes

Using a singular oblique ending for a plural noun
Dajem knjige studentu.
Dajem knjige studentima.
For several recipients the dative plural -ima is needed: studentima.
Using -ima on a feminine -a noun
Hodam ulicima.
Hodam ulicama.
Feminine -a nouns take -ama in the dative/locative/instrumental plural: ulicama.

A2Cases

Accusative Plural

Akuzativ množine

The accusative plural is easy because, unlike the singular, there is no animacy rule to worry about. For every gender, the accusative plural is identical to the nominative plural — except for masculine nouns, whose accusative plural ends in -e instead of the nominative -i. So masculine grad has nominative gradovi but accusative gradove (Vidim gradove). Feminine kuće and neuter sela stay exactly the same in the accusative (Vidim kuće, Vidim sela). This means the only form you have to remember separately is the masculine -e ending; everything else you already know from the nominative plural. The accusative plural marks the direct object and follows accusative prepositions like u and na for motion.

Key rule

Accusative plural = nominative plural for all genders, except masculine nouns, which take -e (gradovi → gradove); there is no animacy split in the plural.

Examples

Vidim velike gradove.
Vidim velike gradovi.
Masculine accusative plural is -e (gradove), not the nominative -i.
Posjećujem prijatelje svaki tjedan.
Posjećujem prijatelji svaki tjedan.
As a direct object the masculine takes -e: prijatelje.
Čitam zanimljive knjige.
Čitam zanimljive knjigi.
Feminine -a noun has accusative plural = nominative plural: knjige.

Common mistakes

Using the nominative -i for a masculine direct object
Vidim stari gradovi.
Vidim stare gradove.
The masculine accusative plural is -e: gradove (and the adjective agrees: stare).
Applying the singular animacy rule to the plural
Vidim psove.
Vidim pse.
The plural has no animate/inanimate split; masculine animates take the same -e as inanimates.

A2Cases

Adjective Agreement in the Plural

Slaganje pridjeva u množini

Adjectives in Croatian must match their noun in gender, number and case, and the plural is no exception. In the nominative plural, the adjective endings are -i for masculine, -e for feminine, and -a for neuter: veliki gradovi, velike kuće, velika sela. In the oblique plural cases the adjective follows the noun: genitive plural velikih (velikih gradova), and dative/locative/instrumental plural velikim (velikim gradovima). Notice that the genitive, dative, locative and instrumental plural adjective forms are the same across all three genders — velikih and velikim — which makes the plural simpler than the singular. Get the noun ending and the adjective ending working together every time.

Key rule

Plural adjectives agree in gender only in the nominative (-i/-e/-a) and accusative; in the genitive (-ih) and dative/locative/instrumental (-im) the ending is the same for all genders.

Examples

Veliki gradovi su bučni.
Velika gradovi su bučni.
Masculine plural adjective in the nominative is -i: veliki, agreeing with gradovi.
Lijepe kuće su skupe.
Lijepi kuće su skupe.
Feminine plural adjective in the nominative is -e: lijepe, agreeing with kuće.
Mala sela su mirna.
Mali sela su mirna.
Neuter plural adjective in the nominative is -a: mala, agreeing with sela.

Common mistakes

Wrong nominative gender ending on the adjective
Velika gradovi
Veliki gradovi
Masculine plural nominative adjective is -i (veliki), not the neuter -a.
Using a nominative adjective in the genitive plural
mnogo dobri ljudi
mnogo dobrih ljudi
The genitive plural adjective is -ih: dobrih, for every gender.

A2Cases

Plural Declension — Overview Grid

Pregled sklonidbe u množini

This tag pulls the whole plural paradigm together so you can see it as one system. For each gender the seven cases line up like this. Masculine grad: N gradovi, G gradova, D/L/I gradovima, A gradove, V gradovi. Feminine kuća: N kuće, G kuća, D/L/I kućama, A kuće, V kuće. Neuter selo: N sela, G sela, D/L/I selima, A sela, V sela. Two big simplifications make the plural easier than the singular: the dative, locative and instrumental all share one form (-ima/-ama), and there is no animacy rule in the accusative. The main things to watch are the varied genitive plural endings and the masculine accusative -e. Learn the grid by gender and the rest follows.

Key rule

Across the plural, dative = locative = instrumental (-ima/-ama) and there is no accusative animacy split; the genitive plural is the most variable form and the masculine accusative is -e.

Examples

Gradovi rastu, a u gradovima živi sve više ljudi.
Gradovi rastu, a u gradova živi sve više ljudi.
Location uses the locative plural gradovima, not the genitive plural gradova.
Iz svih sela dolaze radnici, a vraćaju se u sela navečer.
Iz svih sela dolaze radnici, a vraćaju se u selima navečer.
Iz takes the genitive plural sela; motion 'back into the villages' takes the accusative plural sela, whereas the locative selima would express static location rather than a destination.
Kuće su lijepe, a u kućama je toplo.
Kuće su lijepe, a u kućama je toplo, kućama su lijepe.
Nominative subject is kuće; the locative plural kućama is used only with the location preposition.

Common mistakes

Using separate dative/locative/instrumental plural forms
u gradovih i s gradovi
u gradovima i s gradovima
All three cases share one plural form: -ima (masc/neut).
Reintroducing an animacy split in the accusative plural
Vidim studenata
Vidim studente
The accusative plural has no animacy rule; the masculine ending is -e: studente.

A2Numbers dates time

Large Cardinal Numbers (sto, tisuća, milijun)

Veliki glavni brojevi

Once you can count to a hundred, big numbers in Croatian are mostly built by stacking the pieces together. 'Hundred' is sto, 'thousand' is tisuća, and 'million' is milijun. You read a large number from left to right, naming the hundreds, then the tens, then the units, with no extra word for 'and': dvjesto trideset pet is 235. The word sto does not change for 200, 300 etc. — you say dvjesto, tristo, četiristo. With tisuća and milijun the counted-form rules from smaller numbers still apply (one thousand = tisuću, two thousand = dvije tisuće, five thousand = pet tisuća). Knowing this lets you say prices, years, and quantities you meet every day.

Key rule

Read large numbers big-to-small with no 'and'; sto-hundreds are invariable, while tisuća and milijun decline like nouns and the LAST element decides the counted noun's form.

Examples

Knjiga stoji dvjesto pedeset kuna.
Knjiga stoji dvjestopedeset kuna.
The hundreds word and the tens word are written separately: dvjesto pedeset, not run together.
U gradu živi tristo tisuća ljudi.
U gradu živi tristo tisuća ljudima.
After a number, ljudi stays in the genitive plural; the dative ljudima is wrong here.
Auto košta dvadeset tisuća eura.
Auto košta dvadeset tisuće eura.
Twenty (a 5+ value) governs the genitive plural tisuća, not the counted form tisuće.

Common mistakes

Inserting 'i' (and) inside a number
sto i dvadeset
sto dvadeset
Croatian never puts a conjunction between the elements of a cardinal number.
Declining sto-hundreds for case
u dvjestima gradova
u dvjesto gradova
The compound hundreds dvjesto, tristo… stay invariable; only the counted noun shows the case.

A2Numbers dates time

The Counted Form after 2/3/4 (dva stola, tri knjige)

Brojevni oblik uz 2, 3, 4

In Croatian, the numbers 2, 3 and 4 take a special noun form that is NOT the ordinary plural. After dva/dvije, tri and četiri you use a counted form that looks like the genitive singular: dva stola (two tables), tri knjige (three books), četiri sela (four villages). This is a leftover of the old dual number. Watch the gender: masculine and neuter take dva (dva stola, dva sela), while feminine takes dvije (dvije knjige). Three and four use the same forms for all genders. Adjectives in this construction take their own special form (dva velika stola, dvije velike knjige). This is one of the trickiest and most distinctly Slavic features of Croatian numbers.

Key rule

Numbers 2/3/4 (and compounds ending in them) take the counted form on the noun — genitive-singular shape for m/n, nominative-plural shape for f — with dva for m/n vs dvije for f.

Examples

Na stolu su dva tanjura.
Na stolu su dva tanjuri.
After dva the masculine noun takes the counted form tanjura, not the nominative plural tanjuri.
Imam tri sestre.
Imam tri sestru.
Feminine 2/3/4 take the form sestre (nom. plural shape), not the accusative singular sestru.
Kupila je dvije knjige.
Kupila je dva knjige.
Knjiga is feminine, so two is dvije, not dva.

Common mistakes

Using an invented plural after 2/3/4
tri knjigi
tri knjige
Feminine 2/3/4 take the nominative-plural shape knjige, not an invented form like knjigi.
Using dva with feminine nouns
dva sestre
dvije sestre
Two before a feminine noun is dvije, not dva.

