Language/Croatian/Grammar/Prepositions-and-Pronouns

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Prepositions and Pronouns

Welcome to the lesson on Prepositions and Pronouns in Croatian Grammar! In this lesson, we will delve into the intricate world of prepositions and pronouns in the Croatian language.

Prepositions and pronouns play a crucial role in constructing sentences and conveying meaning. They help us express relationships between different words and clarify the subject, object, or direction of an action. By mastering the use of prepositions and pronouns, you will be able to communicate more effectively and accurately in Croatian.

Throughout this lesson, we will explore the different forms and functions of prepositions and pronouns in Croatian. We will provide numerous examples to illustrate each point, ensuring a clear and thorough understanding of the topic. So, let's get started!

Prepositions in Croatian

Prepositions are words that express relationships between nouns, pronouns, or other words in a sentence. They indicate location, direction, time, manner, or purpose. In Croatian, prepositions are an essential part of speech and are used extensively in everyday conversation.

Croatian prepositions can be divided into several categories based on their usage and meaning. Some common categories include prepositions of place, prepositions of time, prepositions of manner, and prepositions of purpose. Let's take a closer look at each category and explore some examples.

Prepositions of Place

Prepositions of place are used to indicate the location or position of an object or person. They answer the question "where?" In Croatian, prepositions of place are crucial for describing the spatial relationship between objects. Here are some common prepositions of place:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
u	oo	in, at
na	nah	on, onto
ispod	ees-pod	under, beneath
iznad	eez-nahv	above, over
pored	poh-red	beside, next to

For example:

• "Kava je u šalici." (The coffee is in the cup.)
• "Knjiga je na stolu." (The book is on the table.)
• "Mačka je ispod stola." (The cat is under the table.)
• "Slika je iznad kreveta." (The picture is above the bed.)
• "Auto je pored zgrade." (The car is next to the building.)

Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time are used to indicate when an action takes place. They answer the question "when?" In Croatian, prepositions of time are crucial for expressing specific time periods or durations. Here are some common prepositions of time:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
u	oo	in, at
na	nah	on
prije	pree-ye	before
poslije	pohs-lee-ye	after
tijekom	tee-yeh-kohm	during

For example:

• "Sastanak je u pet." (The meeting is at five o'clock.)
• "Idem na odmor u srpnju." (I am going on vacation in July.)
• "Doručak je prije jela." (Breakfast is before lunch.)
• "Posjetit ću te poslije posla." (I will visit you after work.)
• "Tijekom ljeta idemo na more." (During the summer, we go to the sea.)

Prepositions of Manner

Prepositions of manner are used to indicate how an action is performed. They answer the question "how?" In Croatian, prepositions of manner are crucial for describing the way in which something is done. Here are some common prepositions of manner:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
s	s	with
bez	bez	without
kao	kao	like, as
putem	poo-tehm	through, by means of
prema	preh-mah	towards

For example:

• "Pisat ću pjesmu s olovkom." (I will write a poem with a pencil.)
• "Idem na plažu bez ručnika." (I am going to the beach without a towel.)
• "Ponašaj se kao odrasla osoba." (Behave like an adult.)
• "Komuniciramo putem e-maila." (We communicate through email.)
• "Idem prema tebi." (I am going towards you.)

Prepositions of Purpose

Prepositions of purpose are used to indicate the reason or purpose of an action. They answer the question "why?" In Croatian, prepositions of purpose are crucial for expressing intentions or motivations. Here are some common prepositions of purpose:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
zbog	zbohg	because of
radi	rah-dee	for, in order to
s ciljem	s tsee-lyem	with the aim of
kako bi	kah-koh bee	in order to
za	zah	for

For example:

• "Nisam došao zbog kiše." (I didn't come because of the rain.)
• "Učim hrvatski radi posla." (I am learning Croatian for work.)
• "Organiziramo koncert s ciljem promocije umjetnosti." (We are organizing a concert with the aim of promoting art.)
• "Učim kako bih bolje razumio jezik." (I am learning in order to better understand the language.)
• "Kupio sam poklon za tebe." (I bought a gift for you.)

Pronouns in Croatian

Pronouns are words that replace nouns or noun phrases in a sentence. They help us avoid repetition and make our speech more concise. In Croatian, pronouns are an essential part of speech and are used extensively in everyday conversation.

