Learn Croatian: Oprostite, imate li jelovnik? - Excuse me, do you have a menu?

Jelovnik (menu) is a masculine noun. For inanimate masculine nouns (objects, not living beings), the accusative form is identical to the dictionary form. Since a menu is an object, it stays jelovnik even when it is the direct object of the verb imate (you have).

Why do we use the form oprostite instead of oprosti?

Oprostite is the formal and plural way to say excuse me. When asking restaurant staff for a menu, it is customary to use the polite, formal you form. You would only use oprosti with a close friend or family member.

What is the word li doing in this sentence?

Li is a question word used to create yes/no questions. A very common way to ask a question in Croatian is to put the verb first (imate), followed immediately by li. So imate li simply means do you have?

I have learned the word jelo (dish). Is it related to jelovnik?

Yes! Jelovnik is built directly from the word jelo. You can think of a jelovnik as a collection of dishes, which makes it very easy to remember.