In Croatian, certain verbs are always paired with a specific preposition to express the target of an action, thought, or feeling. When these prepositions point to abstract concepts, they are typically followed by the Accusative case.
Falling in Love: u + Accusative
The verb zaljubiti se (to fall in love) pairs with u (in/into) and the Accusative to express who or what you are falling in love with.
| He secretly fell in love with that female colleague. | On se potajno zaljubio u tu kolegicu. |
| Did you fall in love with her? | Jesi li se zaljubio u nju? |
Directing Actions and Thoughts: na + Accusative
The preposition na (on/at/to) is frequently used to show what an action, thought, or reaction is directed toward. It also requires the Accusative case here.
Common verbs that use this pattern include:
- naviknuti se (to get used to)
- računati (to count on)
- žaliti se (to complain about)
- reagirati (to react to)
- misliti (to think about)
| I can't get used to this new job. | Ne mogu se naviknuti na ovaj novi posao. |
| You can always count on my understanding. | Uvijek možeš računati na moje razumijevanje. |
| They often complain about that decision. | Oni se često žale na tu odluku. |
| How did you react to that news? | Kako si reagirao na tu vijest? |
| She secretly thinks about the future. | Ona potajno misli na budućnost. |
Expressing Abstract Concepts
These verbs are often paired with abstract nouns like osjećaj (feeling) or slučajnost (coincidence).
| That is not a coincidence, I fell in love with this feeling. | To nije slučajnost, zaljubio sam se u ovaj osjećaj. |
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