Adverbs of Certainty
When you are completely sure of the facts—whether solving a mystery or stating a clear truth—you can use adverbs of certainty. These include sigurno (certainly), svakako (certainly / by all means), nedvojbeno (undoubtedly), and neosporno (undeniably / indisputably).
| He certainly stole one pair of pants. | On je sigurno ukrao jedne hlače. |
| The eyewitness undoubtedly saw the perpetrator. | Očevidac je nedvojbeno vidio počinitelja. |
| The perpetrator is undeniably involved in this conspiracy. | Počinitelj je neosporno uključen u ovu zavjeru. |
Adverbs of Probability and Speculation
If you are dealing with rumors, guesswork, or things that are merely likely, use adverbs of probability. Common ones include vjerojatno (probably), očito (obviously), and valjda (presumably / I guess).
When you want to emphasize that something is based on hearsay or unverified claims, use navodno (allegedly / supposedly).
| The eyewitness probably described him to her. | Očevidac joj ga je vjerojatno opisao. |
| That is presumably just guesswork. | To je valjda samo nagađanje. |
| He is obviously involved in the crime. | Očito je uključen u zločin. |
| Allegedly, it will rain tomorrow. | Navodno će sutra padati kiša. |
Contrasting Facts and Hearsay
When debating likely scenarios or analyzing a conspiracy (zavjera), you will often contrast what is known with what is suspected. You can easily pair adverbs of certainty with adverbs of speculation in the same sentence to separate hard facts from rumors.
| He is certainly guilty, although the motive is allegedly senseless. | On je sigurno kriv, iako je motiv navodno besmislen. |
| Our assumption is probably correct, and her alibi is undoubtedly false. | Naša pretpostavka je vjerojatno točna, a njezin alibi je nedvojbeno lažan. |
| His story is indisputably convincing, but he supposedly keeps a secret. | Njegova priča je neosporno uvjerljiva, ali on navodno čuva tajnu. |