A2Numbers dates time

Genitive Plural after 5+ (pet stolova)

Genitiv množine uz 5 i više

From five upwards, Croatian numbers behave very differently from 2/3/4: the counted noun goes into the genitive plural. So you say pet stolova (five tables), deset knjiga (ten books), dvadeset ljudi (twenty people). The number itself does not change for case in everyday speech (pet, šest, deset stay the same), but the noun must be in the genitive plural. This rule also covers all the teens (jedanaest, dvanaest, trinaest…), which pattern with 5+, not with 2/3/4. Any compound number that ends in 5–9 or in 0 also takes the genitive plural. The whole phrase counts as neuter singular for the verb: Pet ljudi je došlo.

Key rule

Numbers 5 and up (including all teens and compounds ending in 5–0) put the counted noun into the genitive plural, and the whole phrase takes a neuter-singular verb.

Examples

U razredu je pet učenika.
U razredu je pet učenici.
Five governs the genitive plural učenika, not the nominative plural učenici.
Imam deset prijatelja.
Imam deset prijatelje.
Ten takes the genitive plural prijatelja, not the accusative/counted prijatelje.
Pet je studenata došlo.
Pet je studenata došli.
A 5+ quantity phrase takes a neuter-singular participle: došlo, not the plural došli.

Common mistakes

Using the counted form after a teen
dvanaest stola
dvanaest stolova
Teens pattern with 5+ and take the genitive plural, not the 2/3/4 counted form.
Plural verb agreement with a 5+ subject
Pet ljudi su došli
Pet ljudi je došlo
A 5+ quantity behaves as a neuter singular subject: je došlo.

A2Numbers dates time

jedan as an Adjective (jedan, jedna, jedno)

Broj jedan kao pridjev

Unlike the bigger numbers, jedan (one) behaves exactly like an adjective: it agrees with its noun in gender, number and case. So you say jedan stol (one table, masculine), jedna knjiga (one book, feminine), jedno selo (one village, neuter). It also changes for case just like an adjective: vidim jednog brata (I see one brother, accusative), s jednim prijateljem (with one friend, instrumental). Because it agrees fully, jedan is followed by a noun in the SAME case as the rest of the sentence requires — not a special counted form or genitive. The same goes for compounds ending in one (dvadeset jedan), which keep the noun in the singular: dvadeset jedan stol, not *dvadeset jedan stolova.

Key rule

jedan declines and agrees like an adjective (jedan/jedna/jedno + all cases), keeping its noun in the same singular case the sentence requires — including in compounds ending in 1.

Examples

Na stolu je jedna knjiga.
Na stolu je jedan knjiga.
Knjiga is feminine, so one must be jedna, agreeing in gender.
Imam jedno pitanje.
Imam jedan pitanje.
Pitanje is neuter, so one is jedno.
Vidim jednog brata.
Vidim jedan brata.
With a masculine animate accusative, jedan takes the genitive-like form jednog (brat is also animate).

Common mistakes

Not agreeing jedan in gender
jedan knjiga
jedna knjiga
Jedan agrees in gender like an adjective: feminine jedna.
Leaving jedan uninflected in oblique cases
s jedan prijateljem
s jednim prijateljem
Jedan declines fully; the instrumental is jednim.

A2Numbers dates time

Declining dva / tri / četiri

Sklonidba brojeva dva, tri, četiri

The small numbers dva, tri and četiri are not completely frozen — in careful Croatian they can change for case, especially when they follow a preposition. The most common forms are the genitive dvaju/triju/četiriju and the dative/instrumental dvjema/trima/četirima. So 'with two friends' is s dvama prijateljima or, very commonly, s dva prijatelja. In everyday speech many people leave these numbers uninflected and let the preposition govern the noun, but recognising the declined forms is part of A2. Remember that dva still distinguishes gender (dva m/n, dvije f), and that distinction carries into the declined forms (dvaju m/n, dviju f).

Key rule

dva/tri/četiri can decline (gen dvaju/triju/četiriju, dat-ins dvjema/trima/četirima), with the noun agreeing — though the everyday safe option is to leave the number uninflected after a preposition.

Examples

Razgovarao sam s dvama kolegama.
Razgovarao sam s dva kolega.
After s the instrumental is dvama kolegama; *dva kolega mixes the number's nominative with a wrong noun form.
To je problem dvaju gradova.
To je problem dva gradova.
In the genitive the declined number is dvaju, agreeing with gradova.
Dao je nagradu trima učenicima.
Dao je nagradu tri učenika.
The dative requires trima učenicima, not the nominative tri.

Common mistakes

Mixing the nominative number with an oblique noun
s dva sestrama
s dvjema sestrama
After s the instrumental needs the declined dvjema agreeing with sestrama.
Using the genitive form for the dative/instrumental
s dviju prijateljicama
s dvjema prijateljicama
Dviju is genitive; the dat/ins instrumental form is dvjema.

A2Numbers dates time

Ordinal Numbers (prvi, drugi, treći)

Redni brojevi

Ordinal numbers say the position of something: prvi (first), drugi (second), treći (third), četvrti (fourth), peti (fifth) and so on. Unlike most cardinals, ordinals behave exactly like definite adjectives — they agree with their noun in gender, number and case: prvi dan (the first day), prva knjiga (the first book), prvo poglavlje (the first chapter), na trećem katu (on the third floor). In compound ordinals only the LAST part is ordinal: dvadeset prvi (twenty-first), sto prvi (one hundred and first). In writing, ordinals are usually written as a numeral followed by a dot: 1. = prvi, 3. kat = treći kat, 21. = dvadeset prvi. Ordinals are essential for dates, floors, ranks and chapters.

Key rule

Ordinals are definite adjectives agreeing in gender, number and case (prvi/prva/prvo…); in compounds only the last word is ordinal, and an Arabic-numeral ordinal is written with a following dot.

Examples

Stanujem na trećem katu.
Stanujem na treći kat.
After na in a locative meaning the ordinal must be locative: na trećem katu.
Ovo je moja prva knjiga.
Ovo je moja prvi knjiga.
Knjiga is feminine, so the ordinal is prva, agreeing in gender.
Sjedimo u petom redu.
Sjedimo u peti red.
Location in the fifth row needs the locative petom.

Common mistakes

Using a cardinal where an ordinal is needed
na tri kat
na trećem katu
Floors, ranks and dates use ordinals: treći, in the locative trećem.
Not agreeing the ordinal in gender
prvi knjiga
prva knjiga
Ordinals are adjectives and agree in gender: feminine prva.

A2Numbers dates time

Dates & Advanced Time (Koji je datum? pola, do, i)

Datumi i vrijeme — prošireno

To give a date in Croatian you use an ordinal for the day and put the month in the genitive: petog svibnja (on the fifth of May), prvog siječnja (on the first of January). You ask Koji je danas datum? and answer Danas je peti svibnja. For the year, the ordinal of the year goes in the genitive: dvije tisuće dvadeset šeste godine. For clock time beyond full hours, Croatian counts towards the next hour: pola tri = half past two (literally 'half of three'), petnaest do tri = quarter to three, deset i petnaest = ten fifteen. You ask the time with Koliko je sati? Learning genitive months and the pola/do/i system lets you handle real appointments and schedules.

Key rule

Dates use an ordinal day + genitive month (+ genitive ordinal year + godine); clock time counts towards the next hour, so pola tri = 2:30, with i for minutes past and do for minutes to.

Examples

Rođen sam petog svibnja.
Rođen sam peti svibanj.
The 'on' date uses the genitive of the ordinal (petog) and the genitive of the month (svibnja).
Sastanak je prvog lipnja.
Sastanak je prvi lipanj.
Both the ordinal and the month go into the genitive for a date.
Sada je pola tri.
Sada je pola dva i trideset.
Half past two is pola tri ('half of three'), not a literal 'two thirty'.

Common mistakes

Using the nominative instead of the genitive for a date
peti svibanj
petog svibnja
The 'on (a date)' form puts both the ordinal and the month into the genitive.
Using a cardinal for the day
pet svibnja
petog svibnja
Dates use an ordinal (peti → genitive petog), not a cardinal.

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A2Prepositions

Two-Case Prepositions u / na — Consolidation

Dvopadežni prijedlozi u / na

The prepositions u (in/into) and na (on/onto) can each take two different cases, and the case you choose changes the meaning. When there is motion towards a place — you are going somewhere — they take the accusative and answer the question kamo? (where to?). When there is no motion — you are simply located somewhere — they take the locative and answer the question gdje? (where?). The English word stays the same, so you must listen to the verb: a verb of motion (ići, staviti, doći) signals the accusative, while a verb of position (biti, raditi, stajati) signals the locative. Getting this contrast automatic is one of the most important A2 skills.

