This is a list of the most useful Croatian verbs. Verbs are either listed individually, in verb pairs, and occasionally in triplets.
I've listed the 10 most important forms for each verb. For a great majority of verbs, all those forms follow regularly from the infinitive (inf) or 3rd pers. present (pres-3).
Abbreviations and stress marks follow the rest of Easy Croatian, i.e. only the place of stress is marked.
With each verb (or pair) various ways to use it are listed, and each way has at least one example.
The list is divided in three parts. The first part follows, with 76 verbs and verb pairs (137 verbs in total). Click on any item to show detailed information:
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This verb pair is used with objects in A:
Goran je bacio loptu. Goran threw the ball.
The pair is used with optional destinations, which can be persons in DL:
Ana je bacila majicu u ormar. Ana threw the T-shirt into the wardrobe.
Goran je bacio loptu Ani. Goran threw the ball to Ana.
The agent nouns are bacač m / bacačica f thrower, pitcher.
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This verb is hard to translate into English, it means someone is regularly pursuing something, either professionally or in their free time. It’s used with objects in I:
Ivan se bavi trčanjem. Ivan is into running.
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This is the most frequent verb in Croatian. It’s also used as an auxiliary verb, to form the past tense.
Normally, only clitic forms in the present tense are used. Stressed forms are used when the verb is emphasized, or when it must appear at the first position in a sentence. It has special negative forms in the present tense. It’s used to indicate states of subject, with adjectives in N:
Ana je gladna. Ana is hungry.
Goran je žedan. Goran is thirsty.
It’s also used to indicate location of the subject:
Ana je na moru. Ana is at the seaside.
With the preposition kod¨ + G, it can indicate a location at someone’s shop, office or home:
Ivan je kod Ane. Ivan is at Ana’s place (home).
It also indicates temporary possession of movable things, like cards, money, items, cars, etc.:
Karte su kod Ane. Ana has the tickets
This verb is used in the past and future tense of existential phrases:
Nije bilo šećera. There was no sugar.
Bit će jabuka. There will be some apples.
For more information, see imati have.
When used with certain words (which don’t change then and behave as subjects), the meaning is a bit unexpected; such constructions mostly describe mental states:
| fixed subject | person feeling | source of feelings | meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| drago | DL | (clause) | be glad (that...) |
| stalo | DL | do¨ + G | care about |
| strah | A | (G) | be afraid (of...) |
| žao | DL | (G) | be sorry (for...) |
| (clause) | be sorry (that...) |
In such constructions, the verb is always in the 3rd person, singular. For example:
Ani je stalo do Gorana. Ana cares about Goran.
Goranu je žao. Goran is sorry.
In such constructions, the verb in the past are usually in neuter; with strah (which is masc.), another option is masculine:
Bilo nas je strah. We were afraid.
Bio nas je strah. (also possible)
In specific circumstances, present tense forms are replaced by the verb (bude), which has only present tense forms (and is fully regular). This verb is kind of perfective, but it’s actually hard to place into any group. It can be used when describing occasional things, happening in the past and future, using the present tense, and often corresponds to English get:
Ponekad bude hladno ujutro. Sometimes it gets cold in the morning.
Često me bude strah. I often get afraid.
It’s also used in clauses that use present tense to indicate future events, with verbs expressing desires, plans or expectations:
Ana želi [da bude sunčano]. Ana wants [it to be sunny].
It’s also used as an auxiliary verb, to form the secondary future tense (with past forms), used in certain kind of clauses:
Ako budeš imao vremena... If you have some time...
† The present adverb budući is also used as a true adjective, meaning future;
for example, future tense is buduće vrijeme, literally future time.
↓ bježati (bježi) ~ pobjeći (pobjegne,...) run away, escape
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* The imperative is sometimes shortened to just bjež, when used as an exclamation.
This verb pair is used with optional origins and destinations:
Goran je pobjegao u sobu. Goran ran away to the room.
It can be also used with persons in DL, indicating who was supposed to be ‘in control’ of someone:
Goran je pobjegao Ani. Goran ran away from Ana.
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* There’s no regular verbal noun; the noun strah fear can be used when needed.
This verb is always used with a se².
It can be used with objects in G, indicating the source of fear:
Goran se boji pasa. Goran is afraid of dogs.
It is also often used with clauses, where any type of verb can be used in any tense:
Ana se boji [da će biti hladno]. Ana is afraid [(that) it will be cold].
There’s something special in clauses used with this verb: when perf. verbs are used in the present tense in such a clause, they usually have ‘empty’ negation, i.e. you say what somebody doesn’t want to happen:
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Bojim se... ...[da je pala]. ...[da ne padne]. ...[da će pasti]. |
I’m afraid... ...[she has fallen]. ...[he/she might fall]. ...[he/she’s going to fall]. |
= past = present; Croatian: negation! = future |
You can’t say "bojim se da padne", ever.
An ‘empty’ negation is mandatory in the present tense, but it’s sometimes seen in the past and future tense as well.
Such negation applies only to perf. verbs and doesn’t affect the meaning.
↓ boljeti (boli,...) ~¹ za- («) ache, feel pain
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* There’s no regular verbal noun; the noun bol f pain can be used when needed.
This verb pair is used unlike in English: the body part that hurts is the subject, while the person who feels the pain is the object in A:
Anu boli zub. Ana’s teeth hurts.
Boljela me noga. My leg has hurt.
Although persons affected are actually objects in such sentences, they usually come first in the sentence.
The verb zaboljeti («) is ‘semelfactive’, i.e. usually stands for a ‘single’, brief or short pain; sometimes, it can also stand for pain that started at some definite time.
Anu je zabolio zub. Ana’s teeth hurt for a moment. (or: started to hurt)
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* There’s no regular verbal noun; the noun borba fight is used when needed.
This verb is always used with a se².
When you are fighting against someone or something, it can be expressed with protiv + G:
Policija se bori protiv zločina. The police fight (against) crime.
(Notice that policija is an ordinary singular noun in Croatian.)
It’s more common to express who or what is fought using s¨ / sa¨ + I:
Ana se bori sa snom. Ana is fighting sleep. (lit. ‘dream’)
Unlike in English, this verb cannot be used with simple objects (e.g. fight sleep).
This verb can be used with atemporal clauses (where only present tense can be used, of both perf. and impf. verbs) – they represent a desire or goal here. In this use, English prefers the verb struggle:
Mnogi se bore [da nađu posao]. Many are struggling [to find a job].
Note that the structure is unlike English.
The agent noun is borac (borc-) fighter. The feminine noun is not well-established yet, but some people use borkinja.
↓ brinuti (brine) (se²) take care, worry
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* There’s no regular verbal noun; the noun briga care is used when needed.
This verb is used with an optional object, expressed with o¨ + DL; the use of se² is optional today:
Ana brine o Goranu. Ana takes care of Goran. (also possible: Ana se brine...)
