Telling time

Hours and Minutes

When reading the clock in Croatian, you can state the exact time by simply saying the hour, followed by the conjunction i (and), and then the minutes.

Quarters and Halves

For "quarter past" the hour, use the word četvrt (quarter). State the hour, followed by i četvrt:

• osam i četvrt (a quarter past eight)

To say "half past," use the word pola (half) followed by the next hour. You are literally saying that it is halfway to the upcoming hour:

• pola deset means halfway to ten, which is half past nine (9:30).
• pola četiri means halfway to four, which is half past three (3:30).

Saying "At" a Specific Time

To talk about when an event happens, use the preposition u (at) right before the time. If you want to say "approximately" or "about," place the word otprilike before the preposition.

Another very useful time marker is ponoć (midnight).

Managing Your Schedule

When managing your daily schedule, you will often talk about a termin (appointment) or a dogovor (an arrangement or meeting).

If you are running late, use the reflexive verb žuriti se (to be in a hurry). When you are hurrying to an event, use the preposition na followed by the accusative case (e.g., na naš dogovor).

If you cannot make it on time, you might need to postpone (odgoditi). Use the preposition za to specify the new time.

Seconds

For precise timing, use sekunda (second). After numbers like two, three, and four, the noun changes form, making "three seconds" tri sekunde.