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This is the third part of a list of the most useful Croatian verbs, containing 87 verbs. They are either listed individually, in verb pairs, and occasionally in triplets; this part contains 47 such entries.
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. Placing your mouse (or tapping on a touch screen) over an example will highlight cases used (colors are explained in the right margin).
Click on any item to show detailed information:
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This verb pair is always used with se².
The pair is most often used with content clauses i.e. clauses using any tense, but no perf. verbs in present:
Ana se nada
[da će vrijeme biti lijepo].
lit. Ana hopes [the weather is going to be nice].
It’s sometimes used with objects in DL, what somebody hopes for:
Nadamo se najboljem. We hope for the best.
The phrase hope not translates as:
Nadam se da ne. I hope not.
The verb ponadati («) se² is ‘semelfactive’: it stands for a brief hope, i.e. hope for a while.
↓ najavljivati (najavljuje) ~ najaviti («) announce, forecast
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* There’s no perfective verbal noun; the noun najava announcement is used when needed.
This verb pair can be used with simple objects in A, standing for what is announced:
Vlada je najavila nove poreze. The government announced new taxes.
These verbs cover more uses than in English, e.g. rain, snow or high temperatures can be ‘announced’ on TV:
Najavljena je kiša. The rain is ‘announced’. (i.e. forecast)
Hovever, they don’t mean declare.
Unlike in English, these verbs can have recipent of the announcement expressed in DL, i.e. they behave like promise or explain in Croatian:
Učiteljica je najavila učenicima ispit u utorak. The teacher announced an exam in Tuesday ‘to students’.
Another option which can be used are content clauses, starting with da or a question-word (usually in the future tense; no perf. verbs in the present tense are allowed):
Šef je najavio [da će neki dobiti povišicu]. The boss announced [some will get a raise].
↓ nalaziti ~¹/~ naći (nađe,...) find
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, nouns nalazak (nalask-) and nalaz are used when needed.
The verbs are used with objects in A, mostly the perf. verb:
Ana je našla ključ. Ana has found the key.
The impf. verb is usually used mediopassively, with se², meaning can be found, i.e. where something is located:
Kupaonica se nalazi na katu. The bathroom is (found) on the upper floor.
However, in everyday communication, simply using biti (je² +) ‘~’ (bude) be is more common.
Colloquially, with se², it’s used to express meeting someone (intentionally). Subjects can meet:
Naći ćemo se sutra. (colloq.) We’ll meet tomorrow.
The subject can meet someone else (expressed with s / sa¨ + I):
Našao sam se s njom. (colloq.) I met her. {m}
Another way to express the same thing is sastajati (sastaje) se² ~¹ sastati (sastane) se² meet (longer meeting, planned).
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* There’s no regular verbal noun, the noun namjera intention is used when needed.
The verb is used with another verb in infinitive, which can have additional objects and so on:
Ana namjerava kupiti auto. Ana intends to buy a car.
Another, but quite colloquial way to express the same is using the verb misliti think.
↓ napadati ~ napasti (napadne, napao) attack
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun napad attack is used when needed.
This pair is used with objects in A:
Napoleon je napao Rusiju. Napoleon attacked Russia.
The agent nouns are napadač m / napadačica f attacker.
↓ napuštati («) ~ napustiti («) abandon, leave
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The pair is used with objects in A:
Vlasnici su napustili kuću. The owners have abandoned the house.
This verb pair is not used to leave things or people somewhere (e.g. I left him on a bus stop, I left my wallet in the restaurant.).
For that purpose, the verb pair ostavljati ~ ostaviti is used.
↓ naručivati (naručuje) ~ naručiti («) order (food, drink, things)
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There’s no regular perf. verbal noun; narudžba order can be used when needed.
One use of this verb is to order something (an object in A) in a bar or restaurant, with an optional origin (od¨ + G for people):
Ana je naručila pizzu. Ana has ordered a pizza.
Another is to order something that will be sent to you (by mail or otherwise):
Ana je naručila knjigu s Interneta. Ana has ordered the book from the Internet.
↓ nastavljati ~ nastaviti continue
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, but nastavak (nastavk-) continuation, sequel can be used.
These verbs are usually with another verb in infinitive, which can have additional objects, etc.:
Ana je nastavila čitati knjigu. Ana has continued reading the book.