Another option is an object expressed with za¨ + A:
Ana brine za Gorana. Ana takes care of Goran.
The verb can be used in the ‘reverse’ mode, meaning worry: se² can’t be used then, the affected person is the object in A, and the reason is the subject:
Goran me brine. Goran worries me.
In the ‘reverse’ mode, the subject can be a clause, usually starting with the conjunction što; it can use any tense, but no perf. verbs in the present tense:
Brine me [što ga ne vidim]. It worries me [that I can’t see him].
Since the clause is the subject then, the verb must be in the 3rd person singular, neuter in the past tense.
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This verb pair is used with an object in A:
Goran briše ruke. Goran is wiping his hands.
When someone is wiping themselves, a true reflexive se² is used, i.e. it can be emphasized as sebe:
Goran se briše. Goran is wiping himself. (what exactly – depends on the context)
The agent noun is brisač wiper, mostly used for various devices.
↓ buditi ~*/~ pro- («) wake up
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These verbs are usually used with se²; the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. ‘somebody wakes up on his or her own’:
Goran se budi. Goran is waking up.
Goran se probudio. Goran woke up.
This verb pair can be also used with an object in A, when someone is waking / has woken someone else up:
Ana je probudila Gorana. Ana has woken Goran up.
↓ crtati ~* na- draw (a sketch, picture)
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* There’s no perfective verbal noun, but the noun crtež can be used instead, it also translates to English drawing, but in the sense of a result, i.e. what is drawn on a surface.
This verb pair means only draw drawings or lines on some surface. It’s used with an optional object in A (mandatory for the perf. verb):
Goran crta. Goran is drawing.
Goran je nacrtao psa. Goran has drawn a dog.
There’s a secondary present adjective crtaći, used almost mostly for crtaći papir drawing paper, crtaći pribor drawing accessories, etc.
The agent nouns are crtač m / crtačica f drawer.
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* The imperative čekaj is often shortened to just ček, used as an exclamation.
This verb is used with an optional object in A:
Ivan čeka vlak. Ivan is waiting for a train.
It can be used with atemporal clauses (i.e. only present tense, of both perf. and impf. verbs) – when waiting for something to happen (unlike in English):
Ivan čeka [da Ana dođe kući]. Ivan is waiting for [Ana to come home].
The verb pričekati serves as both a common perfective (wait until something happens) and ‘semelfactive’ (wait a while):
Ivan je malo pričekao. Ivan waited for a short while.
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* Besides the verbal noun, the noun čestitka also common.
The recipient of congratulation is expressed in DL:
Čestitao sam Ani. I congratulated Ana. {m}
The occasion for congratulation is usually expressed with na¨ + DL:
Čestitala sam im na pobjedi. I congratulated them on the victory. {f}
↓ činiti ~ u- («) do; se² seem
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun čin act is used sometimes.
This verb pair is mostly used with se², in meaning seem – the person who thinks so can be expressed in DL. A content clause is often the subject (the verb is then always in the 3rd person, singular, neuter in the past):
Čini mi se [da pada kiša]. It seems to me [(that) it’s raining].
Činilo mi se [da je hladno]. It seemed to me [(that) it was cold].
The subject can be a noun, or a pronoun, but then the verb izgledati («) is used more often.
Also, the verbs, without se², mean do. Such use is more formal, and often seen in phrases:
Dobro je činiti dobro. ‘To do good is good.’ = It’s good to do good.
Using this verb to express do is common in Dalmatia.
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This verb is used with an optional object in A (mandatory for the perf. verb):
Ivan čisti auto. Ivan is cleaning the car.
Ivan je očistio auto. Ivan has cleaned the car.
When someone is cleaning themselves, a true reflexive se² is used, i.e. it can be emphasized as sebe:
Mačka se čisti. The cat is cleaning herself.
The agent nouns are čistač m / čistačica f cleaning person.
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This verb pair is used with an optional object in A (mandatory for the perf. verb):
Ana čita. Ana is reading.
Ana čita knjigu. Ana is reading a book.
Ana je pročitala knjigu. Ana has read the book. (the whole book)
With these sentences, a person in DL can be added to express reading to someone:
Ana čita knjigu Goranu. Ana is reading the book to Goran.
This verb pair can also be used with content clauses (starting with da or a question-word, all tenses can be used) or noun clauses (starting with što (č-) what):
Ana je pročitala [što se dogodilo]. Ana has read what had happened.
There’s a potential adjective čitljiv readable.
The agent nouns are čitač m / čitačica f reader. The masc. noun also covers devices used for reading.
There are more agent nouns: čitatelj m / čitateljica f also mean reader, but related to reading literature and newspapers. And there’s one more agent noun: čitalac (čitaoc-), also meaning reader.
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This verb behaves partly like a perf. verb, but it’s used in the present tense, in meaning can hear.
It’s used with an object in A:
Čujem pticu. I can hear a bird.
With a se², it gets mediopassive meaning, that is, something (in N) can be heard:
Ptica se čuje. A bird can be heard.
This verb can also be used with content clauses, starting with da or a question-word (all tenses can be used):
Čula sam [da je Goran na igralištu]. I heard [Goran was on the playground]. {f}
Ana je čula [što se dogodilo]. Ana heard [what had happened].
Note that while in English we have adjustment of tenses (has happened → had happened), the Croatian sentence simply uses the past tense in the content clause – there’s no adjustment of tenses in Croatian.
Historically, čuven was a passive adjective, but it has shifted its meaning, and today it means only famous.
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It’s used with an object in A:
Ana čuva pisma u ladici. Ana keeps letters in the drawer.
With a se², it gets mediopassive meaning, that is, something (in N) is kept, is stored:
Novac se čuva u banci. The money is kept in the bank.
This verb is used for storing valuable things in special places. If you keep the keys in your pocket, the verb držati (drži) hold is rather used.
The agent nouns are čuvar m / čuvarica keeper, guard.
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* The impf. verb has alternative forms: pres. adv. davajući and imper-2 davaj.
This pair is used with an object in A and an optional recipient in DL:
Ana je dala knjigu Ivani. Ana has given the book to Ivana.
With a se², it gets mediopassive meaning, that is, something (in N) is given:
Injekcija se daje u ruku . The injection is given in the arm.
This pair is not used to ‘give’ a speech, a lecture, etc; use držati (drži) hold; keep.
The perfective verb dati is also used in three specific constructions. First, a bit colloquially, it means let, allow when used with a clause:
Ana ne da Goranu
[da trči].
Ana doesn’t let Goran [run].
(lit. ‘doesn’t give Goran that he runs’)
More colloquially, when used with a a se² and inf, the meaning is can (this is a passive construction, so no objects, but there’s a subject!):
Prozor se ne da otvoriti. (colloq.) The window can’t be opened.
Prozor se nije dao otvoriti. (colloq.) The window couldn’t be opened.
