Scratches and Cuts
As the direct object of a verb like dezinficirati (to disinfect), feminine nouns like ogrebotina (scratch) and gaza (gauze) take the accusative ending -u (ogrebotinu, gazu).
| I fell off the bicycle and need to disinfect the scratch. | Pao sam s bicikla i trebam dezinficirati ogrebotinu. |
| I have neither a plaster nor gauze for the scratch. | Nemam ni flaster ni gazu za ogrebotinu. |
The verb porezati se (to cut oneself) is reflexive and requires the short pronoun se.
| I disinfect the wound myself when I cut myself. | Sama dezinficiram ranu kad se porežem. |
When a noun is used as a tool, use the instrumental case without the preposition s (with). For example, "with a sharp knife" is simply oštrim nožem.
| Did the boy cut himself with a sharp knife? | Je li se dječak porezao oštrim nožem? |
Bites, Stings, and Swelling
For a bug sting (ubod) or bite (ugriz), the area might become swollen (natečen).
| The mosquito bite is very swollen. | Ubod komarca je jako natečen. |
Notice the prepositions and cases: putting a compress (oblog) onto a bite uses na + accusative for the destination (na natečeni ugriz). Talking about a swollen finger uses o (about) + locative (o natečenom prstu).
| Put a cold compress on the swollen bite. | Stavi hladan oblog na natečeni ugriz. |
| Talk to the doctor about the swollen finger. | Razgovaraj s doktorom o natečenom prstu. |
Handling Ticks
Just like cutting yourself with a knife, removing a tick (krpelj) with tweezers (pinceta) uses the bare instrumental case for the tool (pincetom).
| Is a tick bite dangerous? | Je li ugriz krpelja opasan? |
| If I see a tick, I will take it out with tweezers. | Ako budem vidio krpelja, izvadit ću ga pincetom. |
Treating Burns
Unlike placing something onto an injury (accusative), keeping a compress in a static location on a burn (opeklina) uses na + locative (na opeklini).
| You need to hold a cold compress on the burn. | Trebaš držati hladan oblog na opeklini. |
| Is the burn very red? | Je li opeklina jako crvena? |
