Forming the Future Tense
To talk about your upcoming weekend and holiday plans, use the future tense. It is formed using the short (clitic) forms of the verb htjeti (to want) paired with an infinitive.
| Pronoun | Short form |
|---|---|
| ja | ću |
| ti | ćeš |
| on / ona / ono | će |
| mi | ćemo |
| vi | ćete |
| oni / one / ona | će |
In Croatian, subject pronouns are usually dropped, meaning future tense sentences frequently start with the infinitive verb. Because short forms are clitics, they must take the second position in a sentence, right after the opening word.
When an infinitive ending in -ti is placed directly before a short form, it loses its final -i. For example, ostati (to stay) becomes ostat, and posjetiti (to visit) becomes posjetit.
| I will stay on the mountain for the weekend. | Ostat ću na planini za vikend. |
| We will visit a friend next week. | Posjetit ćemo prijatelja sljedeći tjedan. |
Keeping the Full Infinitive
If a sentence starts with a subject pronoun, an adverb like možda (maybe), or a time phrase, the clitic takes the second position right after that opening word. Because the infinitive no longer comes immediately before the clitic, it keeps its full -ti ending.
| Maybe he will stay home for the holiday. | On će možda ostati doma za praznik. |
| This week we will visit the new museum. | Ovaj tjedan ćemo posjetiti novi muzej. |
Common Adverbs and "Biti"
You can use adverbs like sigurno (surely) to express certainty about your plans.
Remember that the rule for dropping the final -i applies to all -ti verbs when placed directly before a short form. This includes the verb biti (to be), which becomes bit.
| It will surely be great at the party. | Bit će sigurno odlično na zabavi. |