Key rule

u and na take the accusative for motion towards a place (kamo?) and the locative for static location (gdje?); let the verb decide.

Examples

Idem u školu.
Idem u školi.
Motion towards a place needs the accusative (školu), not the locative.
U školi sam cijeli dan.
U školu sam cijeli dan.
Static location needs the locative (školi); there is no motion here.
Stavi knjigu na stol.
Stavi knjigu na stolu.
Putting something somewhere is motion, so na takes the accusative (stol).

Common mistakes

Locative used after a motion verb
Idem u trgovini.
Idem u trgovinu.
ići is a verb of motion, so u must take the accusative; the locative marks location, not destination.
Accusative used for static location
Radim u ured na drugom katu.
Radim u uredu na drugom katu.
raditi describes a static situation, so u stays in the locative (uredu), not the accusative (ured).

A2Prepositions

o / po + Locative

o / po + lokativ

Two more prepositions always take the locative case: o and po. The preposition o means 'about' or 'concerning' and is used after verbs of speaking and writing — razgovaramo o filmu (we talk about the film), pišemo o problemu (we write about the problem). The preposition po has several meanings, most often 'around/over a surface' (hodam po gradu — I walk around the city), 'by/according to' (po mom mišljenju — in my opinion), and 'each/per' (dva eura po komadu — two euros per piece). Both prepositions never take any other case, so once you spot o or po, you know the noun must be in the locative.

Key rule

o ('about') and po ('around/by/per') always govern the locative case and never take any other case.

Examples

Razgovaramo o filmu.
Razgovaramo o film.
o always takes the locative, so film becomes filmu.
Razgovaramo o tebi cijeli dan.
Razgovaramo o tebe cijeli dan.
After o the pronoun takes the locative tebi, not the accusative tebe.
Šetamo po parku.
Šetamo po park.
po takes the locative for movement around a surface: parku, not the accusative park.

Common mistakes

Accusative used after o
Razgovaramo o film.
Razgovaramo o filmu.
o is a locative-only preposition; the noun must be in the locative (filmu).
po given the accusative for movement around
Šetam po grad.
Šetam po gradu.
po expressing spreading/wandering over an area governs the locative (gradu), not the accusative.

A2Prepositions

Instrumental Prepositions (s, pred, nad, pod, među)

Prijedlozi s instrumentalom (pred, nad, pod, među)

A group of prepositions takes the instrumental case to express spatial relations and accompaniment. The most common is s/sa meaning 'with' (s prijateljem — with a friend). The spatial ones describe a static position relative to something: pred (in front of), nad (above/over), pod (under), and među (among/between). When nothing is moving — when you describe where something stands — these all take the instrumental: stoji pred kućom (stands in front of the house), slika visi nad krevetom (a picture hangs above the bed), mačka spava pod stolom (the cat sleeps under the table), sjedi među prijateljima (sits among friends). The instrumental endings are -om/-em for masculine and neuter and -om for feminine.

Key rule

s/sa ('with') and the static spatial prepositions pred, nad, pod, među all take the instrumental case.

Examples

Idem u kino s bratom.
Idem u kino s brata.
s ('with') takes the instrumental, so brat becomes bratom, not the genitive brata.
Auto stoji pred kućom.
Auto stoji pred kuću.
Static position takes the instrumental (kućom); the accusative kuću would imply motion.
Slika visi nad krevetom.
Slika visi nad krevet.
A picture hanging in place is static, so nad takes the instrumental: krevetom.

Common mistakes

Genitive after s ('with')
Idem s prijatelja.
Idem s prijateljem.
s meaning 'with' takes the instrumental (prijateljem); s prijatelja would be the genitive 'from a friend'.
Accusative for a static position
Auto je pred kuću.
Auto je pred kućom.
A car standing in front of the house is static, so pred takes the instrumental (kućom).

A2Prepositions

pred / nad / pod / među — Acc (motion) vs Ins (location)

pred, nad, pod, među — akuzativ ili instrumental

Just like u and na, the spatial prepositions pred (in front of), nad (above), pod (under), and među (among/between) are two-case prepositions. With motion towards a position — something moving into place — they take the accusative and answer kamo? (where to?): Auto staje pred kuću (the car pulls up in front of the house). With a static position — something already there — they take the instrumental and answer gdje? (where?): Auto stoji pred kućom (the car stands in front of the house). The same dynamic-versus-static logic you learned for u and na applies here. Watch the verb: a verb of motion or placing triggers the accusative; a verb of position triggers the instrumental.

Key rule

pred, nad, pod, među take the accusative for motion towards a position (kamo?) and the instrumental for static location (gdje?).

Examples

Auto staje pred kuću.
Auto staje pred kućom.
Pulling up in front of the house is motion towards a position — accusative (kuću).
Auto stoji pred kućom.
Auto stoji pred kuću.
Standing in front of the house is static — instrumental (kućom).
Stavi sliku nad krevet.
Stavi sliku nad krevetom.
Placing a picture above the bed is motion — accusative (krevet).

Common mistakes

Instrumental after a motion verb
Stavi vazu pred prozorom.
Stavi vazu pred prozor.
Placing something is motion towards a position, so pred takes the accusative (prozor).
Accusative for a static position
Mačka leži pod stol.
Mačka leži pod stolom.
Lying under the table is static, so pod takes the instrumental (stolom).

A2Prepositions

kod + Genitive (at someone's / by)

kod + genitiv

The preposition kod takes the genitive case and means 'at someone's place' or 'by/near'. It is extremely common in everyday speech: kod liječnika (at the doctor's), kod kuće (at home), kod prijatelja (at a friend's place). Use kod for being located at a person's place or beside something — but remember it expresses location, not motion. To say you are going to someone's place, Croatian usually uses k/kod differently: idem kod prijatelja is common in speech for 'I'm going to a friend's'. Learners often confuse kod (genitive, 'at someone's') with k (dative, 'towards a person'), so be careful which one you use.

Key rule

kod always takes the genitive and means 'at someone's place' or 'near/by' (kod liječnika, kod kuće, kod prozora).

Examples

Bila sam kod liječnika.
Bila sam kod liječniku.
kod takes the genitive (liječnika), not the dative liječniku.
Večeras smo kod prijatelja.
Večeras smo kod prijatelju.
kod governs the genitive: prijatelja, not the dative prijatelju.
Ostajem kod kuće.
Ostajem kod kući.
The fixed phrase for 'at home' is kod kuće (genitive); kući is the directional dative 'homewards'.

Common mistakes

Dative used after kod
Idem kod liječniku.
Idem kod liječnika.
kod always takes the genitive (liječnika); the dative liječniku belongs with k, not kod.
kući instead of kod kuće for 'at home'
Cijeli dan sam kući.
Cijeli dan sam kod kuće.
'Being at home' is kod kuće (genitive); kući is directional ('homewards').

A2Prepositions

More Genitive Prepositions (bez, za vrijeme, blizu, oko, ispod, iznad)

Više prijedloga s genitivom

Croatian has a large group of prepositions that always take the genitive case. Several express place: blizu (near), oko (around), ispod (under/below), iznad (above), iza (behind), ispred (in front of), pored/uz (beside). Others express lack or time: bez (without), za vrijeme (during), tijekom (during), poslije/nakon (after), prije (before). Unlike the two-case prepositions, these never change case — once you see one of them, the noun must be in the genitive. For example: bez tebe (without you), blizu škole (near the school), oko stola (around the table), ispod stola (under the table), iznad kreveta (above the bed). These prepositions are very common and easy to use once you control the genitive endings.

Key rule

bez, blizu, oko, ispod, iznad, iza, ispred, prije, poslije, za vrijeme and similar prepositions always take the genitive, with no case alternation.

Examples

Ne mogu živjeti bez tebe.
Ne mogu živjeti bez ti.
bez takes the genitive, so the pronoun ti becomes tebe.
Stanujem blizu škole.
Stanujem blizu školi.
blizu takes the genitive školi → school is feminine, genitive školE, not the locative.
Sjedimo oko stola.
Sjedimo oko stolu.
oko governs the genitive stola, not the locative stolu.

Common mistakes

Locative after a spatial genitive preposition
Stanujem blizu školi.
Stanujem blizu škole.
blizu always takes the genitive (škole), even though it expresses location.
Instrumental after ispod/iznad
Lopta je ispod stolom.
Lopta je ispod stola.
Unlike pod, the compound ispod takes only the genitive (stola); there is no two-case alternation.