When a person in DL is added to the last construction, it means the person can or can’t be bothered (it’s used for unpleasant things, and maybe a bit colloquial):
Ani se ne da prati prozore. Ana can’t be bothered to wash windows.
Ani se nije dalo prati prozore. Ana couldn’t be bothered to wash windows.
This is usually used with negation; here the subject of the verb dati is actually the verb in inf (possibly with its objects), so the verb dati must be in the 3rd person, neuter.
These three constructions use only the perf. verb dati, even in the present tense!
The last two constructions are not used in Serbia.
↓ dešavati («) se² ~ desiti («) se² happen (colloq.)
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This verb pair is always used with a se².
It’s considered non-standard, but it’s frequent in speech and casual writing. The impf. verb usually corresponds to go on, while perf. corresponds to happen:
Nešto se dešava u dvorištu. Something is going on in the yard.
Nešto se desilo jučer. Something happened yesterday.
Persons affected can be expressed in DL:
Nešto nam se desilo jučer. Something happened to us yesterday.
The same meaning can be expressed with događati («) se² ~ dogoditi («) se² happen.
↓ dizati (diže) ~ dići / dignuti (digne,...) raise, lift, rise
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The perf. verb has alternative inf and past forms; both are regarded standard.
The basic meaning is lift, raise, and the object is in A:
Goran je digao ruku . Goran raised his hand.
With a se², the meaning is mediopassive, the subject raises on their own, usually corresponding to English get up, rise; this is a bit colloquial:
Goran se digao. Goran got up.
The same expression is used for the Sun and the Moon:
Sunce se diglo. The Sun rose.
↓ dobivati («) ~ dobiti (dobije) get (a thing, a message, an idea)
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* There are alternative, non-standard present forms dobija and dobi.
This verb pair is used with an object in A (more or less mandatory) and optional origins:
Ana je dobila poruku. Ana has got a message.
Ana je dobila poruku iz banke. Ana has got a message from the bank.
When the origin is a person, it’s expressed by od¨ + G:
Ana je dobila poruku od Ivana. Ana has got a message from Ivan.
Using this verb to get messages is a bit colloquial, but common; a more formal way is using primati ~ primiti receive.
It’s also used to get things or any kind:
Dobili smo besplatno piće. We got free drinks.
This pair is used when you physically get something (someone brought you or sent you something), and when you get an e-mail, disease, idea, child or chance. It’s not used to express many other things expressed with English get:
- to express get beer from the fridge, use donositi («) ~ don
ijeti (donese,...) bring (things) - to express I got what you said, use shvaćati ~~ shvatiti understand
- to express I got home, got to work, use dolaziti ~ doći (dođe,...) come, arrive
- to express I’ve got to go, gotta go, use morati must, have to
- to express I got hungry, use postajati (postaje) ~ postati (postane) become
- to express get in touch, use javljati ~ javiti inform, get in touch
A quick rule is: in Croatian, if you can dobivati («) ~ dobiti (dobije) something, then you can imati have it (but the inverse doesn’t hold).
↓ dodavati (dodaje) ~ dodati add; pass (ball)
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* There are alternative, non-standard forms of the present tense of the impf. verb (dodavam, etc.) and the pres. adv. (dodavajući). The impf. imperative has a standard form which coincides with the perf. imperative, so dodavaj is actually more common.
The verb pair can be used with objects in A and optional recipients in DL:
Ana je dodala olovku Goranu. Ana has passed the pen to Goran.
This pair is frequently used to express passing ball in sports, and often the object in A is left out, as it’s assumed to be a ball:
Ivan je dodao loptu Marku. Ivan passed the ball to Marko.
Ivan je dodao Marku. (the same meaning, in sports!)
In cooking, chemistry, math, etc. this verb pair is used to express add; where things are added to is expressed as a destination:
Dodajte dvije žlice šećera u brašno. Add two tablespoons of sugar to the flour.
In writing, this verb expressed say/write something in addition, i.e. again corresponds to English add. It’s then used with content clauses, starting with da, and using any tense (but not perf. verbs in the present tense):
Ana je dodala [da će kupiti kolače]. Ana added [(that) she’ll buy the cakes].
This use is rare in speech.
↓ događati («) se² ~ dogoditi («) se² happen
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun događaj event is used when needed.
This verb pair is always used with a se². The impf. verb usually corresponds to go on, while perf. corresponds to happen:
Nešto se događa u dvorištu. Something is going on in the yard.
Nešto se dogodilo jučer. Something happened yesterday.
Persons affected can be expressed in DL:
Nešto nam se dogodilo jučer. Something happened to us yesterday.
The same meaning can be expressed with dešavati («) se² ~ desiti se² happen, which is considered a bit non-standard.
↓ dogovarati («) (se²) ~ dogovoriti («) (se²) negotiate, agree
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun dogovor agreement is used when needed.
This verb pair is used with se². Persons agreeing can be subjects, or one can be expressed with s¨ / sa¨ + I:
Ana i Goran su se dogovorili. Ana and Goran made an agreement.
Ana se dogovorila s Goranom. Ana made an agreement with Goran.
If you want to express what was agreed, it’s usually expressed with an unrestricted da-clause: present of both impf. and perf. verbs can be used in them, usually expressing relative future (this is a special behavior). When such clause is used, the particle se² is sometimes left out:
Ana i Goran su se dogovorili
[da će ići u kino].
Ana and Goran have agreed [to go to the cinema].
(Note that this is an exceptional behavior, as most verb use clauses with some restrictions, e.g. content or atemporal clauses.)
↓ dolaziti ~ doći (dođe,...) come, arrive
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun; the noun dolazak (dolask-) arrival can be used.
This verb pair is used with optional destinations and origins:
Goran je došao u sobu. Goran came to the room.
Goran je došao s igrališta. Goran came from the playground.
As with other verbs of motion, if someone came somewhere to pick up something or pick/get someone, it can be expressed with po¨ + A:
Goran je došao po čistu majicu. Goran came to take a clean T-shirt.
Ana je došla po Gorana. Ana came to get Goran.
The idea is: you came somewhere to take something or someone with you.
Also, as with other verbs of motion, if someone came somewhere to do something, it can be expressed with inf, and objects etc. can be added to it:
Goran je došao popiti vode. Goran came to drink some water.
These verbs are used with both ‘time frames’ (za¨ + period), meaning how much time it took/will take to get there, and ‘round trip’ time periods (na¨ + period), meaning how much time you are going to stay there:
Došla sam za dva sata. I arrived in two hours. {f}
Došla sam na tri dana. I arrived for three days. {f}
This verb pair is also used in a frequent impersonal construction, meaning take place, come about, occur; what took place is expressed with do¨ + G (and there’s no subject, of course):
Dolazi do promjena. Changes are taking place. (i.e. There are changes.)
Došlo je do promjena. Changes took place. (i.e. There were changes.)
