The basics
The accusative (akuzativ) is the most commonly used case in Croatian. When used without prepositions, it describes an object of an action, direct or indirect.
For example, a noun is in the accusative case whenever:
Whenever you’re asking for something
For example:
→ Kavu, molim – Coffee, please
→ Sendvič, molim – Sandwich, please
Whenever you’re talking about the object of your actions
For example:
→ Pijem vodu – I’m drinking water
→ Slušam radio – I’m listening to the radio
The accusative case is declined as follows:
| Number | Case | Muški rod (m.) | Ženski rod (f.) | Srednji rod (n.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jednina (singular) | Nominativ | prozor (window) susjed (neighbour) | stolica (chair) mačka (cat) | stablo (tree) kazalište (theatre) |
| Accusative | e.g. vidim (I see) prozor susjeda* | e.g. vidim (I see) stolicu mačku | e.g. vidim (I see) stablo kazalište | |
| Množina (plural) | Nominativ | prozori susjedi | stolice mačke | stabla kazališta |
| Accusative | e.g. vidim (I see) prozore susjede | e.g. vidim (I see) stolice mačke | e.g. vidim (I see) stabla kazališta |
*This change only applies to masculine nouns which denote living beings (i.e. people and animals). These nouns receive the ending -a in the accusative case.
Exercise: How would you say the following in Croatian?
Water, please – Vodu, molim
A pizza, please – Pizzu, molim
A menu, please – Jelovnik, molim
I see a car – Vidim auto
I see a woman – Vidim ženu
I see a (female) teacher – Vidim učiteljicu
I see a (male) teacher – Vidim učitelja
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Accusative used with prepositions
Now we will talk about circumstances when an accusative case is accompanied by the prepositions u or na. In those situations, we find the accusative often standing next to a verb of movement (ići → to go, voziti → to drive, dolaziti → to come, putovati → to travel, etc.) and showing a direction, in which the subject is moving. For instance:
Idem u kuću. → I’m going into the house.
Idemo u hotel. → We’re going into the hotel. / We’re going to a hotel.
Vozimo se u Italiju. → We’re driving to Italy.
Ideš li u Hrvatsku? → Are you going to Croatia?
When do we use the prepositions u and na?
The preposition u is used to describe the subject entering a concrete place: a room, a building (pošta → the post office, škola → the school, kuća → the house), a city (Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik) or a country (Hrvatska, Njemačka, Italija). Here are a few examples:
- Idem u kuću. → I’m going into the house.
- Idemo u hotel. → We’re going into the hotel. / We’re going to a hotel.
- Vozimo se u Italiju. → We’re driving to Italy.
- Ideš li u Hrvatsku? → Are you going to Croatia?
The prepositions u and na are often standing next to the locative case as well. An important factor in the distinction of the two cases is the fact that the locative describes the place of an action. You can read about other prepositions in use with the locative case in our guide.
The preposition na is combined with verbs of movement as well, although these verbs indicate walking into an open surface or are connected to an abstract term (lunch, coffee, performance):
- Idem na ručak. → I’m going to lunch.
- Idemo na kavu. → We are going for a coffee.
- Oni idu na otok Hvar. → They are going to the island Hvar.
- Idem na Oktoberfest. → I’m going to the Oktoberfest festival.
The following table shows when the prepositions are used in accordance with a verb of movement.
| ići, doći, voziti u … | ići, doći, voziti na … |
|---|---|
| u školu | na kavu |
| u muzej | na ručak |
| u restoran | na film |
| u Zagreb, u Split, u Berlin… | na Hvar, na Korčulu, na Krk… |
| u Njemačku, u Hrvatsku, u Englesku… | na Oktorberfest, na Špancirfest, na božićni sajam (christmas fair)… |
When forming the locative it is very helpful to ask: Where am I? (→ Gdje sam?), while for constructing the accusative you would ask the question: Where am I going? (→ Kamo idem?).
How would you say the following in Croatian?
Where are we going? → Kamo idemo?
We are going to school. → Idemo u školu.
I am coming to the café. → Dolazim u kafić.
You are going to the park. → Ideš u park.
We are going for some coffee. → Idemo na kavu.
I am going to lunch. → Idem na ručak.
Ivan and Marko are going to the restaurant. → Ivan i Marko idu u restoran.
You are going to the post office. → Idete u poštu.
We are travelling to Croatia. → Putujemo u Hrvatsku.
We are driving to the island Cres. → Vozimo na otok Cres.
He is going to the beach. → Ide na plažu.
Language guide
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