If an event, expressed by a noun, is continuing, it can be expressed by mediopassive, by making it a subject and adding a se²:
Priča se nastavlja. The story goes on.
↓ nedostajati (nedostaje) lack, miss
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This verb is used in a different way than the English miss. What is missing is the subject:
Jedan dio nedostaje. 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 nedostaje jedan dio. Ana is missing one part.
As usual, the subject (what/who is missing) is often implied by the verb form:
Nedostaješ mi. I miss you.
Nedostajala si mi. I missed you. {to a female}
Note that this verb is not used to express miss a bus, miss a chance or miss a shot – specific verbs are used instead.
There’s a frequent colloquial version of this verb: faliti, which is used in the same way.
↓ nestajati (nestaje) ~ nestati (nestane) disappear
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* The present forms of the perf. verb are also stresed as nestane, etc.
** There’s no regular perf. verbal noun; the noun nestanak (nestank-) is used when needed.
These verbs are used with subjects only:
Knjiga je nestala. The book has disappeared.
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This verb is used with objects in A and optional destinations:
Ana nosi kutiju. Ana is carrying a box.
Ana nosi kutiju u sobu. Ana is carrying a box to the room.
Another person in DL can be added as a recipient:
Ana nosi kutiju Goranu. Ana is carrying a box to Goran.
When subjects are people, and objects are clothing items or jewellery, the assumed meaning is wear:
Ana je nosila plavu majicu. Ana was wearing a blue T-shirt.
There’s a potential adjective nosiv, usually meaning wearable, but it’s also unexpectedly used in the phrase nosivi zid load bearing wall.
The agent nouns are nosač m / nosačica f carrier. These nouns are used for people who literally carry things; the masc. noun also covers various devices and abstract carriers.
There are also agent nouns nositelj m / nositeljica f, used metaphorically, for people who hold some title or medal. The noun nosilac (nosioc-) is used as well.
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This pair is usually used with an optional person in DL (recipient of the offer) and two possible ways to express what was offered. One possibility are objects in A:
Ana nudi Goranu jabuku. Ana is offering Goran an apple.
Another is a atemporal clauses, starting with da.
↓ obavljati ~ obaviti do (a task), get something done
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The main idea of this pair s performing a planned task, fufilling a duty, doing a chore: getting it done; what is done is often not really fun.
The pair is used with objects in A:
Ivan je obavio pregled. Ivan went to have a medical exam.
Objects are often generic:
Obavila sam neke stvari. I got some things done. {f}
Ana je obavila sve. Ana got everything done.
Danas moram obaviti mnogo stvari. I have to get a lot of things done today.
Unlike napraviti perf. do, make, this verb pair is rather about chores, visits and well-defined tasks which are done in a certain time, such as:
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Conversely, the verb napraviti perf. do, make is rather about creative things, making something. For example:
Napravio sam ručak. I made lunch. (i.e. prepared it) {m}
Obavio sam ručak. = The lunch was a task, I did it. {m}
The last example would be also used when you weren’t involved in making the lunch, but you simply had a lunch with someone as something to do, e.g. a business lunch.
There is an overlap: napraviti perf. do, make can be used with shopping and medical exams as well; however, it can’t be used for job interviews.
↓ obećavati (obećava / obećaje) ~ obećati promise
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* The alternative and quite common forms of the present tense: obećaje, etc. have been used for centuries in speech and writing, but are nevertheless considered non-standard by some.
** The perfective verbal noun obećanje is used as a common noun, meaning promise.
This pair is usually used with an optional person in DL (recipient of the promise) and three possible ways to express what was promised. One possibility are objects in A:
Ana je obećala Goranu novi bicikl. Ana promised a new bicycle to Goran.
Another option is another verb in inf, possibly with its objects, etc.:
Ana je obećala kupiti Goranu novi bicikl.
Ana promised to buy Goran a new bicycle.
(In the last example, DL of Goran is attached to the verb kupiti perf. buy.)
The third option are content clauses, starting with da (usually in the future tense; no perf. verbs in the present tense are allowed):
Ana je obećala Goranu
[da će mu kupiti novi bicikl].
Ana promised Goran [(that) she’ll buy him a new bicycle].
↓ objašnjavati («) ~ objasniti («) explain
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* The perfective verbal noun objašnjenje is used as a common noun, meaning explanation.
This pair is usually used with an optional person in DL (recipient of speech) and several possible ways to express what was explained.