(Of course, the verb must be in neuter singular, as in any impersonal expression.)
↓
donositi («) ~ donijeti (donese,...) bring (things)
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* The perf. verb has alternative, non-standard past forms and infinitive, marked with an asterisk.
** The perf. passive adjective has one more form, but non-standard: donešen.
This verb pair is used with objects in A, and optional destinations and origins:
Goran je donio knjigu. Goran brought the book.
Goran je donio knjigu u sobu. Goran brought the book to the room.
Destinations can be persons in DL:
Ana je donijela Goranu sladoled. Ana has brought Goran an ice-cream.
This verb pair is used only for bringing things, including abstract things (e.g. happiness).
To bring people and animals, dovoditi («) ~ dovesti (dovede, doveo) bring (someone) is used.
(An exception is that some speakers will use this verb pair for small animals which are always carried, e.g. hamsters.)
The difference between this pair and odnositi («) ~ odnijeti (odnese,...) take (carry things)
is similar to come vs. go.
This verb pair is, idiomatically, used to make decisions:
Ana je donijela odluku. Ana made a decision.
↓
dopuštati («) ~ dopustiti («) allow, let
* The perfective verbal noun dopuštenje is used as a common noun, meaning permission. This verb pair is used with atemporal clauses (where only present tense can be used, of both perf. and impf. verbs), where persons in DL are allowed (by the subject) to do what is expressed by the clause:
Ana je dopustila Goranu
[da gleda film].
Ana has let Goran watch the movie.
As with other atemporal clauses, the pronoun to can be used instead:
Ana to nije dopustila Goranu.
Ana didn’t allow Goran that.
The same meaning is often colloquially expressed with dati perf. give. There’s a potential adjective dopustiv allowable, mostly used negated, i.e. nedopustiv unallowable.
impf. perf.
pres-1
dopuštam
dopustim
pres-3
dopušta
dopusti
pres-3pl
dopuštaju
dopuste
pres. adv.
dopuštajući
—
imper-2
dopuštaj
dopusti
impf. perf.
inf
dopuštati
dopustiti
past-m
dopuštao
dopustio
past-f
dopuštala
dopustila
pass. adj.
—
dopušten
gerund
dopuštanje
dopuštenje *
↓ dovoditi («) ~ dovesti (dovede, doveo) bring (someone)
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This verb pair is used with objects in A, and optional destinations and origins. The objects are always persons, including babies, or animals that walk (cats, dogs, horses, etc.):
Ana je dovela Gorana u školu. Ana brought Goran to school.
Bringing anything else is expressed by donositi («)
~ donijeti (donese,...) bring (things).
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This verb is used with an object in A, and what is used for holding is optionally expressed with I:
Goran drži loptu. Goran is holding a ball.
Goran drži loptu rukama. Goran is holding a ball with his hands.
If something or someone is held by a part, you should use za¨ + A:
Goran je držao Anu za ruku. Goran held Ana by her hand. (or: held Ana’s hand)
In Croatian, you don’t hold someone’s body part, you rather hold someone (in A) za¨ + body part (in A). An exception is when you have something to do with a body part (want to wash it, examine it, paint it...).
With a se², it means someone holds on something to support themselves:
Drži se! Hold on tight! (to someone you’re familiar with)
What someone is holding to support themselves is expressed with za¨ + A; you can again add what exactly someone uses to hold, in I:
Goran se drži za ogradu. Goran is holding on to the fence.
Goran se drži rukom za ogradu. Goran is holding on to the fence with his hand.
This verb is also used when something is kept somewhere, expressed as a location (not a special guarded place, but rather a drawer or a pocket):
Ana drži ključeve u torbi. Ana keeps the keys in the purse.
With this verb, metaphorically, you can ‘keep’ riječ word and obećanje promise,
like in English, and also ‘hold’ predavanje lecture and govor speech.
A special case is the ‘location’ na oku, expressing keeping an eye on something or someone (basically the opposite of what is used in English):
Drži ga na oku! Keep an eye on him/it! (lit. ‘keep him/it on your eye’)
The agent noun is držač holder, mostly used for devices and things used for holding.
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This verb is a colloquial version of nedostajati (nedostaje) and uses cases in the same way.
What is missing is the subject:
Jedan dio fali. (colloq.) One part is missing.
If somebody is missing something, what’s missing is still the subject, and the person affected is in DL, and then it usually comes first:
Ani fali jedan dio. (colloq.) Ana is missing one part.
In such sentences, the affected person usually comes first, despite not being the subject.
As usual, the subject (what is missing) is often implied by the verb form:
Fališ mi. (colloq.) I miss you.
Note that this verb is not used to express miss a bus, miss a chance or miss a shot – specific verbs are used instead.
↓ gasiti ~*/~ u- («) extinguish, turn off
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This verb pair can be used with an object in A – for things that burn, but also for lights, engines, cars, TV and many other things:
Ugasili su vatru. They’ve extinguished the fire.
Ugasit ću televiziju. I’ll turn the TV off.
This verb pair can be also used with se², the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. something happens or has happened to the subject, but we don’t say who is causing it, or it happens ‘on its own’, fire stops on its own, some device turns off by itself, etc.:
Svijeća se ugasila. The candle has burned out.
The opposite meaning is expressed by paliti ~*/~ u- («) ignite, turn on.
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This verb pair can be used with an object in A:
Gledamo film. We’re watching a movie.
Although there’s perf. verb pogledati, it’s used much less often than other perf. verbs. For some reason, it’s not used when watching anything for fun, even if you have watched the whole movie, you would use the impf. verb:
Gledao sam film. I’ve watched the movie. {m} (not pogledao)
However, if you watched an online lecture, it’s more common to use the perf. verb as well:
Pogledao sam predavanje. I’ve watched the lecture. (the whole lecture) {m}
Gledao sam predavanje. {m} (also possible and used)
The imperative is also found shortened as gle, but the meaning is shifted: look. You would never say gle predavanje meaning watch the lecture, but you would say gle, avion look, an airplane.
There’s a potential adjective gledljiv wachable.
The agent nouns are gledatelj m / gledateljica f watcher. There’s another masc. noun: gledalac (gledaoc-).
↓ govoriti («) ~ reći (reče / kaže,...) say
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There are several verbs overlapping with slightly different meanings and use. The verb reći (...) is usually used with an optional person in DL (the recipient of speech) and several possible ways to express what was said. A common option are content clauses, starting with da or a question-word (all tenses can be used, but no perf. verbs in the present tense):
Rekao sam Ani
[da je Goran na igralištu].
I told Ana [Goran was on the playground]. {m}
Rekao sam joj [gdje je Goran]. I told her [where Goran was]. {m}
Observe that there’s no tense shift in Croatian.
It can be used with simple objects in A, standing for what is said:
Rekao sam joj istinu. I told her the truth. {m}
This verb reći (...) is mostly used in imperative, past and future tenses and conditional. In the present tense, most speakers use kazati (kaže), even in the true present tense:
Kad kažeš [da me voliš].... When you say [you love me]...
