Breakdown of Naša veza funkcionira jer imamo vremena za videopoziv.
jer
because
imati
to have
naš
our
veza
connection / relationship (romantic, link)
vrijeme
time
za
for (+ accusative)
funkcionirati
to function
videopoziv
video call
Questions & Answers about Naša veza funkcionira jer imamo vremena za videopoziv.
How would I change this sentence to use this lesson's phrase, bez obzira na to što, to mean "Our relationship functions regardless of the fact that we don't have time..."?
You would replace the causal conjunction jer (because) with bez obzira na to što and negate the verb: Naša veza funkcionira bez obzira na to što nemamo vremena za videopoziv. Notice that the verb in the concessive clause stays in the normal indicative mood (nemamo), just like it does after jer.
Why do we use the genitive vremena instead of the accusative vrijeme after the verb imamo?
This is the partitive genitive, which expresses "some amount of" an uncountable noun. When talking about having time, money, or patience, Croatian prefers the genitive (imamo vremena) to mean "we have some time." Using the accusative here would sound unnatural, as if you possess the abstract concept of time itself.
Could I use the verb raditi (to work) instead of funkcionirati to say the relationship "works"?
No, raditi would sound very strange here. In Croatian, raditi is used for physical labor, people doing their jobs, or mechanical devices operating (like a car or a watch working). For abstract systems, plans, or relationships, you should always use funkcionirati (to function).
Why is videopoziv in the accusative case here, and why does it look exactly like the nominative?
The preposition za takes the accusative case when it expresses purpose or intention (time for a video call). Because videopoziv is an inanimate masculine noun, its accusative singular form is identical to its nominative form. If it had been an animate noun, it would have taken the -a ending.
Learn Naša veza funkcionira jer imamo vremena za videopoziv 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