Log inSign up

Sviđa mi se ovaj grad.

Sviđa mi se ovaj grad.
I like this city.
From Lesson 64:Clitic clusters: mi se, ju je·Croatian

Questions & Answers about Sviđa mi se ovaj grad.

Where is the word for "I" in this sentence?
In Croatian, the verb for "to like" (sviđati se) works backwards compared to English. You literally say that something is pleasing "to me". The word mi means "to me". You don't use the regular word for "I" (ja).
Why is the verb sviđa in the "he/she/it" form instead of the "I" form?
Because the grammatical subject of the sentence is actually ovaj grad (this city). The sentence literally means "This city is pleasing to me." Since the city is doing the action, the verb takes the "he/she/it" form.
What does the word se do in this sentence?
The dictionary form of the Croatian verb for "to like" is sviđati se. The word se is a mandatory part of this verb. It doesn't translate to a specific word in English in this sentence, but you cannot drop it!
Why are mi and se placed right after the first word?
Both mi and se belong to a group of short, unstressed words called enclitics. In Croatian, enclitics follow a strict rule: they almost always jump to the second position in a sentence. Here, they sit perfectly in the second slot right after the first word, Sviđa.

Learn Sviđa mi se ovaj grad and more in Croatian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Croatian →