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?