A2Prepositions

prema / k(a) + Dative — Consolidation

prema / k(a) + dativ

A small set of prepositions takes the dative case, mostly to express direction towards something or someone. The main two are k/ka (towards, to a person) and prema (towards, in the direction of). Use k/ka for movement towards a person or goal — idem k prijatelju (I'm going to a friend), ka gradu (towards the city) — where the form ka appears before words starting with k or g. Use prema for a direction or orientation — prema centru (towards the centre), prema moru (towards the sea); prema can also mean 'according to' or 'towards (an attitude)'. Another dative preposition is nasuprot (opposite). Once you see k, ka, prema, or nasuprot, the noun goes in the dative.

Key rule

k/ka, prema, nasuprot and usprkos/unatoč take the dative; use k(a) and prema for direction towards a person or place, with ka before k/g.

Examples

Idem k liječniku.
Idem k liječnika.
k takes the dative (liječniku), not the genitive liječnika.
Krećemo prema centru.
Krećemo prema centra.
prema takes the dative centru, not the genitive centra.
Auto ide ka gradu.
Auto ide k gradu.
Before a word beginning with g, the form is ka: ka gradu.

Common mistakes

Genitive after k
Idem k liječnika.
Idem k liječniku.
k governs the dative (liječniku); the genitive belongs with kod, not k.
k confused with kod
Sjedio sam k prijatelju cijelo popodne.
Sjedio sam kod prijatelja cijelo popodne.
For static location 'at a friend's place' use kod + genitive; k + dative marks motion towards a person.

A2Clitics

Accusative Clitic Pronouns (me, te, ga, je, nas…)

Akuzativne naslonjenice (me, te, ga, je)

Croatian object pronouns usually appear in a short, unstressed (clitic) form. For the direct object (accusative) these are: me (me), te (you), ga (him/it), je or ju (her), nas (us), vas (you pl.), ih (them). They cannot stand at the start of a sentence and cannot carry stress. Instead, they cling to the second position — right after the first stressed word. So you say Vidim ga (I see him) and Ivan ga vidi (Ivan sees him), never starting a clause with ga. The longer stressed forms (njega, nju) exist too, but you reach for them only for emphasis, contrast, or after a preposition. In ordinary speech the clitic is the default.

Key rule

Use the short accusative pronouns (me, te, ga, je/ju, nas, vas, ih) for direct objects and place them in second position; reserve the stressed forms (njega, nju…) for emphasis or after prepositions.

Examples

Vidim ga svaki dan.
Vidim njega svaki dan.
Without contrast, the unstressed clitic ga is the default; njega would only fit if him were emphasised.
Ivan me dobro pozna.
Ivan pozna me dobro.
The clitic me must sit in second position, right after the first word, not after the verb here.
Poznaješ li je?
Poznaješ li nju?
In a neutral yes/no question the clitic je is expected; nju would mark her as contrastive.

Common mistakes

Starting a clause with a clitic
Ga vidim svaki dan.
Vidim ga svaki dan.
Clitics cannot occupy first position; ga must follow the first stressed word.
Using a stressed form where a clitic is expected
Poznajem njega dobro.
Poznajem ga dobro.
Without emphasis or contrast, the neutral choice is the clitic ga.

A2Clitics

Dative Clitic Pronouns (mi, ti, mu, joj, nam…)

Dativne naslonjenice (mi, ti, mu, joj)

The indirect object (the recipient — to me, to him) usually appears as a short dative pronoun: mi (to me), ti (to you), mu (to him/it), joj (to her), nam (to us), vam (to you pl.), im (to them). Like all clitics they are unstressed and sit in second position, never at the start of a clause: Dajem ti knjigu (I give you a book), Kažem mu istinu (I tell him the truth). The stressed full forms meni, tebi, njemu, njoj exist for emphasis or contrast (Meni daj, ne njemu) and are used after prepositions (prema njemu, k njoj). Beware: mi and ti look identical to the nominative we and the accusative you — context and position tell them apart.

Key rule

Use the short dative pronouns (mi, ti, mu, joj, nam, vam, im) for the recipient and place them in second position; when both occur, dative comes before accusative.

Examples

Dajem ti knjigu.
Dajem tebi knjigu.
Neutral giving uses the clitic ti; tebi would mark you as contrastive.
Kažem mu istinu.
Mu kažem istinu.
The dative clitic mu cannot begin the clause; it follows the first word.
Sestra joj je liječnica.
Sestra je joj liječnica.
In the cluster the dative joj precedes the auxiliary je, never the reverse.

Common mistakes

Stressed form instead of the clitic
Pišem tebi pismo.
Pišem ti pismo.
Without contrast, the neutral indirect object is the clitic ti.
Clitic in first position
Mu dajem savjet.
Dajem mu savjet.
Dative clitics must sit in second position, after the first stressed word.

A2Clitics

Clitic Ordering — Introduction (DAT before ACC)

Redoslijed naslonjenica — uvod (dativ prije akuzativa)

When several short words (clitics) crowd into second position, they line up in a fixed order. The basic rule you need first: the auxiliary verb comes first, then the dative pronoun, then the accusative pronoun, then the reflexive se, and the auxiliary je goes last of all. So you say Dao mi ga je (he gave it to me): auxiliary, no — here je is the special one that jumps to the end, so it is Dao + mi (dat) + ga (acc) + je. Two simple takeaways: dative before accusative (mi ga, not ga mi), and the little je always sits at the very end of the cluster. Get those two and most everyday clusters come out right.

Key rule

In the clitic cluster the order is auxiliary → dative → accusative → se → je, with the 3sg auxiliary je always last; the key habit is dative before accusative.

Examples

Dao mi ga je.
Dao ga mi je.
Dative mi must precede accusative ga; je stays last as the 3sg auxiliary.
Dajem ti ga odmah.
Dajem ga ti odmah.
In the present too, dative ti comes before accusative ga.
Ivan mi ga je posudio.
Ivan je mi ga posudio.
The auxiliary je is the exception that goes to the end, after the pronouns.

Common mistakes

Accusative before dative
Dao ga mi je.
Dao mi ga je.
The fixed order is dative before accusative: mi ga.
Auxiliary je not at the end
Ivan je mi ga dao.
Ivan mi ga je dao.
The 3sg auxiliary je is the one clitic that goes to the very end of the cluster.

A2Pronouns

Stressed (Full) Pronoun Forms in Oblique Cases

Naglašeni oblici osobnih zamjenica

Alongside the short clitics, Croatian has long, stressed pronoun forms: accusative mene, tebe, njega, nju, nas, vas, njih; dative/locative meni, tebi, njemu, njoj, nama, vama, njima; instrumental mnom, tobom, njim(e), njom(e), nama, vama, njima. You need these stressed forms in three situations: after a preposition (za mene, k njemu, s njom), for emphasis or contrast (Mene pitaj, ne njega), and as a one-word answer (Komu? — Meni). Everywhere else the unstressed clitic is the default. The key signal is a preposition: prepositions can NEVER take a clitic, so right after od, za, k, prema, s, o, na you always switch to mene, tebe, njega, and so on.

Key rule

Use the stressed pronoun forms (mene, tebi, njega, njoj, mnom…) after prepositions, for emphasis/contrast, and as one-word answers; otherwise use the clitic.

Examples

Ovo je za mene.
Ovo je za me.
After the preposition za only the stressed form mene is possible, never the clitic me.
Idem k njemu.
Idem k mu.
Prepositions take the stressed dative; k njemu, not the clitic mu.
Tebe tražim, ne njega.
Te tražim, ne njega.
The explicit contrast requires the stressed tebe rather than the clitic te.

Common mistakes

Clitic after a preposition
Ovo je za me.
Ovo je za mene.
Prepositions never combine with clitics; use the stressed mene.
Clitic as a one-word answer
Koga? — Ga.
Koga? — Njega.
A clitic cannot stand alone or bear stress; the answer is the stressed njega.

A2Pronouns

Reflexive se / sebi / sebe — Usage

Povratna zamjenica se / sebi / sebe — uporaba

The reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject and is the same for every person: se. It has a short clitic accusative se and dative si, plus stressed forms sebe (acc/gen), sebi (dat/loc), sobom (ins). Use se when the subject acts on itself: Perem se (I wash myself), Ona se gleda (she looks at herself). Use the dative si when the subject does something for/to themselves: Kupujem si knjigu (I buy myself a book). The stressed sebe/sebi appear after prepositions and for emphasis: za sebe (for oneself), Misli samo na sebe (he thinks only of himself). Crucially, one se covers I, you, he, we, they alike — you never change it for person.

Key rule

Use the invariant reflexive (clitic se / si, stressed sebe / sebi / sobom) whenever the object or recipient is the same as the subject; it never changes for person.