Kažem ti... I’m telling you...
The present tense forms of the verb reći (...) are common in speech in Dalmatia, but usually not used in the real present tense:
Kad mi rečeš... (colloq., Dalmatia) When you tell me...
The verb govoriti («) has a bit different meaning: speak. It’s less often used with clauses; it’s rather used to express information about speech, not what was exactly spoken:
Ona govori jako tiho. She speaks very quietly.
Govorio je o svojoj djeci. He spoke about her children.
The agent nouns are govornik m / govornica f speaker. The feminine noun also covers the meaning speaker’s platform.
↓ graditi ~* iz- («), sa- («) build
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* As a verbal noun, the noun gradnja is also used.
There are two perf. verbs which have more or less the same meaning.
This verb pair is usually used with an object in A:
Goran je izgradio dvorac. Goran has built a castle.
The agent nouns are graditelj m / graditeljica f builder.
↓ grijati (grije) ~* u- heat, warm
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This verb pair is usually used with se², the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. something happens or has happened to the subject, but we don’t say who is causing it, or it happens on its own:
Pivo se grije. The beer is warming.
More se ugrijalo. The sea warmed.
This verb pair can be also used with an object in A:
Ugrijala sam ručak. I’ve warmed the lunch. {f}
The opposite meaning is expressed by hladiti ~* o- («) cool.
The agent nouns are grijač m / grijačica f heater. The masc. noun also covers various devices (heaters).
↓
griješiti ~ po- («) err, make mistake
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun pogreška error is used when needed. In meaning sin, the noun grijeh is also used.
The verb pair is often used without an object:
Pogriješio sam. I’ve made a mistake. {m}
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun gubitak (gubitk-) loss is used when needed.
This verb pair is used with objects in A:
Ana je izgubila narukvicu. Ana has lost a bracelet.
It’s also used when people or teams lose in sports or games, without any object:
Jučer smo izgubili. We lost yesterday.
With a se², it gets mediopassive meaning, the subject became (got) lost:
Izgubili su se. They got lost.
The agent nouns are gubitnik m / gubitnica f loser.
↓ gurati ~ gurnuti (gurne) push
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This verb pair is used with an object in A:
Goran gura bicikl. Goran is pushing the bicycle.
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This verb pair is usually used with se², the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. something happens or has happened to the subject, but we don’t say who is causing it, or it happens on its own:
Pivo se hladi. The beer is cooling.
More se ohladilo. The sea became cold.
This verb pair can be also used with an object in A:
Ohladili smo vino. We’ve cooled the wine.
The opposite meaning is expressed by grijati (grije) ~ u- («) warm.
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This verb pair is used with an object in A:
Ana je nahranila mačku. Ana has fed the cat.
There’s a potential adjective hranjiv nutritious, with a bit unexpected meaning.
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This verb is used with an object in A, but this is rather direct and considered rude in the 1st person, so it’s usually ‘softened’ with conditional:
Hoću kavu. I want (a) coffee. (considered rude in most regions)
Htjela bih kavu. I’d like (a) coffee. {f}
Of course, it’s not rude in 2nd and 3nd persons and when you’re asking about others:
Hoćeš kavu? (colloq.) Do you want (a) coffee?
The verb can be used with another verb in inf, which can have its objects, etc:
Hoću kupiti nešto. I want to buy something. (maybe a bit rude)
Htjela bih kupiti nešto. I’d like to buy something. {f}
Clitic forms are used as auxiliary verbs, to form the future tense with verbs in inf:
Kupit ću nešto. I’ll buy something.
If you form questions by putting the verb first, you must use stresed forms:
Hoćeš li kupiti nešto? Will you buy something? (or: Do you want to buy something?)
Since such questions are a bit ambiguous, a more precise verb željeti (želi,...) ~¹/~~ po- («), za- («) want, wish, desire is often used.
If the other verb is ići (ide,...) go with a destination, it can be left out in speech, leaving only a destination, including when it’s just a future tense auxiliary:
Hoćemo li ići u kino? Shall we go to the cinema?
Hoćemo u kino? (the same meaning, in speech)
The same happens with the verbs morati must, have to, trebati need / should, etc.
In speech, present tense forms are often pronounced without the h- (i.e. oću, oćeš...); the pres-2 form can be shortened to just oš, which is regarded as very colloquial:
Oš kavu? (very colloq.) Wanna a coffee? (also spelled as 'Oš kavu?)
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This verb pair is used with an object in A:
Goran je uhvatio loptu. Goran caught the ball.
What is used for catching is expressed in I:
Goran je uhvatio loptu rukom. Goran caught the ball with his hand.
If you want to express that something is caught by a part, you should use za¨ + A:
Goran je uhvatio Anu za ruku . Goran caught Ana by her hand.
(Note that these constructions coincide with ones used with držati (drži) hold; keep).
With a mediopassive se², the meaning is often cleave, stick, cling; it’s often used with destinations:
Prašina se hvata na odjeću. The dust sticks to clothes.
This construction is also used when the snow that fell doesn’t melt:
Snijeg se hvata na grane. The snow is sticking to branches.
There’s a potential adjective uhvatljiv catchable.
The agent nouns are hvatač m / hvatačica f catcher. They also covers various devices (catchers).
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This verb is used with destinations and (less often) origins:
Idemo u kino. We’re going to the cinema.
Idem s posla. I’m going from work.
Used impersonally (i.e. in the 3rd pers. singular, neuter forms in the past tense) with a person in DL and an adverb, it describes how that person is ‘doing’:
Ide nam dobro. We’re doing fine.
Išlo mi je super. (colloq.) I was doing great.
This corresponds exactly to German es geht mir gut and similar phrases.
This verb can be used with another in infinitive, which can have its objects, and so on:
Idemo jesti pizzu. Let’s eat pizza. / We’re going for a pizza.
The meaning can be either inviting/encouraging, or it can be literal, i.e. going somewhere to do something there.
The 1st person imperative plural idimo is rare. The pres-1pl is used instead:
Idemo! Let’s go!
† The present adverb idući is often used as a true adjective, meaning next:
Idući dan smo išli u restoran. We went to a restaurant the next day.
Iduće ljeto idemo u Francusku. We’re going to France the next summer.
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The verb is used with an object in A:
Ivan igra košarku. Ivan is playing basketball.
When someone is not playing a specific game, but e.g. with toys, a se² must be used:
Goran se igra. Goran is playing.
The agent nouns are igrač m / igračica f player.
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The verb is used with objects in A:
Goran ima loptu. Goran has a ball.
The negative present tense is one word, the ne¨ gets fused:
Ana nema kišobran. Ana doesn’t have an umbrella.
(You’ll also see fused negative inf: nemati.)
