Vidimo se sutra u školi.

See you tomorrow at school.

Breakdown of Vidimo se sutra u školi.

• škola: school
• sutra: tomorrow
• u: at
• vidjeti: to see
• se: each other

Questions & Answers about Vidimo se sutra u školi.

What does the phrase Vidimo se literally mean, and why does it translate as “See you”?

Vidimo = “we see” (1st person plural present of vidjeti, “to see”).
se is a reflexive/reciprocal clitic meaning “each other.”
So Vidimo se literally means “We see each other,” which is the normal way to say “See you.” Adding sutra (“tomorrow”) and u školi (“at school”) gives “See you tomorrow at school.”

What is se doing here, and where does it go in the sentence?

se marks a reciprocal action (“each other”) and is an unstressed clitic that must stand in second position in the clause. Examples:

• Vidimo se sutra u školi.
• Sutra se vidimo u školi.
• U školi se vidimo sutra.

It cannot be the first word of the clause. You’ll often hear Vidimo se as a fixed farewell.

Can I start the sentence with Se (e.g., Se vidimo sutra)?

No. se cannot begin a clause in standard Croatian. Say Vidimo se sutra or Sutra se vidimo instead.

Why is it u školi and not u škola or u školu?

Because after u:

• Use the locative case for location: u školi = “in/at school.”
• Use the accusative case for motion into: u školu = “to (into) the school.”

So “See you tomorrow at school” needs the locative: u školi.

How does škola decline, and which form is this?

Relevant singular forms:

• Nominative: škola (school)
• Genitive: škole (of the school)
• Dative: školi (to/for the school)
• Accusative: školu (object / motion into)
• Locative: školi (in/at the school) ← used here after u
• Instrumental: školom (with/by the school)

Can I change the word order, like Sutra se vidimo u školi or Vidimo se u školi sutra?

Yes. Croatian word order is flexible. All of these are fine and mean the same thing; the differences are in emphasis:

• Vidimo se sutra u školi. (neutral)
• Sutra se vidimo u školi. (emphasizes the time)
• Vidimo se u školi sutra. (slight emphasis on place)

Is Vidimo se appropriate in formal situations?

Yes. It’s neutral and perfectly acceptable with teachers, colleagues, etc. You can make it more explicitly future or slightly more formal with Vidjet ćemo se sutra u školi.

What’s the difference between Vidimo se sutra and Vidjet ćemo se sutra?

Both are correct and natural:

• Vidimo se sutra uses the present to express a planned future meeting (very idiomatic, like English “See you tomorrow”).
• Vidjet ćemo se sutra is the explicit future (“We will see each other tomorrow”), slightly more formal or explicit, but the meaning is practically the same here.

Can I drop se and just say Vidimo sutra u školi?

No. Without se, the verb needs a direct object:

• Vidimo te/vas sutra (u školi). = “We’ll see you tomorrow (at school).”
  To say “See you,” keep the reciprocal: Vidimo se.

When would I use Čujemo se instead of Vidimo se?

Use Čujemo se (“We’ll hear from each other / talk to you”) when the next contact will be by phone or online. Use Vidimo se when you’ll meet in person.

How do I pronounce the tricky sounds, especially š in školi?

• Vidimo se: approximately “VEE-dee-mo seh” (note se is unstressed).
• sutra: “SOO-trah.”
• u školi: “oo SHKOH-lee.”
  The letter š is like English “sh” in “shoe.”

What is sutra, and do I need any commas?

sutra is an adverb meaning “tomorrow.” No comma is needed in this sentence. You can move it around freely: Sutra se vidimo u školi / Vidimo se sutra u školi.

Does Vidimo se work when speaking to one person and to a group?

Yes. Vidimo se is reciprocal (“we see each other”) and works fine whether you’re addressing one person or several people.

Why u školi and not na školi?

With “school,” Croatian uses u for being in/at the school: u školi. Some institutions take na by convention (e.g., na fakultetu = “at university,” na poslu = “at work”), but with school it’s u školi.

Can I make it a yes/no question to confirm plans?

Yes. Vidimo se sutra u školi? with rising intonation means “Are we seeing each other tomorrow at school?”