One common option are content clauses, starting with da or a question-word (all tenses can be used, but not perf. verbs in the present tense):
Objasnio sam Ani
[da je Goran na igralištu].
I explained to Ana [that Goran was on the playground]. {m}
Objasnio sam joj [gdje je Goran]. I explained to 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:
Objasnio sam joj sve. I’ve explained everything to her. {m}
Objasnio sam im situaciju. I’ve explained the situation to them. {m}
There’s a potential adjective objašnjiv explainable.
↓ oblačiti («) ~ obući (obuče,...) put on (clothes)
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Clothes put on are expressed in A:
Goran je obukao majicu. Goran has put his T-shirt on.
You can express that somebody is putting clothes on someone else. The person putting the clothes on is the subject (in N), and the person getting dressed is in DL:
Ana je obukla Goranu majicu. Ana has put a T-shirt on Goran.
With a se², the meaning is reflexive; it’s assumed someone is putting his or her clothes on:
Goran se obukao. Goran has put his clothes on.
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* The verbal noun očekivanje is also used as a common noun, meaning expectation.
This verb can be used with an object in A:
Ana očekuje Ivanu. Ana is expecting Ivana.
Očekujemo vas. We’re expecting you. (to a group, or someone you respect)
The verb is often used with unrestricted clauses; present of both impf. and perf. verbs can be used in them, present of perf. verbs usually expressing relative future (this is a special behavior):
Ana očekuje [da Ivana dođe]. Ana expects [Ivana to come].
Očekujemo [da Ivana dođe]. We expect [Ivana to come].
Clauses with this verb are often in the future tense:
Ana očekuje [da će Ivana doći]. Ana expects [that Ivana is going to come].
With a se², the meaning is mediopassive (i.e. is expected); it’s usually used with general expectations. There’s no object, and the subject can be a noun:
Sutra se očekuje kiša. Rain is expected tomorrow.
The subject can also be an unrestricted clause of the same type as above (this is mediopassive, so objects become subjects):
Očekuje se
[da će doći mnogo turista].
It’s expected [that many tourists will come].
Očekivalo se
[da će doći mnogo turista].
It was expected [that many tourists would come].
The last Croatian sentence has only the future tense in the content clause: there’s no time-shift, i.e. adjustment of tenses in Croatian!
↓ odbijati («) ~ odbiti (odbije) refuse, reject
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This verb pair can be used with objects in A, what someone is refuses:
Ana je odbila prijedlog.
Ana refused the proposal.
It can be used with another verb in inf, which can have its objects and so on, when someone refuses to do something:
Ana je odbila platiti račun. Ana refused to pay the bill.
It can be also used with a clause.
↓ odgađati («) ~ odgoditi («) postpone
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun; odgoda postponement, delay can be used instead.
The basic meaning is postpone something, expressed as an object in A:
Ana je odgodila pregled. Ana has postponed the check-up.
Verbs can be used mediopassively, with se², meaning is postponed:
Utakmica se odgađa. The match is being postponed.
There’s a potential adjective odgodiv postponeable, usually used negated, i.e. neodgodiv unpostponeable, urgent, mostly in more formal language.
↓ odgovarati («) ~ odgovoriti («) answer, reply; suit
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun odgovor answer is used when needed.
This verb is usually used with an optional person in DL (recipient of speech); what is replied is expressed as a content clause, starting with da or occasionally with a question-word (all tenses can be used):
Odgovorila sam Ani
[da nemam vremena].
I’ve answered Ana [that I had no time]. {f}
Observe that there’s no tense shift in Croatian.
If somebody answers to something (e.g. a letter, message) it’s expressed with na¨ + A:
Ana ne odgovara na moje poruke. Ana doesn’t answer my messages.
The imperfective verb has another, quite frequent meaning: suit, fit, be OK. What does fit (or not) is the subject (in N), and the person (or persons) involved is in DL:
Petak nam ne odgovara. The Friday doesn’t suit us.
† The present adverb odgovarajući is also used as a true adjective, meaning suitable, matching.
There’s a related adjective odgovoran (odgovorn-), meaning responsible; what someone is responsible for is expressed with za¨ + A:
Mi smo odgovorni za to. We’re responsible for that.
The additional meaning suit, fit, be OK of the impf. verb is a literal translation of German entsprechen.
