Marriage and the basic perfect
Learn the current-state expressions (married), , . Formal keeps plural agreement but uses the correct marriage word for the person.
Croatian past uses a present be auxiliary plus a participle: , . The auxiliary goes after the first phrase; the participle agrees with the subject. Male/female singular -o · -la, neuter -lo; plural -li · -le · -la. Polite single-person uses masculine plural regardless of the addressee’s sex.
Introduce this perfect structure fully here for photographs and later routines. Common background , , are practised first. Later event stories consolidate regular/irregular participles. The verb negative is in the auxiliary: , not an invented past ending.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I am not married. | ||
| I am not married. | ||
| I have no children. | ||
| I have no children. | ||
| I was here. | ||
| I was here. | ||
| I lived in Hamburg. | ||
| I lived in Hamburg. | ||
Nisam oženjen.I am not married.
Nisam udana.I am not married.
Nemam djece.I have no children.
Bio sam ovdje.I was here.
Bila sam ovdje.I was here.
Živio sam u Hamburgu.I lived in Hamburg.
Živjela sam u Hamburgu.I lived in Hamburg.
Mira je bila učiteljica.Mira was a teacher.
Luka je bio mali.Luka was little.
Vi ste bili ovdje.You were here. (polite)
Nisam bio tamo.I was not there.
Nisam bila tamo.I was not there.
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Notice the useful pattern
Tap the form practised in this unit.
.
I am not married.
.
I am not married.
.
I have no children.
.
I was here.
.
I was here.
.
I lived in Hamburg.
.
I lived in Hamburg.
Practice 2/6 · The right form
Choose the form
Use the English meaning and the pattern in this unit.
Nisam .
I am not married.
Nisam .
I am not married.
Nemam .
I have no children.
sam ovdje.
I was here.
sam ovdje.
I was here.
sam u Hamburgu.
I lived in Hamburg.
sam u Hamburgu.
I lived in Hamburg.
Mira je učiteljica.
Mira was a teacher.
Luka je mali.
Luka was little.
Vi ste ovdje.
You were here. (polite)
bio tamo.
I was not there.
bila tamo.
I was not there.
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
Complete the messages
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
sam ovdje.
I was here.
sam ovdje.
I was here.
sam u Hamburgu.
I lived in Hamburg.
sam u Hamburgu.
I lived in Hamburg.
Mira je učiteljica.
Mira was a teacher.
Luka je mali.
Luka was little.
Vi ste ovdje.
You were here. (polite)
bio tamo.
I was not there.
bila tamo.
I was not there.
Practice 4/6 · Building sentences
Build a sentence
Put the words in order.
I was here.
I was here.
I lived in Hamburg.
I lived in Hamburg.
Mira was a teacher.
Luka was little.
You were here. (polite)
I was not there.
I was not there.
Practice 5/6 · In situations
What would you say?
Choose the right words for the situation.
I am not married.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I am not married.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I have no children.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I have no children.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I was here.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I was here.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I lived in Hamburg.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I lived in Hamburg.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
Practice 6/6 · Matching
Connect messages and meanings
Match the pairs.
Unit complete