Examples

Svako jutro se tuširam.
Svako jutro me tuširam.
When the subject washes itself, use reflexive se, not the personal clitic me.
Kupila si je novu haljinu.
Kupila joj je novu haljinu.
If she buys it for herself, use the reflexive dative si; joj would mean for her (someone else).
On misli samo na sebe.
On misli samo na njega.
After a preposition referring back to the subject, use the stressed sebe; njega would mean another man.

Common mistakes

Personal clitic instead of reflexive
Perem me prije spavanja.
Perem se prije spavanja.
When the subject acts on itself, the object is the reflexive se, not me.
Personal dative instead of reflexive si
Kupujem mi kavu.
Kupujem si kavu.
For doing something for oneself, use the reflexive dative si, not the personal mi.

A2Pronouns

The Relative/Interrogative koji — Introduction

Zamjenica koji — uvod

Koji means which/who/that. It works two ways. As a question word: Koji film gledaš? (Which film are you watching?). As a relative pronoun joining two clauses: čovjek koji radi ovdje (the man who works here). Koji declines like an adjective and agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers back to — koji (m), koja (f), koje (n), plural koji/koje/koja. But its case comes from its job inside its own clause, not from the noun outside it. So in knjiga koju čitam (the book that I am reading), koju is feminine (from knjiga) but accusative (because it is the object of čitam). A comma usually precedes a relative koji clause. This split — gender from outside, case from inside — is the heart of using koji.

Key rule

Koji agrees in gender and number with its antecedent but takes its case from its role inside its own clause; a preposition stays attached to koji at the clause front.

Examples

Ovo je knjiga koju čitam.
Ovo je knjiga koja čitam.
Koji is the object of čitam, so it is accusative koju, though feminine from knjiga.
Čovjek koji radi ovdje je moj susjed.
Čovjek kojeg radi ovdje je moj susjed.
Here koji is the subject of radi, so it is nominative koji, not accusative.
To je grad u kojem živim.
To je grad koji živim u.
The preposition u stays with koji at the front: u kojem; it cannot be stranded.

Common mistakes

Case copied from the antecedent
Vidim čovjeka koja govori.
Vidim čovjeka koji govori.
Koji is the subject of govori (nominative); the accusative of čovjeka does not transfer to koji.
Nominative where the relative is an object
Knjiga koja čitam je dobra.
Knjiga koju čitam je dobra.
Inside the clause koji is the object of čitam, so it must be accusative koju.

A2Pronouns

Indefinite Pronouns (netko, nešto, neki)

Neodređene zamjenice (netko, nešto, neki)

Indefinite pronouns point to an unspecified person or thing. The core set uses the prefix ne-: netko (someone), nešto (something), neki/neka/neko (some, a certain), negdje (somewhere), nekad (sometime), nekako (somehow). Use them in positive statements and questions about an existing-but-unknown entity: Netko te zove (someone is calling you); Imam nešto za tebe (I have something for you); Došao je neki čovjek (some man came). They are positive — do not use them under negation, where Croatian switches to the ni- words (nitko, ništa) with the double negative. Netko and nešto decline like tko and što (netko, nekoga, nekomu…); neki declines like an adjective and agrees with its noun (neki dan, neku knjigu).

Key rule

Use the ne- indefinites (netko, nešto, neki, negdje, nekad) for an unspecified but existing person/thing in affirmative clauses; switch to the ni- series under negation.

Examples

Netko te traži na vratima.
Nitko te traži na vratima.
An affirmative someone is netko; nitko would force a negative verb and mean nobody.
Imam nešto za tebe.
Imam ništa za tebe.
In a positive statement use nešto; ništa belongs only with a negated verb.
Došao je neki čovjek.
Došao je nešto čovjek.
Before a noun use the adjective-like neki; nešto is a standalone pronoun, not a modifier.

Common mistakes

ne- word where ni- is required
Netko ne zna odgovor.
Nitko ne zna odgovor.
Under negation Croatian uses the ni- series; nobody is nitko with the negative verb.
Positive ništa instead of nešto
Kupio sam ništa lijepo.
Kupio sam nešto lijepo.
In an affirmative clause use nešto; ništa requires a negated verb.

A2Pronouns

Negative Pronouns (nitko, ništa) + Double Negation

Niječne zamjenice (nitko, ništa) i dvostruka negacija

The negative pronouns are nitko (nobody) and ništa (nothing), with the related adverbs nigdje (nowhere), nikad (never), nikako (in no way). The key Croatian rule: these ni- words ALWAYS go together with a negated verb. You must say Nitko ne zna (nobody knows), Ništa ne vidim (I see nothing), Nikad ne kasnim (I am never late). Unlike English, the double negative is required, not a mistake — dropping ne is the error. After a preposition the ni- word splits around it: ni s kim (with nobody), ni o čemu (about nothing), and the verb is still negated. Nitko and ništa decline like tko and što (nikoga, nikomu; ničega, ničemu).

Key rule

Negative pronouns nitko/ništa (and ni- adverbs) obligatorily require a negated verb (double negation), and a preposition splits them: ni s kim, ni o čemu.

Examples

Nitko ne zna odgovor.
Nitko zna odgovor.
Croatian requires the double negative; the verb must also be negated: ne zna.
Ništa ne razumijem.
Ništa razumijem.
With ništa the verb stays negated (ne razumijem); single negation is ungrammatical.
Ne razgovaram ni s kim.
Ne razgovaram s nikim.
The preposition splits the ni- word: ni s kim, not s nikim.

Common mistakes

Omitting the verbal ne (single negation)
Nitko dolazi danas.
Nitko ne dolazi danas.
Negative pronouns require a negated verb; the double negative is mandatory in Croatian.
ne- indefinite under negation
Ne vidim nešto.
Ne vidim ništa.
Under negation the ni- word ništa is required, not the positive nešto.

A2Clitics

Clitic Second-Position Rules (Wackernagel)

Naslonjenice na drugom mjestu (Wackernagelovo pravilo)

Croatian has short, unstressed little words called clitics: the auxiliaries (sam, si, je, smo, ste, su; ću, ćeš), the short object pronouns (me, te, ga, mu, joj…), the reflexive se, and the question marker li. These words cannot stand alone and cannot start a sentence. They must sit in 'second position' — right after the first stressed word or the first complete phrase. So you say 'Ivan ga je vidio' (the clitics ga je land after Ivan) or 'Vidio ga je jučer' (after the verb Vidio). Getting this slot right is one of the most distinctive features of Croatian, and learners must train their ear for where the first stressed unit ends.

Key rule

Unstressed clitics attach right after the first stressed word or first whole phrase of the clause; they never begin a sentence.

Examples

Ivan ga je vidio na ulici.
Ga je Ivan vidio na ulici.
Clitics ga je cannot start the sentence; they follow the first stressed word, Ivan.
Vidio sam ga jučer.
Sam ga vidio jučer.
With a verb-first clause the clitics follow the verb; sam cannot open the sentence.
Moja sestra mu je dala knjigu.
Moja mu je sestra dala knjigu.
The first unit is the whole subject phrase 'Moja sestra'; clitics follow it, not the single word 'Moja'.

Common mistakes

Starting a clause with a clitic
Je li mu dala knjigu? Ne, ga nije dala.
Ne, nije mu je dala.
A clitic such as ga can never open a clause; second position must be filled by a stressed word first.
Splitting a subject phrase after its first word
Moj je stariji brat došao.
Moj stariji brat je došao.
In neutral style the whole phrase 'Moj stariji brat' counts as first position; clitics follow the entire phrase.

A2Syntax

Obligatory Double Negation (ni-words + ne)

Obavezna dvostruka negacija (ni-riječi + ne)

In Croatian, negative words like nikad (never), nigdje (nowhere), nitko (nobody) and ništa (nothing) do NOT replace the negation on the verb — they go together with it. The verb still needs ne, so you say 'Nikad ne kasnim' (literally never-not-I-am-late). This double negation is required and completely correct; leaving out the ne is a real mistake. You can even stack several ni-words: 'Nitko nikad ništa ne govori.' English does the opposite (one negative only), so English speakers often drop the ne by habit. Remember: a ni-word always pulls a ne onto the verb.

Key rule

Every ni-word (nitko, ništa, nikad, nigdje…) requires the negator ne on the verb — the double negative is obligatory, not an error.

Examples

Nitko ne dolazi na sastanak.
Nitko dolazi na sastanak.
The ni-word nitko still requires ne on the verb; without ne the sentence is ungrammatical.
Ništa ne razumijem.
Ništa razumijem.
Negative ništa must be paired with ne; omitting ne is the typical English-style error.
Nikad ne kasnim na posao.
Nikad kasnim na posao.
Nikad (never) needs the verbal ne; both negatives stand together.

