Centrifugiranje traje kratko.

It is a noun, specifically a verbal noun formed from the verb centrifugirati.

So even though it comes from a verb, in this sentence it behaves like an ordinary noun and acts as the subject:

• Centrifugiranje = the spinning / the spin cycle / centrifuging

Grammatically, it is neuter singular nominative, because it is the thing that traje.

Traje is the 3rd person singular present tense of trajati, which means to last.

It is singular because the subject centrifugiranje is singular.

A few forms of trajati:

• ja trajem = I last
• ti traješ = you last
• on/ona/ono traje = he/she/it lasts

So:

• Centrifugiranje traje = The spin cycle lasts

Here kratko is being used adverbially, meaning briefly or for a short time.

Croatian often uses the neuter singular form of an adjective as an adverb-like form:

• brz → brzo = quickly
• spor → sporo = slowly
• kratak → kratko = briefly / for a short time

So in this sentence:

• traje kratko = lasts a short time / does not last long

It is not agreeing with centrifugiranje as an adjective here. It is describing how long the action lasts, so it functions like an adverb.

It is in the nominative singular.

That is because it is the subject of the sentence — the thing that is doing the lasting.

You can tell this from the structure:

• Centrifugiranje = subject
• traje = verb
• kratko = adverbial expression

The given order is the most neutral:

• Centrifugiranje traje kratko.

But Croatian word order is fairly flexible, so you could also hear:

• Kratko traje centrifugiranje.
• Centrifugiranje kratko traje.

These versions are all grammatical, but they can sound slightly different in emphasis.

For a learner, the original sentence is the safest and most neutral pattern:

• subject + verb + adverb

Because Croatian does not have articles like English a and the.

So centrifugiranje can mean:

• centrifuging
• the spin cycle
• the spinning

The exact meaning depends on context, not on an article.

Yes, depending on how it is used.

As an adjective, related forms mean short:

• kratak film = a short film
• kratka suknja = a short skirt

As an adverbial form, kratko means:

• briefly
• for a short time

In this sentence, it clearly means the adverbial idea:

• traje kratko = lasts briefly / does not last long

It is a complete and natural sentence.

Croatian does not need anything extra here. The structure is enough:

• Centrifugiranje = what we are talking about
• traje = what it does
• kratko = in what way / for how long

You could make it longer, for example:

• Centrifugiranje traje vrlo kratko. = The spin cycle lasts a very short time.
• Centrifugiranje obično traje kratko. = The spin cycle usually lasts a short time.

But the original sentence is already fully correct.

Roughly:

tsen-tree-foo-GEE-ra-nye

A few helpful points:

• c in Croatian is always like ts
• g is always a hard g
• j sounds like English y
• nje at the end sounds like nye

So:

• centrifugiranje ≈ tsen-tree-foo-gee-RA-nye

The exact stress can vary by region and dictionary tradition, but that pronunciation will be understood.

Yes. That gives the opposite meaning:

• Centrifugiranje traje dugo. = The spin cycle lasts a long time.

This is a very useful pattern:

• X traje kratko. = X lasts a short time.
• X traje dugo. = X lasts a long time.

So you can reuse the structure with many subjects:

• Sastanak traje kratko. = The meeting is short / lasts a short time.
• Film traje dugo. = The film lasts a long time.