Module 9Grammar reviewPremium
Croatian in everyday situations
Reviews practise both sides: wherever Lukas and Lena would say something differently, you do it once as each.
Svirat ću, doći ću, neće
The future uses shortened present forms of want plus an infinitive: . If the auxiliary follows a verb in -ti, drop final : , . With -ći, keep it: , .
If the auxiliary comes earlier, keep the full infinitive: . Future negatives are . Future forms do not change with the learner’s sex.
A present with a future time is also natural: . means in ten minutes, ten minutes ago. Use the form that expresses the actual plan without adding a complex hypothetical pattern.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I will play. | ||
| I will play. | ||
| You will sing. (familiar) | ||
| You will sing. (familiar) | ||
| We will come. | ||
| We will come. | ||
| I will play tonight. | ||
| I will play tonight. | ||
The Croatian future tense here is futureI. It uses short forms of want with an infinitive: , .
Vidio/vidjela sam, nisam našao
Reuse the perfect: present auxiliary plus a participle. , , are real irregular pairs. Learn them as complete verbs rather than replacing every infinitive suffix the same way.
The participle agrees with the subject’s gender/number. The auxiliary normally follows the first phrase: , but . Short object pronouns enter the same early clitic group: .
Past negation uses . For ordinary did not, do not substitute a future negative . is a reflexive event phrase with plural neuter agreement.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I saw a shadow. | ||
| I saw a shadow. | ||
| I heard the trumpet. | ||
| I heard the trumpet. | ||
| I did not find Miki. | ||
| I did not find Miki. | ||
| I was there yesterday. | ||
| I was there yesterday. | ||
Prvo, zatim, pao, plesao
, , , order events. A past time or the report context lets you reuse the perfect without repeating yesterday in every sentence.
Useful irregulars are pasti → pao · pala, otići → otišao · otišla, doći → došao · došla. Regular plesati → plesao · plesala follows the same auxiliary-and-agreement pattern. Polite keeps masculine plural agreement for either learner sex.
A report can use24-hour times, . is standard negative agreement. Do not remove the negative auxiliary just because the sentence already has nothing.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| First the concert started. | ||
| First the concert started. | ||
| Then the drum fell. | ||
| Then the drum fell. | ||
| I went home. | ||
| I went home. | ||
| I came at eight. | ||
| I came at eight. | ||
Sjedila, spavala, zatvorila
For a past state or ongoing activity, the same perfect works with an appropriate verb: , , . Croatian has no compulsory additional ongoing-action auxiliary here.
plus the clause links background or sequence: . The actual event order and verb choice supply the meaning. Do not introduce aorist or imperfect forms for this A1 story.
For denial, or . explains what happened instead. A known female character uses feminine participles; a learner sentence needs m/f variants.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mira sat on the bench. | ||
| Mira sat on the bench. | ||
| Mira was sleeping. | ||
| Mira was sleeping. | ||
| Luka was playing. | ||
| Luka was playing. | ||
| I did not sleep. | ||
| I did not sleep. | ||
Ukrao je, šaljem, draga Anna
Look back through the photos with clear pronouns and possessives: , , . Refer to a specific person before using his/her so that a question remains unambiguous.
Useful past pairs include , , . A plural participant group uses . The learner’s job and nationality nouns still need real m/f forms where mentioned.
A friendly postcard can open and close . Retell with a short past sequence, then use for a plan. here is a postage stamp; a bank card.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Miki stole the mouthpiece. | ||
| Miki stole the mouthpiece. | ||
| I worked at the stall. | ||
| I worked at the stall. | ||
| I bought a stamp. | ||
| I bought a stamp. | ||
| The mouthpiece is in his mouth. | ||
| The mouthpiece is in his mouth. | ||
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Notice the useful pattern
Tap the form practised in this unit.
As Lukas
.
I was there ten minutes ago.
As Lena
.
I was there ten minutes ago.
As Lukas
.
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
.
I saw a shadow.
.
I will play.
As Lukas
.
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
.
I saw a shadow.
Practice 2/6 · The right form
Choose the form
Use the English meaning and the pattern in this unit.
As Lukas
Bio sam tamo deset minuta.
I was there ten minutes ago.
As Lena
Bila sam tamo deset minuta.
I was there ten minutes ago.
As Lukas
sam sjenu.
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
sam sjenu.
I saw a shadow.
Ja svirati.
I will play.
As Lukas
sam sjenu.
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
sam sjenu.
I saw a shadow.
je počeo koncert.
First the concert started.
Mira je na klupi.
Mira sat on the bench.
Miki je usnik.
Miki stole the mouthpiece.
Ti pjevati.
You will sing. (familiar)
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
Complete the messages
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Ja svirati.
I will play.
Ja svirati.
I will play.
As Lukas
sam sjenu.
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
sam sjenu.
I saw a shadow.
je počeo koncert.
First the concert started.
je počeo koncert.
First the concert started.
Mira je na klupi.
Mira sat on the bench.
Mira je na klupi.
Mira sat on the bench.
Miki je usnik.
Miki stole the mouthpiece.
Miki je usnik.
Miki stole the mouthpiece.
Ti pjevati.
You will sing. (familiar)
Ti pjevati.
You will sing. (familiar)
Practice 4/6 · Building sentences
Build a sentence
Put the words in order.
Too hard? Listen to the sentence first.
As Lukas
I was there ten minutes ago.
As Lena
I was there ten minutes ago.
As Lukas
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
I saw a shadow.
I will play.
As Lukas
I saw a shadow.
As Lena
I saw a shadow.
First the concert started.
Mira sat on the bench.
Practice 5/6 · In situations
What would you say?
Choose the right words for the situation.
As Lukas
I was there ten minutes ago.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I was there ten minutes ago.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lukas
I saw a shadow.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I saw a shadow.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I will play.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
I will play.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lukas
I saw a shadow.
You say:
Use the meaning and Croatian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I saw a shadow.
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