Common mistakes

Dropping ne because the sentence already has a ni-word
Nikad kasnim na posao.
Nikad ne kasnim na posao.
Croatian requires negative concord: the ni-word and the verbal ne must both be present.
Using a non-negative pronoun under negation
Ne vidim netko.
Ne vidim nikoga.
Under negation the indefinite netko becomes the negative nikoga, which agrees with the verb's ne.

A2Connectors

Time Clauses with kad(a) (when)

Vremenske rečenice s kad(a)

The conjunction kad (or the fuller kada) means 'when' and links a time clause to a main clause: 'Kad dođem kući, javit ću ti' (When I get home, I'll let you know). When the kad-clause comes first, you put a comma after it and the main clause follows. If the main clause comes first, the comma comes before kad: 'Javit ću ti kad dođem.' For future events Croatian uses the present-tense perfective verb in the kad-clause (Kad dođem…), not a future form, even though English uses 'when I get / when I arrive'. Kad is also a question word ('Kada dolaziš?'), but here it joins clauses.

Key rule

Kad(a) introduces a 'when' clause; for future time use the present (perfective) tense in the kad-clause, and place the comma between the two clauses.

Examples

Kad dođem kući, javit ću ti.
Kad ću doći kući, javit ću ti.
In a future kad-clause Croatian uses the present (dođem), not the future (ću doći).
Nazovi me kad stigneš.
Nazovi me kad ćeš stići.
The kad-clause takes the perfective present stigneš, never a future form, for a future event.
Kad sam bio mali, živio sam na selu.
Kad bio sam mali, živio sam na selu.
For a past clause use the perfekt sam bio with correct clitic order, not a misplaced auxiliary.

Common mistakes

Using future tense in a future kad-clause
Kad ću doći, nazvat ću te.
Kad dođem, nazvat ću te.
Croatian uses the present (perfective) in the time clause; the future appears only in the main clause.
Forgetting the comma after a fronted kad-clause
Kad stignemo kupit ćemo karte.
Kad stignemo, kupit ćemo karte.
A subordinate clause placed first is separated from the main clause by a comma.

A2Connectors

Open Conditional with ako (if)

Pogodbene rečenice s ako (uvod)

The conjunction ako means 'if' and introduces a real, open condition — something that may well happen: 'Ako padne kiša, ostat ću kod kuće' (If it rains, I'll stay home). As with kad-clauses, the ako-clause normally uses the present tense (often perfective), while the main clause uses the future. When the ako-clause comes first, a comma follows it; when it comes second, the comma comes before ako. Ako states a condition you treat as possible; it is different from the unreal 'if' (da + conditional), which you learn later. For now, pair ako + present with a future main clause for everyday plans and warnings.

Key rule

Ako introduces a real 'if' condition: use the present (perfective) in the ako-clause and the future or imperative in the main clause, with a comma between them.

Examples

Ako padne kiša, ostat ću kod kuće.
Ako će pasti kiša, ostat ću kod kuće.
The ako-clause uses the present perfective padne, not the future će pasti.
Ako budeš učio, položit ćeš ispit.
Ako ćeš učiti, položit ćeš ispit.
For a future condition with an activity, Croatian uses futur II budeš učio, not futur I ćeš učiti.
Dođi ako možeš.
Dođi, ako možeš li.
An open condition uses plain ako + present; li is for questions, not conditionals, and the comma comes before ako.

Common mistakes

Using future tense in the ako-clause
Ako ćeš imati vremena, nazovi me.
Ako budeš imao vremena, nazovi me.
The condition takes the present or futur II, never plain futur I; the main clause carries the future or imperative.
Missing the comma after a fronted ako-clause
Ako padne kiša ostat ću kod kuće.
Ako padne kiša, ostat ću kod kuće.
A subordinate clause placed first is separated by a comma from the main clause.

A2Connectors

Cause & Concession (jer, zato što, iako, dok)

Uzročni i dopusni veznici (jer, zato što, iako, dok)

These conjunctions connect clauses by reason or contrast. For cause ('because') use jer or zato što: 'Ostajem kod kuće jer pada kiša.' Jer is the everyday choice and cannot start a sentence; zato što is a bit more emphatic and can. For concession ('although, even though') use iako: 'Iako pada kiša, idem van.' For contrast 'while/whereas' use dok: 'Ja volim čaj, dok on voli kavu.' (Dok also means 'while' in time.) The key punctuation rule: put a comma before the conjunction when the main clause comes first, and a comma after a fronted subordinate clause. Choosing the right connector shows whether you mean a reason or a contrast.

Key rule

Use jer/zato što for cause, iako/premda for concession, and dok for contrast/while; jer never starts a sentence, and a comma separates the two clauses.

Examples

Ostajem kod kuće jer pada kiša.
Jer pada kiša, ostajem kod kuće.
Jer cannot open a sentence; use zato što or budući da when the causal clause comes first.
Zato što pada kiša, ostajem kod kuće.
Zato što pada kiša ostajem kod kuće.
A fronted causal clause must be closed by a comma before the main clause.
Iako je kasno, još uvijek radim.
Iako je kasno još uvijek radim.
The fronted concessive iako-clause needs a comma before the main clause.

Common mistakes

Starting a sentence with jer
Jer pada kiša, ostajem doma.
Zato što pada kiša, ostajem doma.
Jer cannot stand at the head of a sentence; a fronted causal clause uses zato što or budući da.
Calquing 'because of' as jer od
Ne radim jer od bolesti.
Ne radim zbog bolesti.
'Because of' + noun is zbog + genitive; jer needs a full clause with a verb.

A2Syntax

Indirect Questions — Introduction (Ne znam gdje je)

Zavisno-upitne rečenice (uvod)

An indirect (embedded) question is a question packed inside another sentence: 'Ne znam gdje je' (I don't know where he is). For yes/no questions you embed with the particle li attached to the verb: 'Pitam te dolaziš li' (I'm asking you whether you're coming) — or with je li for 'whether/if'. For wh-questions you keep the question word (gdje, tko, što, kada, zašto, kako) and follow it with the clause: 'Ne znam tko je to.' Unlike a direct question, there is no question mark at the end of the whole sentence and no special inverted intonation — it is a statement. Clitics still go in second position inside the embedded clause.

Key rule

Embed yes/no questions with li (or je li) on the verb and wh-questions with the question word; the result is a statement (no final question mark) with clitics in second position.

Examples

Ne znam gdje je.
Ne znam gdje je?
An indirect question inside a statement takes no final question mark.
Pitam te dolaziš li sutra.
Pitam te da li dolaziš sutra?
The standard embedded yes/no pattern uses li on the verb; the whole sentence is a statement, so no question mark.
Reci mi kako se to radi.
Reci mi kako to se radi.
The reflexive clitic se must sit in second position after the question word kako.

Common mistakes

Keeping a question mark on an embedded question
Ne znam gdje je?
Ne znam gdje je.
An indirect question is part of a statement, so it ends with a full stop, not a question mark.
Adding li to a wh-question
Ne znam gdje je li.
Ne znam gdje je.
Li is only for embedded yes/no questions; wh-words embed the clause on their own.

A2Connectors

da-Clauses (Mislim da…; Hoću da…)

Izrične rečenice s da

The conjunction da ('that') introduces a reported or complement clause: 'Mislim da je dobro' (I think that it's good), 'Rekao je da dolazi' (He said that he is coming). Unlike English, you cannot drop 'that' — da is obligatory. One important difference: after verbs of wishing, wanting and ability (želim, mogu, moram), standard Croatian prefers the infinitive, not da: 'Želim raditi' is standard, while 'Želim da radim' is colloquial/eastern. So use da-clauses with verbs of saying, thinking, knowing and feeling (reći, misliti, znati, nadati se), and keep the infinitive after modal/wish verbs.

Key rule

Use the obligatory conjunction da (which cannot be dropped like English 'that', and takes no comma before it in object clauses) to introduce reported/complement clauses after verbs of saying, thinking and feeling; after wish/modal verbs prefer the infinitive, using da + present mainly when the subjects differ.

Examples

Mislim da je to dobra ideja.
Mislim to je dobra ideja.
The complement conjunction da is obligatory and cannot be dropped as English 'that' can.
Rekao je da dolazi sutra.
Rekao je da je dolazio sutra.
Croatian keeps the present in the reported clause (da dolazi); there is no backshift to a past form.
Želim raditi u inozemstvu.
Želim da radim u inozemstvu.
After željeti with the same subject, standard Croatian uses the infinitive, not da + present (which is colloquial).