In the 3rd pers. present, the verb used in so-called existential phrases, corresponding to English there is... or there are..., with G (for uncountable nouns) or G-pl objects (for countable nouns):
Nema šećera. There’s no sugar.
Ima jabuka. There are some apples.
In the past and future tenses, such phrases use the verb biti (je² +) be instead:
Nije bilo šećera. There was no sugar.
Bit će jabuka. There will be some apples.
Unlike in English, the existential phrase is also used with personal pronouns:
Nema ih. They are not here. (lit. ‘There’s no them.’)
Nije te bilo. You weren’t here. (lit. ‘There was no you.’)
If you want to express there’s a... — with single countable things and immaterial concepts — you can use N, but it’s less frequent:
Ima jedan problem. There’s a problem.
This can’t be done when the phrase is negated (there’s no): G-pl must be used then:
Nema problema. There are no problems.
Pay attention: in existential phrases, verbs are always in the 3rd person, singular.
↓ isključivati (isključuje) ~ isključiti («) exclude; turn off (device)
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The verb is used with objects in A, usually for turning off various devices and power supplies:
Ana je isključila pećnicu. Ana has turned the oven off.
There’s a potential adjective isključiv exclusive.
↓ ispadati ~ ispasti (ispadne, ispao) fall out, drop out, turn out
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It’s used when something literally falls out, from an optional origin:
Mobitel je ispao iz Anine torbe. The mobile phone fell out of Ana’s purse.
If someone was involved (but didn’t cause it) you can add them in DL:
Ani je ispao mobitel. Ana’s mobile phone fell out (somehow).
This pair is not used to express falling out with someone, i.e. having an argument.
It’s also used to express when someone is eliminated from a competition:
Hrvatska je ispala s prvenstva. Croatia has dropped out of the championship.
A content clause (i.e. all tenses, but no perf. verbs in present) can be the subject (so the verb must impersonal) and the meaning is turn out that...:
Ispalo je [da nemam novca]. It turned out [I had no money].
Ispada
[da je plaža predaleko].
lit. ‘It turns out [the beach is too far]’.
= The beach turns out to be too far.
This is a bit colloquial; a formal way is using the verb pair pokazivati (pokazuje) ~ pokazati (pokaže) show. Also, note that there’s no adjustment of tenses in Croatian!
The subject is usually not something turning up to have unexpected properties, unlike English, but a whole clause. However, you can use adjectives in N to specify how good, how big and how expensive something (the subject) turned out:
Sve je ispalo dobro. Everything turned out well.
Kolač je ispao odličan. The cake turned out excellent.
Cipele su ispale premale. The shoes turned out (to be) too small.
Adverbs can be also used, but only to express how good something turned out:
Kolač je ispao grozno. The cake turned out terrible. (lit. ‘terribly’)
This pair can’t have an object, and doesn’t cover various meanings of English turn out, such as attend, turn off (lights), produce.
↓ ispravljati ~ ispraviti correct
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun ispravak (ispravk-) correction is used when needed.
This verb pair is used with an object in A:
Goran je ispravio greške. Goran has corrected errors.
↓ izgledati («) appear, look, seem
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* There’s no regular verbal noun, the noun izgled look is used when needed.
This verb is usually used with adverbs, describing how someone looks:
Izgledaš odlično. You look great.
A content clause (starting with da) can be the subject, meaning it seems that...:
Izgleda [da će padati kiša]. It seems [it’s going to rain].
Izgledalo je [da će padati kiša]. It seemed [it was going to rain].
While English adjusts tenses in the last example (it is → it was), Croatian doesn’t – there’s no adjustment of tenses in Croatian!
↓ izlaziti ~ izaći (izađe,...) go out
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* The perf. verb has alternative forms izići (iziđe,...) that are preferred by Standard Croatian, but less common in the real life.
** There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun izlazak (izlask-) is used when needed.
This verb pair is used with optional origins and (sometimes) destinations:
Goran je izašao iz sobe. Goran came out of the room.
Goran je izašao iz kuće na dvorište. Goran came out of the house to the yard.
↓ javljati ~ javiti inform, get in touch
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This verb pair can be used in two ways. First, with se², and optionally a person (or a group, institution) in DL, in meaning get in touch, contact:
Javi mi se [kad dođeš u hotel]. Contact me [when you come to the hotel].
Another meaning – inform – is expressed with a content clause instead of se²; the use of optional DL is the same:
Ana nam je javila
[da je sve u redu].
Ana has informed us [that everything is fine].
↓ jesti (jede, jeo) ~* po- eat
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The process verb is used with an optional object in A, normally mandatory for the completion verb:
Goran jede. Goran is eating.
Goran je pojeo kolač. Goran has eaten a cake.
There’s a potential adjective jestiv eatable.
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This verb is used without objects:
Ana ponekad kašlje. Ana coughs sometimes.
↓ kihati (kiše) ~¹ kihnuti (kihne) sneeze
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These verbs are used without objects:
Goran stalno kiše. Goran sneezes all the time.
The verb kihnuti (kihne) is ‘semelfactive’, i.e. it means sneeze once:
Goran je dvaput kihnuo. Goran sneezed twice.
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* The passive adjective and verbal noun have alternative forms korišćen and korišćenje. You’ll hear them in speech and see sometimes in writing, even in scientific articles and newspapers. They are considered non-standard in Croatia, but they’re standard in Bosnia and Serbia. They are also common in some dialects in Croatia.
This verb is often used with an object in A (some people consider it non-standard in Croatian, but it’s widespread):
Ana koristi žlicu. Ana is using a spoon.
Much less frequent, but standard in Croatian, is use with se² and an object in I:
Ana se koristi žlicom. (the same meaning, less common)
Finally, the verb can be used in the ‘reverse’ mode: something that’s useful (or not) is the subject (in N), and the person who will benefit (or not) is in DL:
Žlica će ti koristiti. The spoon will be useful to you.
To nam ne koristi. This is of no use to us.
The agent nouns are korisnik m / korisnica f user.
There’s a derived adjective koristan (korisn-) useful.
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This verb used with an object in A, normally an amount of money:
Olovka košta jednu kunu. The pencil costs one kuna.
The amount can be generic:
Pizza ovdje košta puno. A pizza costs a lot here.
A more formal way to express this, used sometimes in writing, is stajati (stoji) stand.
↓ krasti (krade, krao) ~ u- (») steal
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* There’s no regular impf. verbal noun, the noun krađa is used when needed.
This verb pair is used with optional objects in A:, mandatory for the perf. verb:
Netko krade lopte. Somebody steals balls.
Netko je ukrao loptu. Somebody stole the ball.
If you want to express who you stole something from, you can use DL:
Netko je ukrao Goranu loptu. Somebody stole the ball from Goran.
The agent nouns are kradljivac (kradljivc-) m / kradljivica f thief, stealer, but the noun lopov is more common in that meaning.
