Breakdown of Trebam izvagati omotnicu i platiti poštarinu.
i
and (additive)
trebati
to need / should (ought to)
platiti
to pay
omotnica
envelope
izvagati
to weigh
poštarina
postage
Questions & Answers about Trebam izvagati omotnicu i platiti poštarinu.
I often see the verb trebati used impersonally. Why is it "trebam izvagati" here instead of "treba izvagati"?
In strict standard Croatian, when trebati (to need) is followed by another verb, it acts impersonally, so you would write treba izvagati (it is necessary to weigh). However, in everyday spoken Croatian, it is incredibly common to conjugate it personally, as in trebam izvagati (I need to weigh). Both are understood, but the personal form used here is more casual.
Why is the perfective verb "izvagati" used here instead of the imperfective "vagati"?
You use the perfective izvagati because you are talking about a single, completed action: you will weigh the envelope once to get its final weight. If you used the imperfective vagati, it would imply the ongoing process of weighing, which doesn't fit the context of a quick transaction at the post office.
Is there a difference between "omotnica" and "koverta"?
Omotnica is the standard Croatian word for envelope, related to the concept of wrapping. Koverta (or kuverta) is a widespread loanword that means the exact same thing. You will hear both in daily life, but omotnica is the better choice for formal situations or official post office terminology.
How is the word "poštarina" (postage) formed?
It is made by combining pošta (post or mail) with the suffix -arina. This is a very useful suffix for B2 learners to know, as it is used to form words for fees, taxes, or duties. Other common examples include cestarina (toll, from cesta - road) and članarina (membership fee, from član - member).
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