Common mistakes

Dropping da in a reported clause
Mislim je to dobro.
Mislim da je to dobro.
Unlike English 'that', the Croatian complementizer da is obligatory.
Using da + present after a wish/modal verb with the same subject
Želim da idem kući.
Želim ići kući.
Standard Croatian prefers the infinitive after željeti/morati/moći when the subject is the same; da + present is colloquial/eastern.

A2Verb tenses

Perfekt (Past) — Formation

Perfekt — tvorba (naslonjenica + glagolski pridjev radni)

The perfekt is the everyday Croatian past tense. You build it from two parts: a short present form of the verb biti (sam, si, je, smo, ste, su) plus the active past participle of the main verb (the 'l-participle'). For most verbs you take the infinitive, drop -ti, and add -o for a man, -la for a woman, -lo for a neuter subject: raditi → radio/radila/radilo. So 'I worked' is radio sam (man speaking) or radila sam (woman speaking). The auxiliary is a clitic and never starts a sentence; it follows the first stressed word. This one tense covers English 'I did', 'I have done', and 'I was doing'.

Key rule

Perfekt = present clitic of biti (sam/si/je/smo/ste/su) + the l-participle of the main verb (radio/radila/radilo…).

Examples

Jučer sam radila do kasno.
Jučer sam raditi do kasno.
The perfekt needs the l-participle (radila), not the infinitive raditi.
On je gledao film.
On je gledala film.
A masculine subject takes the -o participle: gledao, not the feminine gledala.
Pisala sam pismo cijelo jutro.
Sam pisala pismo cijelo jutro.
The clitic sam cannot start the clause; the participle (or another word) precedes it.

Common mistakes

Using the infinitive instead of the participle
Ja sam čitati knjigu.
Ja sam čitao knjigu.
The perfekt is built with the l-participle, never with the bare infinitive.
Dropping the auxiliary biti
Ona došla kasno.
Ona je došla kasno.
Except in some headlines/narratives, the perfekt must carry the auxiliary clitic.

A2Verb tenses

Perfekt — l-Participle Gender/Number Agreement

Perfekt — slaganje radnog pridjeva

In the perfekt the auxiliary (sam, si, je…) shows only the person, while the gender and number of the subject show up on the participle. Singular endings are -o for masculine, -la for feminine, -lo for neuter: radio, radila, radilo. Plural endings are -li for masculine or mixed groups, -le for all-feminine groups, and -la for neuter plurals: radili, radile, radila. So a man says došao sam but a woman says došla sam, and a group of women say došle smo. This means the same auxiliary can pair with different participle endings depending on who the subject is.

Key rule

The auxiliary marks person; the participle ending marks gender and number — masc. -o, fem. -la, neut. -lo, plural -li/-le/-la.

Examples

Marko je došao na vrijeme.
Marko je došla na vrijeme.
Marko is masculine, so the participle is došao, not the feminine došla.
Ana je kupila novu haljinu.
Ana je kupio novu haljinu.
Ana is feminine, so the participle is kupila, not the masculine kupio.
Dijete je spavalo.
Dijete je spavao.
Dijete is neuter, so the participle takes the neuter ending -lo.

Common mistakes

Masculine participle with a female subject
Marija je rekao istinu.
Marija je rekla istinu.
The participle must agree with the feminine subject: rekla, not rekao.
Masculine plural for an all-female group
Djevojke su pjevali.
Djevojke su pjevale.
An all-female plural takes -le; -li is for masculine or mixed groups.

A2Verb tenses

Perfekt — Negation (nisam radio)

Perfekt — negacija

To make the perfekt negative you do not put ne in front; instead you use the negative forms of biti, which are written as one word: nisam, nisi, nije, nismo, niste, nisu. So 'I didn't work' is nisam radio / nisam radila. The participle stays exactly the same as in the positive — only the auxiliary changes. Unlike the positive clitic, the negative auxiliary is stressed and CAN start a sentence: Nisam to rekao. Croatian also uses double negation, so words like ništa (nothing) or nikad (never) still need the negative verb: Nikad nisam bio tamo.

Key rule

Negate the perfekt with the fused auxiliary nisam/nisi/nije/nismo/niste/nisu + the unchanged participle — never ne + clitic.

Examples

Nisam to rekao.
Ne sam to rekao.
Negation fuses into nisam; you cannot say ne + the clitic sam.
Ona nije došla na sastanak.
Ona ne je došla na sastanak.
The negative third person is nije, not ne + je.
Nismo gledali taj film.
Mi nismo gledali se taj film.
There is no reflexive here; the correct negative auxiliary is simply nismo.

Common mistakes

Using ne before the clitic
Ne sam vidio film.
Nisam vidio film.
The perfekt auxiliary fuses with negation into nisam; ne is not used here.
Splitting nije into ne je
Ona ne je došla.
Ona nije došla.
Third person negative auxiliary is the single word nije.

A2Verb tenses

Perfekt — Auxiliary Placement & je-Drop with se

Perfekt — položaj naslonjenice i ispadanje je uz se

Croatian clitics (the short forms sam, ga, mi, se…) cluster together in second position, right after the first stressed word of the clause. When several appear, they follow a fixed order: the verbal auxiliary (sam, si, je…), then a dative clitic, then an accusative/genitive clitic, then se, and the auxiliary je comes LAST. So you say Ja sam mu ga dao or Dao sam mu ga. There is one important exception: the third-person auxiliary je is dropped when se is present, so you say nasmijao se (not *nasmijao se je) and javila mi se (not *javila mi se je).

Key rule

Clitics cluster in second position in the order AUX → DAT → ACC/GEN → se → je(last); the third-person auxiliary je is dropped when se is present (nasmijao se).

Examples

Dao sam mu ga.
Dao mu ga sam.
The auxiliary sam comes first in the cluster, before the dative mu and accusative ga.
On mi je rekao istinu.
On je mi rekao istinu.
The auxiliary je goes last in the cluster, after the dative mi.
Nasmijao se na to.
Nasmijao se je na to.
With se, the third-person auxiliary je is dropped: nasmijao se.

Common mistakes

Auxiliary je not last in the cluster
Ona je mi pomogla.
Ona mi je pomogla.
The auxiliary je must follow the dative clitic and sit last.
Keeping je with se
Dogodilo se je nešto čudno.
Dogodilo se nešto čudno.
Third-person je is deleted before se: dogodilo se.

A2Verb tenses

Futur I — Formation (radit ću / ću raditi)

Futur prvi — tvorba (radit ću / ću raditi)

The future tense (futur I) is built from the infinitive plus the short clitic forms of htjeti: ću, ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete, će. There are two correct orders. If another word comes first, you keep the full infinitive and put the clitic in second position: Sutra ću raditi; Ja ću raditi. If the infinitive comes first, the two fuse and the final -i of -ti verbs disappears in writing: raditi + ću → radit ću (pronounced as one word). Verbs ending in -ći do not lose anything: doći ću, reći ću. So both Ja ću raditi and Radit ću are correct; just never write *radit ću as raditi ću.

Key rule

Futur I = infinitive + ću/ćeš/će…; with the infinitive first, -ti verbs drop -i and fuse in writing (radit ću), while -ći verbs do not (doći ću).

Examples

Sutra ću raditi od kuće.
Sutra ću raditit od kuće.
After a fronted word the full infinitive is kept: raditi, not a doubled form.
Radit ću cijeli dan.
Raditi ću cijeli dan.
With the infinitive first, -ti drops -i and fuses in writing: radit ću.
Doći ću u osam.
Doć ću u osam.
Verbs in -ći keep the full form: doći ću, nothing is dropped.

Common mistakes

Keeping -i in the fused form
Raditi ću sutra.
Radit ću sutra.
With the infinitive first, -ti loses -i and fuses with the clitic: radit ću.
Wrongly shortening -ći verbs
Doć ću kasnije.
Doći ću kasnije.
Verbs ending in -ći do not drop anything: doći ću.

A2Verb tenses

Futur I — Negation (neću raditi)

Futur prvi — negacija

To make the future negative you use the negative forms of htjeti, written as one word: neću, nećeš, neće, nećemo, nećete, neće. These are followed by the FULL infinitive: Neću raditi; Nećemo doći. Unlike the positive future, there is no fusion and no dropped -i, because the negative auxiliary is a full stressed word that can begin the sentence. So 'I won't work' is Neću raditi, and 'They won't come' is Neće doći. Negative concord still applies: Nikad neću zaboraviti.

Key rule

Negate the future with neću/nećeš/neće/nećemo/nećete/neće + the full infinitive — one word, no fusion, can start the clause.