↓ odlaziti ~ otići (ode,...) leave (places)
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun odlazak (odlask-) departure is used when needed.
This verb pair is used with optional destinations and origins (unlike the English for, no specific prepositions are used). It also often corresponds to English go:
Goran je otišao u sobu. Goran has gone to the room.
Goran odlazi s igrališta. Goran is leaving the playground. (Croatian: an origin!)
Unlike English, this pair cannot be used with simple objects: you have to use origins.
As with other verbs of motion, if someone left to pick up something or someone, it can be expressed with po¨ + A:
Goran je otišao po čistu majicu. Goran has gone to get a clean T-shirt.
Ana je otišla po Gorana. Ana left to get Goran.
The idea is: you went somewhere, and when you got there, you took something or someone with you.
Also, as with other verbs of motion, if someone left to do something, it can be expressed with an inf, and objects etc. can be added to it:
Goran je otišao oprati ruke. Goran has gone to wash his hands.
I used gone in English translations, and the perf verb. otići often expresses just perfective meaning of go.
This verb pair is not used for leaving things (intentionally or accidentally, e.g. I left my jacket in the car).
For that purpose, the verb pair ostavljati ~ ostaviti is used.
↓ odlučivati (odlučuje) ~ odlučiti («) decide
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun odluka decision is used instead.
This verb pair can be used with another verb in infinitive (impf. or perf.), which can have additional objects and so on:
Ana je odlučila kupiti majicu. Ana has decided to buy a T-shirt.
It can be also used with a da-clause in the future tense; there’s virtually no difference in meaning:
Ana je odlučila [da će kupiti auto]. Ana has decided [to buy a car].
It can be also used with a da-clause in the present tense, usually containing a ‘modal’ verb in the present, and another verb in inf:
Ana je odlučila [da mora vježbati]. Ana decided [she had to exercise].
† The present adverb odlučujući is also used as a true adjective, meaning decisive, crucial:
Ovo je bila odlučujuća utakmica. This was the decisive game.
↓ odmarati («) ~ odmoriti («) rest, take it easy
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* Besides the regular verbal noun, the noun odmor rest, break, vacation is also used.
This pair is mostly used with se², when somebody is resting:
Goran se odmara. Goran is resting.
It can be used with objects in A, normally body parts someone is resting:
Ana odmara oči. Ana is resting her eyes.
Colloquially, it’s often used without se² and without any object, meaning simply rest:
Goran odmara. (colloq.) Goran is resting.
Instead of the passive adjective, another adjective is frequently used: odmoran (odmorn-).
↓
odnositi («) ~ odnijeti (odnese,...) take (carry 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: odnešen.
This verb pair is used with objects in A, and optional destinations and origins:
Goran je odnio knjigu u sobu. Goran took the book to the room.
Destinations can be persons in DL:
Ana je odnijela Goranu sladoled. Ana brought Goran an ice-cream.
This pair is not used when objects are people or animals (except when carrying someone who is unconscious, and like).
For taking people or animals somewhere, odvoditi («) ~ odvesti (odvede, odveo) take (someone) is used.
(A possible exception for some speakers are small animals which are always carried, e.g. hamsters. This seems to be more common in Serbia.)
The difference between this pair and donositi («) ~ donijeti (donese,...) bring (things)
is similar to go vs. come.
↓ odnositi («) se² relate; behave towards
With a se², the impf. verb odnositi («) (but not the related perf. verb!) has some specific meanings: relate, behave towards.
The meaning relate requires objects expressed with na¨ + A, and often translates to English apply and similar verbs:
Popust se ne odnosi na ovu majicu. The discount doesn’t ‘relate to’ this T-shirt. (i.e. doesn’t apply to)
The meaning behave towards requires objects expressed with prema + DL:
Loše se odnosio prema meni. He behaved badly towards me.
The meaning behave (towards someone, something) has been very likely borrowed from the corresponding Russian verb. That meaning is also expressed with ponašati («) se² behave.
↓ odustajati (odustaje) ~ odustati (odustane) give up
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* The present tense and imperative forms of the perf. verb are sometimes stressed as odustane, etc.
The verbs are sometimes used with only a subject:
Goran je odustao. Goran gave up.
To express what someone is giving up on, use od¨ + G:
Ana je odustala od španjolskog. Ana gave up on Spanish.