↓ kretati (kreće) ~~ krenuti (krene) move
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The impf. verb is used usually with se²:
Auto se kreće. The car is moving.
The perf. verb is ‘inchoative’, meaning start moving, and is used usually without se²:
Auto je krenuo. The car started moving.
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While English prefers other verbs in some instances, i.e. make coffee, prepare lunch etc., Croatian prefers this verb pair whenever an oven or stove are used. This verb pair is used with an optional object in A:
Ana kuha. Ana is cooking.
Ana kuha kavu. Ana is ‘cooking’ coffee.
With a se² the meaning is mediopassive, e.g. for things left to cook:
Juha se kuha. The soup is cooking.
In Bosnia and Serbia, this verb pair usually has the form kuvati ~ s-.
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This verb pair is very often used with se², in meaning that someone is in a bathtub or a lake, pool, sea, river, either washing or just enjoying themselves (where English would use e.g. swim):
Ana se kupa u bazenu. Ana is ‘bathing’ in a pool.
Okupali smo se danas. We have swum today.
With an object in A, the meaning is that someone is bathing someone else:
Ivana kupa Luku. Ivana is giving a bath to Luka.
There’s a secondary present adjective kupaći, which is used only to describe swimming costume and swimming trunks, often without the accompanying noun.
The agent nouns are kupač m / kupačica f bather; they often correspond to swimmer, basically anyone who is in the sea, a lake, a pool, etc. except for sports or work.
↓ kupovati (kupuje) ~ kupiti buy
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, nouns kupnja and kupovina are used when needed.
The verb pair is normally used with an object in A:
Ana je kupila kruh. Ana has bought bread.
If you buy something for someone, that person is usually expressed in DL:
Ana je kupila Goranu majicu. Ana has bought Goran a T-shirt.
The agent noun is kupac (kupc-) buyer, customer. The feminine noun is not well-established yet.
↓ kvariti ~ po- («) break, spoil
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This verb pair is usually used with a se²; the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. something happens or has happened to the subject, but we don’t say who is causing it, who has caused it, or it has happened ‘on its own’.
With machines and devices, it corresponds to English break down:
Auto se pokvario. The car broke down.
With food, it corresponds to English spoil:
Mlijeko se pokvarilo. The milk has spoiled.
With an object in A, the meaning is that somebody damages something complex, usually in an invisible way:
Goran je pokvario Anin mobitel. Goran has broken Ana’s mobile phone.
The passive adjective pokvaren has wide meanings: corrupt, spoiled, dirty-minded, etc.
There’s a potential adjective kvarljiv perishable.
↓ lagati (laže) ~ s- lie (tell lies)
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The verbs can be used without an object:
Goran laže. Goran is telling lies.
The verbs is usually used with an optional person in DL (recipient of lies) and several possible ways to express what was said. One common option are content clauses, starting with da or a question-word (all tenses can be used):
Goran je slagao Ani [gdje je bio]. Goran has lied to Ana [about where he was].
Note: the perf. verb coincides in writing with the impf. slagati (slaže) arrange, put together, but there’s no confusion since the contexts are completely different. Besides, those who have a difference between short vs. long vowels in their speech have a long a in the other verb:
Slagao je... He told a lie...
Slāgao je... He was arranging... (in dialects with long vowels)
This difference is never indicated in writing, unlike some other long vowels.
There’s a potential adjective lažljiv lying, double-tongued.
↓ letjeti (leti,...) ~ od- («), do- («) fly
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There are two perfective verbs, but they don't have exactly the same meaning, they rather form a go-come pair: the verb derived with od- is simply the perfective version of the impf. verb; it covers fly away as well.
The perf. verb derived with do- is used in situations where the English come can be used to; it’s essentially come by flying.
The verbs are used with destinations and origins:
Ptice lete. Birds are flying.
Ptice lete na jug. Birds are flying south.
† The present adverb leteći is also used as a true adjective, meaning flying, e.g. leteći tepih is flying carpet.
↓ ležati (leži) ~~ leći (legne,...) lie (e.g. on bed)
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The impf. verb is used with optional locations:
Goran leži. Goran is lying down.
Goran leži na podu. Goran is lying on the floor.
The perf. verb – it’s really ‘inchoative’, describing entering a state – corresponds to English lie down. It’s used with optional destinations:
Goran je legao. Goran has lain down.
Goran je legao na pod. Goran has lain down on the floor.
† The present adverb ležeći is also used as a true adjective, meaning lying. For example, the phrase ležeći policajac, lit. ‘lying policeman’ is used for a speed bump.
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The basic meaning is break, but it’s much more specific than in English: the idea is breaking in a small number of nice pieces, e.g. a branch in two, similar to snap.
It’s used with objects in A (often bones, teeth and joints):
Goran je slomio granu. Goran has broken the branch.
Ptica je slomila krilo. The bird broke its wing.
When used with a se², the meaning is mediopassive: something breaks, ‘on its own’:
Grana se slomila. The branch has broken.
A se² is also used when someone breaks down:
Slomila se. She has broken down.
The verb is also used metaphorically, when someone breaks someone’s heart (the ownership of the heart is expressed with a possesive or DL):
Slomila mu je srce. She has broken his heart.
This verb pair is mainly used for:
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In many instances where English uses break, Croatian doesn’t use this pair!
- for something that shatters (plate, window glass...) or something big (car, door, wall...), use razbijati («) ~ razbiti (razbije) break, smash, shatter, crash
- for breaking a mechanism (car engine, computer...) so it doesn’t work anymore, use kvariti ~ po- («) break, spoil
There’s a potential adjective lomljiv fragile.
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The verb poljubiti («) is usually understood to mean a single kiss.
This verb pair is used with objects in A:
Ana je poljubila Gorana. Ana has kissed Goran.
It can be also used with mutual se², when subject is more than one person:
Ana i Marko su se poljubili. Ana and Marko kissed each other.
↓ micati (miče) ~ maknuti (makne) move
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This verb pair is usually used with a se², the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. something moves ‘on its own’:
Goran se miče. Goran is moving.
The verb pair can be also used with an object in A, when someone is moving something, esp. when moving something out of the way:
Goran je maknuo igračku. Goran has put the toy away.
↓
mijenjati ~*/~ promijeniti («) change
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These verbs are often seen in non-standard spelling, with je instead of ije, e.g. mjenjam.
This verb pair is very often used with se², in meaning something changes (‘on its own’):
Vrijeme se mijenja. The weather is changing.
Goran se promijenio. Goran has changed.
Note that vrijeme (vremen-, pl ») means both time and weather, depending on the context.
When used in the meaning weather, it has no plural, so plural forms mean only times:
Vremena se mijenjaju. The times are changing.
This verb doesn’t imply change clothes, unlike English change! You have to mention what is changed when someone changes clothes.
It can also be used with objects in A, meaning somebody changes something, including money:
Promijenili smo eure. We’ve changed euros.
