To describe exactly how an action is performed, Croatian often uses the preposition s (or sa) meaning "with," followed by an abstract noun in the Instrumental case.
Doing Things "With" Feeling
Pair the preposition s with an abstract noun in its Instrumental form to describe the manner of an action.
| The conductor looks at the orchestra with respect. | Dirigent gleda orkestar s poštovanjem. |
| The musicians play every instrument with ease. | Glazbenici sviraju svaki instrument s lakoćom. |
The "sa" Rule
The preposition changes to sa before words starting with the letters s, š, z, or ž for easier pronunciation. For example, zadovoljstvo (pleasure) starts with a z, so it takes sa.
| The orchestra always plays with enthusiasm and with pleasure. | Orkestar uvijek svira s oduševljenjem i sa zadovoljstvom. |
| She sings with passion and with excitement. | Ona pjeva sa strašću i s uzbuđenjem. |
Adding Detail and Multiple Manners
Any adjectives describing the noun must also take the Instrumental case.
| The musicians are preparing the concert with great excitement. | Glazbenici pripremaju koncert s velikim uzbuđenjem. |
When listing multiple nouns, you only need to state the preposition once if both words use the same version (e.g., both take s). If they require different versions, you must use both s and sa.
| The audience waited for the concert with excitement and joy. | Publika je čekala koncert s uzbuđenjem i veseljem. |
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