Examples

Neću raditi vikendom.
Ne ću raditi vikendom.
The negative future auxiliary is written as one word: neću, not ne ću.
Nećemo doći na vrijeme.
Ne doći ćemo na vrijeme.
Negation fuses into nećemo; the infinitive follows unchanged.
Neće ti pomoći.
Neradit će ti pomoći.
The negative form is neće + infinitive; you do not fuse the infinitive.

Common mistakes

Writing ne ću as two words
Ne ću ići.
Neću ići.
The negative future auxiliary is always one word: neću.
Fusing the infinitive with neće
Radit neće.
Neće raditi.
There is no fusion in the negative; use neće + full infinitive.

A2Verb tenses

Imperative — 2sg & 2pl (Radi! Radite!)

Imperativ — 2. lice jednine i množine

The imperative gives commands and requests. You build it from the present-tense stem. For the informal singular (ti), add -i to most stems (radi!, piši!) or nothing after -j (pij!, kupuj!). For the plural or polite form (vi), add -ite or -te: radite!, pišite!, pijte!. So Radi! is 'Work!' to one friend, and Radite! is 'Work!' to several people or politely to one. To tell someone NOT to do something, you use nemoj (singular) or nemojte (plural) plus the infinitive: Nemoj plakati!, Nemojte se brinuti!.

Key rule

Add -i / -ø (2sg) and -ite / -te (2pl) to the present stem; negate with nemoj / nemojte + infinitive.

Examples

Radi pažljivo!
Radiš pažljivo!
The imperative singular is radi, not the present tense radiš.
Pišite čitko, molim vas.
Pišete čitko, molim vas.
The polite/plural imperative is pišite, not the present pišete.
Pij vodu, vruće je.
Piji vodu, vruće je.
Stems in -j take a zero ending in the singular: pij, not piji.

Common mistakes

Using the present tense as a command
Radiš to odmah!
Radi to odmah!
The imperative singular is radi, distinct from the present radiš.
Adding -i after a -j stem
Piji čaj!
Pij čaj!
Stems in -j (pijem, kupujem) take a zero singular ending: pij, kupuj.

A2Verb tenses

Imperative — 1pl "Let's…" (Idemo! Radimo!)

Imperativ — 1. lice množine (hajdemo, radimo)

To say 'let's…' and invite people to do something together, use the first-person plural imperative, formed with -imo or -mo on the present stem: Radimo!, Idemo!, Krenimo!, Pjevajmo!. It looks like the present-tense indicative we-form but functions as a suggestion: Idemo! means 'Let's go!'. With most verbs the 1pl imperative equals the present 1pl in spelling (idemo, pjevamo), and context makes it a command; some verbs have a distinct stem (krenimo, dođimo). A common colloquial alternative is Hajde da + present (Hajde da idemo), but the plain Idemo! is the standard, crisp form.

Key rule

Form the 'let's…' hortative with -mo / -jmo on the imperative base (Idemo!, Krenimo!, Pjevajmo!); negate with Nemojmo + infinitive.

Examples

Idemo na kavu!
Idite na kavu! (a sebe uključuješ)
To include yourself in the invitation use the 1pl idemo, not the 2pl idite.
Krenimo prije mraka.
Kreni prije mraka. (skupini)
Addressing the whole group with yourself included needs krenimo, not the singular kreni.
Pjevajmo zajedno!
Pjevamo zajedno, hajde! (kao naredba)
The hortative is pjevajmo; the plain present pjevamo states a fact rather than inviting.

Common mistakes

Using the 2pl imperative when including yourself
Idite van! (a misli 'idemo')
Idemo van!
To say 'let's' you must use the 1pl form idemo, not the 2pl idite.
Plain present mistaken for hortative
Pjevamo sada!
Pjevajmo sada!
The hortative of pjevati is pjevajmo (-jmo on the imperative base).

A2Verb tenses

Futur I for Plans & Predictions

Futur prvi za planove i predviđanja

Once you can form the futur I, you use it for plans, intentions and predictions: Sutra ću putovati ('I'll travel tomorrow'), Mislim da će padati kiša ('I think it'll rain'). Croatian also lets you use the present tense for the near, scheduled future when a time word makes it clear: Sutra idem u Zagreb. The difference is nuance: the present feels like a fixed schedule or firm arrangement, while futur I is the neutral, general way to talk about what will happen, including less certain predictions. For weather, promises and forecasts, the futur I is the natural choice: Bit će sunčano.

Key rule

Use futur I for plans, intentions and predictions; the present-for-future is fine for scheduled events with a time word, but after kad/čim/ako about the future use the present in the subordinate clause.

Examples

Sutra ću putovati u Rijeku.
Sutra putovat u Rijeku.
A plan stated with futur I needs the auxiliary: ću putovati (or fused putovat ću).
Mislim da će sutra padati kiša.
Mislim da pada sutra kiša sigurno.
For a prediction the futur će padati is natural, not the bare present.
Vlak kreće u osam, idemo ranije.
Vlak će krenuti u osam pa idemo ćemo ranije.
A fixed timetable allows the present (kreće); the doubled future ćemo ranije is wrong.

Common mistakes

Doubling future and present
Sutra ću idem u školu.
Sutra ću ići u školu. / Sutra idem u školu.
Use either the futur (ću ići) or the present-for-future (idem), not both.
Futur I in a kad-clause about the future
Kad ću stići, javit ću se.
Kad stignem, javit ću se.
After kad/čim about the future Croatian uses the present, keeping futur in the main clause.

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A2 Croatian Grammar — 63 Topics & Common Mistakes

Aspect — The Perfective/Imperfective Concept

Recognising Aspect Pairs (pisati/napisati)

Perfectivisation by Prefix (pisati → napisati)

Imperfectivisation by Suffix — Intro (-avati/-ivati)

Aspect in the Perfekt (čitao sam vs pročitao sam)

Aspect in the Present (only imperfective is true present)

Aspect with the Imperative (Pij! vs Popij!)

Aspect with Phase Verbs (početi + imperfective)

Adjective–Noun Agreement — Nominative

Definite vs Indefinite Adjective — Nominative Contrast

Adjective Agreement in the Oblique Cases

Full Singular Declension Across All Cases

Comparative — Formation (-iji / -ji / -ši)

Superlative — Formation (naj- + comparative)

Comparison: "than" (od + genitive / nego)

Irregular Comparison (dobar→bolji, velik→veći)

Comparison of Adverbs (brzo→brže)

Plural Nominative by Gender (-i / -e / -a)

The Long Plural of Short Masculines (-ovi/-evi)

Genitive Plural (-a / -ī / -∅)

Fleeting a in the Genitive Plural (sestara, djevojaka)

Dative/Locative/Instrumental Plural Syncretism (-ima/-ama)

Accusative Plural

Adjective Agreement in the Plural

Plural Declension — Overview Grid

Large Cardinal Numbers (sto, tisuća, milijun)

The Counted Form after 2/3/4 (dva stola, tri knjige)

Genitive Plural after 5+ (pet stolova)

jedan as an Adjective (jedan, jedna, jedno)

Declining dva / tri / četiri

Ordinal Numbers (prvi, drugi, treći)

Dates & Advanced Time (Koji je datum? pola, do, i)

Two-Case Prepositions u / na — Consolidation

o / po + Locative

Instrumental Prepositions (s, pred, nad, pod, među)

pred / nad / pod / među — Acc (motion) vs Ins (location)

kod + Genitive (at someone's / by)

More Genitive Prepositions (bez, za vrijeme, blizu, oko, ispod, iznad)

prema / k(a) + Dative — Consolidation

Accusative Clitic Pronouns (me, te, ga, je, nas…)

Dative Clitic Pronouns (mi, ti, mu, joj, nam…)

Clitic Ordering — Introduction (DAT before ACC)

Stressed (Full) Pronoun Forms in Oblique Cases

Reflexive se / sebi / sebe — Usage

The Relative/Interrogative koji — Introduction

Indefinite Pronouns (netko, nešto, neki)

Negative Pronouns (nitko, ništa) + Double Negation

Clitic Second-Position Rules (Wackernagel)

Obligatory Double Negation (ni-words + ne)

Time Clauses with kad(a) (when)

Open Conditional with ako (if)

Cause & Concession (jer, zato što, iako, dok)

Indirect Questions — Introduction (Ne znam gdje je)

da-Clauses (Mislim da…; Hoću da…)

Perfekt (Past) — Formation

Perfekt — l-Participle Gender/Number Agreement

Perfekt — Negation (nisam radio)

Perfekt — Auxiliary Placement & je-Drop with se

Futur I — Formation (radit ću / ću raditi)

Futur I — Negation (neću raditi)

Imperative — 2sg & 2pl (Radi! Radite!)

Imperative — 1pl "Let's…" (Idemo! Radimo!)

Futur I for Plans & Predictions