There’s a potential adjective promjenjiv variable, inconstant, also appearing as promjenljiv. Both forms are considered standard, but the first one is more common.
You’ll also see spellings with -ije-:
promijenjiv and promijenljiv, which are less common and non-standard.
↓
miješati ~* pro- («) mix, stir; se² meddle
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These verbs are often seen in non-standard spelling, with je instead of ije, e.g. mješam.
This verb pair is used with single objects in A, coresponding to English stir:
Ana miješa juhu. Ana is stirring the soup.
With two objects in A, linked with i¨ it corresponds to English mix:
Ana je promiješala brašno i šećer. Ana mixed flour with sugar.
Another option is one object in A and another expressed by s¨ / sa¨ + I:
Ana je promiješala brašno sa šećerom. (the same meaning)
With a se² and u¨ + A, there’s meaning meddle; the one who is affected can be expressed in DL:
Šef se miješa Ani u razgovor. The boss is meddling in Ana’s conversation.
↓ misliti ~¹ po- ~˙˙˙ pomišljati («) think
| impf. | smlf. | iter. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| pres-1 | mislim | pomislim | pomišljam |
| pres-3 | misli | pomisli | pomišlja |
| pres-3pl | misle | pomisle | pomišljaju |
| pres. adv. | misleći | — | pomišljajući |
| imper-2 | misli | pomisli | pomišljaj |
| inf | misliti | pomisliti | pomišljati |
| past-m | mislio | pomislio | pomišljao |
| past-f | mislila | pomislila | pomišljala |
| pass. adj. | — | — | — |
| gerund | mišljenje * | — | — |
* The verbal noun mišljenje is also used as a common noun, meaning opinion.
The verbs are used usually with content clauses, starting with da, and using any tense:
Ana misli [da ima dovoljno novca]. Ana thinks [she has enough money].
The verb misliti can be also used with o¨ + DL, meaning think about:
Ana misli o Ivanu. Ana is thinking about Ivan.
The verb pomisliti is ‘semelfactive’, i.e. it means think for a moment, have a thought:
Ana je pomislila
[da će morati ići na bankomat].
Ana thought for a moment [she would have to go to the ATM].
The verb pomišljati («) is ‘iterative’, i.e. it means think once a while, think a bit.
The verb misliti, quite colloquially, means also intend; it’s then used with another verb in inf, which can have its objects, etc.:
Ana misli kupiti auto. (colloq.) Ana intends to buy a car.
Another way to express it is using the verb namjeravati («) intend.
↓ moći (može +,...) can, be able to
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* In traditional dialects of almost whole Croatia, this verb has other, fully regular present tense forms, with pres-3 more. Such forms are frequently found in songs, sometimes heard in movies etc. In the northern parts of Croatia, including Zagreb, negative present tense is contracted to one word, pres-3 nemre (note there’s no o). These forms are considered dialectal and very colloquial today.
The verb is used with another verb in infinitive, which can have its objects, etc.:
Goran može stajati na jednoj nozi. Goran can stand on one leg.
If the other verb is ići (ide,...) go, it can be left out in speech:
Možemo ići u restoran. We can go to a restaurant.
Možemo u restoran. (the same meaning, in speech)
In conditional, it corresponds to English could:
Mogli bismo ići u restoran. We could go to a restaurant.
Mogli bi u restoran. (the same, but colloquial, with bi² for all persons)
Colloquially, the pres-3 is used in meaning "alright, OK" with nouns in N:
Može jedna kava. (colloq.) ‘One coffee is OK.’ = Yes, I’d like one cup of coffee.
Colloquially, it’s also used in questions and positive responses (esp. when talking to people you’re familiar with):
Može jedna kava? Would you like a cup of coffee? / Can we get a cup of coffee?
— Može. ‘OK’ = Yes.
In this meaning, it can stay frozen in pres-3, regardless of what is offered / asked for:
Može dvije kave? Can we get two cups of coffee?
† The expected present adjective moguć is used only as an adjective, meaning possible; it’s never used as an adverb. The negated version nemoguć is very frequent:
To nije moguće. That’s not possible.
To je nemoguće. That’s impossible.
↓ moliti ~¹ za- («) kindly ask; pray
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* There’s no regular semelfactive verbal noun, the noun molba is used when needed.
This verb is usually used with a person in A (who receives the request) and an atemporal da-clause (only in pres. tense, but perf. verbs allowed) standing for what is asked:
Molim te [da kupiš kruh]. ‘I’m kindly asking [you to buy bread].’
It can be used with simple objects in A, standing for what is requested (note that we have two objects in A in such constructions):
Molim te kruh. ’I’m kindly asking you for the bread‘. = Bread, please.
The verb zamoliti («) is ‘semelfactive’, i.e. stands for individual requests, e.g. if you asked twice, you can say:
Zamolio sam te dvaput. ‘I’ve kindly asked you twice.’ {m}
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This verb is used with another verb in infinitive:
Ana mora jesti voće. Goran has to eat fruits.
The verb is in speech often ‘softened’ into conditional, in order not to sound like a command:
Morala bi spavati. You should sleep.
If the other verb is ići (ide,...) go with a destination, it can be left out in speech, leaving only a destination:
Ana mora ići na sastanak. Ana has to go to a meeting.
Ana mora na sastanak. (the same meaning, in speech)
The same happens with the verbs htjeti (hoće +,...) want, moći (može +,...) can, and trebati need / should.
This verb, when negated, means don’t have to:
Ana ne mora platiti račun. Ana doesn’t have to pay the bill.
To express must not, use the negated verb smjeti (smije,...) may, be allowed to.
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* There’s no regular verbal noun, the noun mržnja hate is used when needed.
The verb is used with objects in A:
Goran mrzi ribu. Goran hates fish.
It’s also used with another verb in infinitive, which can have own objects, and so on:
Goran mrzi jesti ribu. Goran hates eating fish.
You can also hate something expressed with a clause starting with što (all tenses are allowed, but no perf. verbs in present):
Ana mrzi [što stalno pada kiša]. lit. Ana hates [it’s raining all the time].
The perf. verb is ‘inchoative’, i.e. it means start of state:
Goran je zamrzio školu. Goran started to hate school.
The opposite meaning is expressed by voljeti (voli,...) love.
Daniel,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this excellent verb list (as well as the excellent introduction to Croatian). The sentence examples are very, very helpful.
My question is under the verb "boriti se," you state that it should be used with the genitive case as in "Ana se bori sa snom." Isn't "snom" in the instrumental case? Wouldn't "sanja" be the genitive case?
Thank you, Michael
You're right, of course! I've fixed it. The G case would be sna. This list is not the most recent I have, a much better list is in this PDF: https://od.lk/s/NTZfMTgyMzY2NF8/175EssentialCroatianVerbs%28DRAFT%29.pdf
DeleteI will update the online list soon to match the PDF. lp