Croatian pronouns can be divided into several categories based on their usage and function. Some common categories include personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and interrogative pronouns. Let's take a closer look at each category and explore some examples.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are used to refer to specific people or things. They can be subject pronouns, object pronouns, or possessive pronouns. In Croatian, personal pronouns play a crucial role in constructing sentences and expressing relationships between different elements. Here are the subject pronouns in Croatian:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
ja	yah	I
ti	tee	you (singular)
on/ona/ono	ohn/oh-nah/oh-noh	he/she/it
mi	mee	we
vi	vee	you (plural)
oni/one/ona	oh-nee/oh-neh/oh-nah	they

For example:

• "Ja idem u kino." (I am going to the cinema.)
• "Ti si moj prijatelj." (You are my friend.)
• "Ona voli pjevati." (She likes to sing.)
• "Mi smo obitelj." (We are a family.)
• "Vi ste studenti." (You are students.)
• "Oni dolaze sutra." (They are coming tomorrow.)

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to indicate ownership or possession. They can be used instead of possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns in Croatian. Here are the possessive pronouns in Croatian:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
moj/moja/moje	moy/moy-ah/moy-eh	my/mine
tvoj/tvoja/tvoje	tvoy/tvoy-ah/tvoy-eh	your/yours (singular)
njegov/njezin/njegovo	nyeh-vohk/nyeh-zeen/nyeh-goh-voh	his/her/his, its
naš/naša/naše	nahsh/nah-shah/nah-sheh	our/ours
vaš/vaša/vaše	vahsh/vah-shah/vah-sheh	your/yours (plural)
njihov/njihova/njihovo	nyee-khov/nyee-hoh-vah/nyee-khoh-voh	their/theirs

For example:

• "Ovo je moja knjiga." (This is my book.)
• "Tvoja majica je lijepa." (Your t-shirt is beautiful.)
• "Njegov pas je velik." (His dog is big.)
• "Naša kuća je blizu." (Our house is close.)
• "Vaš automobil je crven." (Your car is red.)
• "Njihova kuća je velika." (Their house is big.)

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used to point to specific people or things. They can be used instead of demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns in Croatian. Here are the demonstrative pronouns in Croatian:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
ovaj/ova/ovo	oh-vahy/oh-vah/oh-voh	this
taj/ta/to	taay/tah/toh	that
onaj/ona/on	oh-nay/oh-nah/ohn	that (over there)

For example:

• "Ovaj stol je nov." (This table is new.)
• "Taj auto je skup." (That car is expensive.)
• "Onaj čovjek je moj susjed." (That man over there is my neighbor.)

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about people or things. They can be used instead of interrogative adjectives and interrogative pronouns in Croatian. Here are the interrogative pronouns in Croatian:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
tko	tko	who
što	shtoh	what
koji/koja/koje	koh-yee/koh-yah/koh-yeh	which

For example:

• "Tko je to?" (Who is that?)
• "Što želiš?" (What do you want?)
• "Koji je tvoj omiljeni film?" (Which is your favorite movie?)

Exercises

Now that we have explored the different forms and functions of prepositions and pronouns in Croatian, it's time to put your knowledge into practice. Here are some exercises for you to complete:

1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate preposition: a) Knjiga je ______ stolu. (on) b) Sastanak je ______ pet. (at) c) Idem ______ trgovinu. (to) d) Pas je ______ vrtu. (in) e) Putujem ______ avionom. (by)

2. Replace the underlined noun with the appropriate pronoun: a) Ova pjesma je lijepa. (this song) b) Taj zadatak je težak. (that task) c) Njegova kuća je velika. (his house) d) Koja je boja tvoje majice? (which color) e) Tko je to? (that person)

Solutions: 1. a) na, b) u, c) u, d) u, e) s 2. a) Ova je lijepa. b) Taj je težak. c) Njegova je velika. d) Koja je boja tvoje? e) Tko je to?

Congratulations! You have completed the exercises. Well done!

In this lesson, we have explored the fascinating world of prepositions and pronouns in Croatian Grammar. We have learned about different categories of prepositions and their usage in expressing place, time, manner, and purpose. We have also delved into the functions of personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and interrogative pronouns. By mastering the use of prepositions and pronouns, you will be able to construct more accurate and meaningful sentences in Croatian.

Remember to practice using prepositions and pronouns in your everyday conversations to reinforce your understanding and improve your fluency. The more you practice, the more confident you will become in using prepositions and pronouns correctly.

Keep up the great work and continue exploring the rich and diverse world of the Croatian language!

Table of Contents - Croatian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns: Gender and Number
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense of Regular Verbs
• Present Tense of Irregular Verbs

  ---

Daily Activities

• Common Activities
• Hobbies and Interests

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives: Gender and Number
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

  ---

Food and Drink

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Croatian Culture and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

Sources

• Serbo-Croatian grammar - Wikipedia
• The Accusative Case: Croatian Grammar Form In Detail
• The Locative Case: Learn The Sixth Croatian Grammatical Case

Other Lessons

• Negation
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• How to Use Be
• Nouns
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Nouns and Cases
• Word Order and Sentence Structure
• Participles and Gerunds