↓ odvajati («) ~ odvojiti («) separate
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These verbs are used when something (or someone), the object in A, is being separated from something else, optionally expressed with od¨ + G:
Odvojite žutanjke. Separate egg yolks.
There’s a potential adjective odvojiv separable.
↓ odvijati («) ~ odviti (odvije) unscrew, unfold; se² unfold, progress, happen
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This pair is mostly used metaphorically with se², basically meaning happen:
Sve se brzo odvijalo. Everything unfolded quickly. (i.e. happened)
The literal meaning of this verb pair is unfold and, by extension, unscrew. What is unfolded is an object in A:
Odvijte čep. Unscrew the cap.
The metaphorical meaning of these verbs – events progressing – was likely, as in English, influenced by the French verb développer.
↓ odvoditi («) ~ odvesti (odvede, odveo) take (someone)
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This verb pair is used with objects in A and destinations. The objects are always persons, including babies, or animals that walk (cats, dogs, horses, etc.):
Ana je odvela Gorana u školu. Ana took Goran to school.
Taking anything else (e.g. a book, a suitcase) is expressed by odnositi («)
~ odnijeti (odnese,...) take (carry things).
The impf. verb is seldom used, usually for repeated actions; to express ongoing actions, the verb voditi lead is mostly used.
This verb pair is coupled with dovoditi («) ~ dovesti (dovede, doveo) bring (someone) in the go/come fashion, i.e. this pair implies elsewhere.
↓ ograničavati («) ~ ograničiti restrict, limit
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* The verbal noun ograničenje is also used as a common noun, meaning restriction, limitation.
This verb pair can be used with an object in A:
Policija je ograničila brzinu. The police limited the speed.
The limit is usually expressed with na¨ + A:
Policija je ograničila brzinu na sedamdeset. The police limited the speed to seventy.
Passive adjectives are often used:
Brzina je ograničena na sedamdeset. The speed is limited to seventy.
† The present adverb ograničavajući is sometimes used as a true adjective, meaning restricting. For example, ograničavajuća okolina limiting enviroment.
↓ okretati (okreće) ~ okrenuti (okrene) turn, rotate
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This pair is mostly used with se², when something/somebody is turning:
Goran se okrenuo. Goran has turned.
Instead of se², an object in A is used when someone is turning something:
Ana okrenula ključ. Ana has turned the key.
This verb pair covers only the literal meaning of turn, i.e. rotate.
↓ opisivati (opisuje) ~ opisati (opiše) describe
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the noun opis description is used instead.
This pair is usually used with an optional person in DL (recipient of speech) and what was described in A.
Opisao sam problem Ani. I described the problem to Ana. {m}
Instead an object in A, a noun clause with što or a content clause is frequently used.
There’s a potential adjective opisiv describable.
↓ oponašati («) imitate, mimic
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The verb is used with A, something or someone imitated:
Goran oponaša psa. Goran is imitating the dog.
This verb was taken from the ‘Kajkavian’ dialect.
↓ opraštati («) ~ oprostiti («) forgive
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* There’s no regular perf. verbal noun, the nouns oprost act of forgiving and oproštaj farewell are used instead, with different meanings.
The pair is usually used with an object in DL:
Ana je oprostila Ivani. Ana has forgiven Ivana.
What is/was disputed is expressed as an object in A or a content clause starting with što:
Ana je oprostila Ivani
[što je bila nepristojna].
Ana has forgiven Ivana [for being rude].
Note that the Croatian construction uses a clause, unlike English, which uses an -ing form of the verb!
The imperative of the perf. verb is also used as a polite word, to start a question to an unknown person (personal pronouns in A aren’t used then, i.e. no equivalent to English me!):
Oprostite, gdje je WC? Excuse me, where’s the toilet?
(Yes, we’re direct, we talk about toilets, not ‘bathrooms’.)
With a se², this pair is occasionally used (and a bit old-fashioned) as say farewell; if you say farewell to something specific, it’s expressed by od¨ + G:
Oprostili smo se. We said farewell. (to one another)
Oprostili smo se od ljeta. We said farewell to the summer.
There’s a related potential adjective: oprostiv forgiveable.
↓ opuštati («) ~ opustiti («) relax
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This pair is usually used with a se²:
Ana se opuštala. Ana is relaxing.
