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Learn Hardcore Croatian: Moramo uhvatiti autobus. - We have to catch the bus.

Hardcore Croatian
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/Moramo uhvatiti autobus.

Moramo uhvatiti autobus.

Moramo uhvatiti autobus.

We have to catch the bus.

Breakdown of Moramo uhvatiti autobus.

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Questions & Answers about Moramo uhvatiti autobus.

What does moramo mean here?

Moramo is the 1st person plural present form of morati.

So it means we must, we have to, or sometimes we need to, depending on context.

In this sentence, Moramo uhvatiti autobus, it expresses necessity: we have to catch the bus.

Why is there no word for we in the sentence?

Croatian often drops subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.

The ending -mo in moramo already tells you the subject is we.

So:

Moramo uhvatiti autobus = We have to catch the bus
Mi moramo uhvatiti autobus = also We have to catch the bus, but with extra emphasis on we

You would add mi only if you want contrast or emphasis, for example: Mi moramo uhvatiti autobus, a oni ne moraju.

Why is uhvatiti in the infinitive?

After the modal verb morati, Croatian normally uses an infinitive.

So the pattern is:

moramo + infinitive
moram raditi = I have to work
moramo uhvatiti = we have to catch

Unlike English, there is no separate word like to before the infinitive here.

Why do we use uhvatiti and not hvatati?

This is about aspect, which is very important in Croatian verbs.

uhvatiti is perfective
hvatati is imperfective

Here, uhvatiti is natural because catching the bus is seen as a single completed result: either you catch it or you do not.

So moramo uhvatiti autobus means something like:

we have to manage to catch the bus
we have to catch the bus successfully

If you used hvatati, it would suggest an ongoing or repeated action, which is not the normal idea here.

What exactly does uhvatiti mean? Is it literally to grab?

The basic idea of uhvatiti is to catch, to seize, or to grab, but it is also used idiomatically for transport, just like English catch.

So uhvatiti autobus is a normal way to say:

catch the bus
make the bus

It does not sound strange in Croatian.

Why is it autobus and not some different form?

Because autobus is the direct object of the verb, so it is in the accusative case.

However, autobus is a masculine inanimate noun, and for many masculine inanimate nouns, the accusative looks the same as the nominative.

So:

nominative: autobus
accusative: autobus

That is why the form does not change.

Compare that with a masculine animate noun, where the accusative often does change:

pas = dog
vidim psa = I see the dog

Does autobus mean the bus or a bus?

Croatian has no articles, so autobus can mean either a bus or the bus.

The context tells you which one is meant.

In a sentence like this, English will often use the bus, because the speaker usually has a specific bus in mind.

So Moramo uhvatiti autobus could mean:

We have to catch the bus
We have to catch a bus

Both are possible, depending on context.

Can the word order change?

Yes. Croatian word order is fairly flexible.

The neutral, natural order here is:

Moramo uhvatiti autobus

But other orders are possible for emphasis, for example:

Autobus moramo uhvatiti
Emphasizes the bus
Moramo autobus uhvatiti
Also possible, though less neutral

So the original sentence is the most standard and neutral version.

Could I also say Trebamo uhvatiti autobus?

Yes, you could.

Both moramo and trebamo can express necessity, but there is often a nuance:

moramo = we must / we have to
Stronger, more urgent
trebamo = we need to / we should
Often a bit softer, depending on context

So:

Moramo uhvatiti autobus sounds more like a real necessity
Trebamo uhvatiti autobus can sound slightly less forceful

How do you pronounce the sentence?

A rough English-style pronunciation is:

mo-RA-mo oo-HVA-ti-ti AU-to-boos

A few helpful points:

r is a tapped or rolled r
h is clearly pronounced
the cluster hv in uhvatiti may feel unusual at first
u sounds like oo in food

So the sentence is pronounced clearly, with every vowel sounded.

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