Language/Croatian/Grammar/Croatian-Syntax-and-Style

Croatian → Grammar → Croatian Syntax and Style

As a language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I know one of the biggest hurdles for learners of Croatian is mastering the syntax and style of the language. In this lesson, we will explore the intricacies of Croatian sentence structure and ways to enhance your writing and speaking skills.

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Future Tense & Personal Pronouns.

Word Order

Croatian syntax is characterized by a flexible word order. However, word order is still critical in determining the meaning of a sentence. In Croatian, the most common word order is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), but the Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) and Object-Subject-Verb (OSV) word orders can also be used for emphasis or to indicate a question.

Here is an example of the SVO word order:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
Marek	Ma-rek	Marek	uči	u-chi	studies	hrvatski	hrvat-ski	Croatian

Marek uči hrvatski. (Marek studies Croatian.)

And here is an example of the VSO word order:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
Hrvatski	hrvat-ski	Croatian	uči	u-chi	studies	Marek	Ma-rek	Marek

Hrvatski uči Marek? (Croatian, is Marek studying?)

Note that in the VSO sentence, the question mark signals that the sentence is a question, and the intonation of the speaker would also change.

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs are important parts of Croatian syntax and style. Adjectives are used to describe nouns or pronouns, while adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. In Croatian, adjectives and adverbs change forms depending on the gender of the noun they describe, as well as the case in which it appears.

For example, let's take the adjective "lijep" which means "beautiful" in Croatian:

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
lijep	lyep	beautiful (masculine)	lijepa	lyep-a	beautiful (feminine)	lijepo	lyep-o	beautiful (neuter)

And let's take the adverb "brzo" which means "quickly":

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
brzo	brzo	quickly	brza	brza	quickly (feminine)	brzo	brzo	quickly (neuter)

In Croatian, adjectives and adverbs must agree in gender and case with the noun or pronoun they describe, which can take some practice to master.

Use of Articles

Unlike English, Croatian does not have articles such as "a," "an," or "the." Nouns in Croatian do not require an article to be used. Instead, Croatian relies on word order, context, and declension to determine the meaning of a sentence.

For example, let's take the sentence "I see a cat":

Croatian	Pronunciation	English
Ja	ya	I	vidim	vid-im	see	mačku	ma-chkoo	cat

Notice how there is no article "a" in the Croatian sentence. The word "cat" alone indicates that it is one, and not several cats.

Style Tips

Here are some tips to help you enhance your Croatian writing and speaking style:

• Use varied sentence structure to avoid repetition and create interest in your writing
• Pay attention to the tone of the language you're using, as Croatian has formal and informal registers
• Use precise vocabulary to convey your message in a clear manner
• Read examples of well-written Croatian texts to get a feel for the language's style and syntax
• Practice, practice, practice!

Sources

• (PDF) What Are the Differences and Similarities Between Croatian ...
• Croatian Style Guide
• Serbo-Croatian - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• Croatian Language Varieties
• Adjectives
• Participles and Gerunds
• Give your Opinion
• Negation
• Advanced Noun and Adjective Declension
• How to Use Have
• Croatian Phonetics and Pronunciation
• Verbs and Tenses
• Gender in Croatian