It can be used without a se², and an object in A, normally the body part which is relaxing:
Ana opušta leđa. Ana is relaxing her back. (leđa back is always plural)
† The present adverb opuštajući is also used as a true adjective, meaning relaxing.
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* There’s no regular ‘semelfactive’ verbal noun, the noun osjećaj feeling is used when needed.
The impf. verb is often used with a se², to describe how someone feels at the moment, expressed with an adverb:
Ana se osjeća odlično. Ana is feeling great.
Both verbs are also used to express what is felt, as an object in A:
Ana osjeća bol. Ana is feeling pain.
The verb osjetiti is ‘semelfactive’, e.g. stands for a brief, ‘single’ feeling:
Ana je osjetila bol. Ana felt pain. (for a moment, for some time)
You can also feel something expressed by a content clause, often using a ‘modal’ verb (but no perf. verbs in the present tense):
Ana osjeća [da mora otići na odmor]. Ana feels [she must go on vacation].
There’s is frequently used potential adjective osjetljiv sensitive, having a bit shifted meaning.
↓ oslanjati («) ~ osloniti («) rest on; se² rely
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Literally, this verb means that someone uses something as a support for someone or something else; what is supported is an object in A, and almost always expressed support is na¨ + A:
Ana je oslonila glavu na ruke. Ana rested her head on her hands.
With se², the meaning is mediopassive, i.e. somebody or something resting on something:
Drvo se oslanja na kuću. The tree leans on the house.
Metaphorically, with se², these verbs are used to express rely:
Šef se oslanja na Anu. The boss relies on Ana.
↓ oslobađati («) ~ osloboditi («) liberate, free
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* The perf. noun oslobođenje is also used as a common noun, meaning liberation.
The verb pair is mostly used with se², while what or who the subject is liberated from is expressed in G:
Ana se oslobodila straha. Ana got rid of fear.
With just an object in A, it means literally free someone or something:
Ana je oslobodila ruku. Ana freed her arm.
↓ ostajati (ostaje) ~ ostati (ostane) stay, remain
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* The perf. verb is also stressed ostane etc. in the present tense.
** There’s no regular perfective verbal noun, the noun ostanak (ostank-) stay is used when needed.
This verb pair is used in various ways. Since the perf. verb can express duration of stay, the impf. verb is practically used in present only:
Ostao je u bolnici dva sata. He remained in hospital for two hours.
Ostala je kod kuće. She stayed at home.
Ostali su zajedno. They stayed together.
The past form of the perf. verb is used as a real quantity adjective (as with other past forms used as adjectives, a form with -i, ostali is the basic form):
Ostalo tijesto je u frižideru.
The remaining pastry is in the fridge.
It’s often used as a pronoun as well; in the same way as other adjectives, the neuter singular forms are used for things, and masc. plural forms for people:
Ostali će doći sutra. The rest (of them) will come tomorrow.
Ostalo će doći sutra. The rest (of it) will come tomorrow.
With a person in DL, the perf. verb expresses accidental leaving things somewhere (take care, jakna jacket and novčanik wallet are the subjects):
Jakna mi je ostala u autu. I left the jacket in the car (accidentally).
Ani je ostao novčanik u trgovini. Ana has left her wallet in the shop (accidentally).
As with other expressions where someone, expressed in DL, is unintentionally affected, they are often at the start of the sentence.
The pair ostavljati ~ ostaviti leave (things) expresses leaving things both intentionally and accidentally.
↓ ostavljati ~ ostaviti leave (things)
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This verb pair expresses leaving things or people (in A), somewhere (as an optional location):
Ostavila sam jaknu u autu. I left the jacket in the car. {f}
This pair doesn’t express if it’s intentional or not. To express unintentional leaving things specifically, the pair ostajati (ostaje) ~ ostati (ostane) is used.
A special case is the ‘location’ na miru, expressing the meaning leave alone:
Ostavi ga na miru! Leave him alone! (or: it, depending on the context)
↓ osvajati («) ~*/~ osvojiti («) conquer; win (a medal, competition)
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This pair basically means conquer, either some land, a mountain peak, or some other significant location, expressed as an object in A:
Amundsen je osvojio Južni pol. Amundsen conquered the South Pole.
A very common metaphorical meaning is ‘conquering’ medals and places in competitions:
Ana je osvojila medalju. Ana won a medal.
Hrvatska osvaja drugo mjesto. Croatia is winning the second place.
