Language/Croatian/Grammar/Negation
Hi Croatian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Croatian. Negation is a very important part of the Croatian language and it is essential to understand how to use it correctly.
Negation is used to express the opposite of something. In Croatian, there are two ways to express negation: using the word ne (no) or using the word nije (is not).
Using Ne
The word ne is used to express a negative statement. It is placed before the verb in a sentence. For example:
Croatian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
Ne idem | nee ee-dem | I'm not going |
Ne znam | nee znam | I don't know |
Ne volim ga | nee voh-leem gah | I don't like him |
Ne mogu | nee moh-goo | I can't |
Using Nije
The word nije is used to express a negative statement. It is placed after the verb in a sentence. For example:
Croatian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
Idem nije | ee-dem nee-yeh | I'm not going |
Znam nije | znam nee-yeh | I don't know |
Volim ga nije | voh-leem gah nee-yeh | I don't like him |
Mogu nije | moh-goo nee-yeh | I can't |
It is important to note that the word ne is used for verbs in the present tense, while the word nije is used for verbs in the past tense.
For example:
Croatian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
Ne idem | nee ee-dem | I'm not going (present tense) |
Nisam išao | nee-sahm ee-shah-oh | I didn't go (past tense) |
It is also important to note that the word ne is used for affirmative sentences, while the word nije is used for negative sentences.
For example:
Croatian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
Ja sam dobar | yah sahm doh-bahr | I am good (affirmative sentence) |
Ja nisam loš | yah nee-sahm lohsh | I am not bad (negative sentence) |
Now that you know the basics of negation in Croatian, it's time to practice! Try making your own sentences using the words ne and nije. You can also use the Polyglot Club website to find native speakers and ask them any questions you may have.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