Note that the verb pair pobjeđivati (pobjeđuje) ~ pobijediti («) win (a battle, an opponent) is not used for such things in Croatian.
There’s a related potential adjective: osvojiv conquerable, most often used negated: neosvojiv impregnable.
↓ otključavati («) ~ otključati unlock
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This verb pair can be used with an object in A:
Ana otključava vrata. Ana is unlocking the door.
The perf. pass. adj. is a very frequently used adjective (the noun vrata door is always in plural):
Vrata su otključana. The door is unlocked.
The opposite meaning is expressed by zaključavati («) ~ zaključati lock.
↓ otkrivati («) ~ otkriti (otkrije) uncover; discover; reveal
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* There’s no regular passive verbal noun, but the common noun otkriće discovery covers some meanings.
The verb pair, when used in meaning uncover, is used with an object in A:
Ana je otkrila Gorana. Ana has uncovered Goran.
If someone uncovers himself or herself, a se² is used:
Goran se otkrio. Goran has uncovered himself.
This verb pair also means discover; what is discovered is an object in A:
Pas je otkrio kost. The dog has discovered a bone.
What is discovered can also be a content clause (all tenses allowed, but no perf. verbs in the present tense):
Cassini je otkrio [da Saturn ima prstenove].
Cassini discovered [(that) Saturn has rings].
In journalism, this verb is very frequently used in the third meaning: reveal. Someone always reveals his or her plans, strategy for a football game, reasons, and – if there are no other news – a new hairstyle or boyfriend; one who gets the revelation is optionally expressed in DL:
Iva Šarić nam je otkrila tajne svog izgleda.
Iva Šarić revealed to us the secrets of her look.
(This is an actual sentence from a web site.)
This can be also used with content clauses:
Danijela Dvornik je otkrila [da piše knjigu].
Danijela Dvornik revealed [(that) she’s writing a book].
↓ otvarati («) ~ otvoriti («) open
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This verb pair can be used with an object in A:
Ana otvara kutiju. Ana is opening the box.
Goran je otvorio prozor. Goran has opened the window.
With a se², the meaning is mediopassive, that is, something happens or has happened to the subject, but we don’t know or won’t say who is causing it:
Škola se otvara sutra. The school is opening tomorrow.
Vrata su se otvorila. The door has opened.
(The noun vrata door is always in plural.)
The perf. pass. adj. is a very frequently used adjective:
Dućan je otvoren. The shop is open.
The opposite meaning is expressed by zatvarati («) ~ zatvoriti («) close.
The agent noun is otvarač, mostly used for various devices (openers).
There’s an associated root noun otvor opening (as hole, not an action).
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The verb is used with the preposition o¨ + DL:
Sve ovisi o vremenu. Everything depends on the weather.
When asking about the o¨ + DL object, don’t forget to keep the preposition before the pronoun in DL:
O čemu to ovisi? What does it depend on?
O kome to ovisi? On whom does it depend?
The subject of this verb is often a content clause, usually a yes-no or another type of question, which can be placed anywhere:
Ovisi o tebi [kad krećemo]. It depends on you [when we’ll start].
A clause is often put as an object in the o¨ + DL construction, using the connecting to (in DL tome), which is unlike English:
To ovisi o tome [da li će padati kiša]. It depends on [whether it will rain].
Ovisi o tome [gdje živiš]. It depends on [where you live].
Now, colloquially, it’s possible to leave out o tome and just have a clause as an object of the verb; the clause now must be after the subject (if any):
Ovisi [gdje živiš]. (colloq.) It depends [where you live].
It’s possible to use the verb + question word as a short response:
Koliko košta pizza? How much is a pizza?
— Ovisi gdje. (colloq.) ‘It depends on where.’
There’s as related adjective ovisan (ovisn-) dependent, also meaning addicted. It’s used in the same way as the verb:
Ivan je ovisan o nogometu. Ivan is addicted to football.
This verb doesn’t mean have confidence (the second meaning of English depend). For that, use računati ~ iz- calculate, rely on.
↓ označavati («) ~ označiti («) mark, indicate
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* There’s no regular passive verbal noun, but the common nouns oznaka mark, and sometimes znak sign, mark are used when needed.
This verb pair is normally used with an object in A:
Ovaj znak označava jednosmjernu ulicu. This sign indicates a one-way street.
The rest: A-G • H-M • P • R-Š • T-Ž
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