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Questions & Answers about Vidimo se poslije škole.
What does the word se do in Vidimo se?
Se is a reflexive clitic. With vidjeti (to see), adding se makes it reciprocal: vidjeti se = “to see each other.” So Vidimo se literally means “We see each other,” used idiomatically as “See you.” Without se, vidimo would just be “we see,” and you’d need a direct object (e.g., Vidimo te = “We’ll see you”).
Why is the present tense (Vidimo) used if we’re talking about the future?
Croatian often uses the present for near-future plans, especially in set phrases like Vidimo se. It sounds natural and friendly. If you want the explicit future, you can say: Vidjet ćemo se poslije škole.
Why is it škole and not škola?
Because poslije (“after”) governs the genitive case. Škola (nominative) becomes škole in the genitive singular. Same with nakon (“after”): nakon škole.
Are poslije and nakon the same?
They both mean “after” and both take the genitive: poslije škole / nakon škole. Nakón is a bit more formal; poslije can also stand alone as an adverb (“later”), e.g., Vidimo se poslije.
Can I say posle instead of poslije?
In standard Croatian, use poslije. Posle is Serbian (Ekavian). You’ll hear it regionally, but it’s not standard Croatian.
Where does se go in the sentence? Can I start with it?
Clitic se typically sits in “second position” in the clause. Natural options:
- Vidimo se poslije škole.
- Poslije škole se vidimo. Don’t start a sentence with Se: ✗ Se vidimo… is ungrammatical.
Can I drop se here?
No. Vidimo poslije škole is odd because it lacks an object. Keep se for the reciprocal meaning. If you address someone directly, you could say Vidimo te poslije škole (“We’ll see you after school”).
How do I pronounce the tricky parts (š, lj, ije)?
- š = “sh” (English “shoe”): škole → “SHKOH-leh.”
- lj = a palatal “ly”: poslije → roughly “POH-slyeh.”
- ije = “ee-yeh.” Whole sentence: “VEE-dee-moh seh POH-slyeh SHKOH-leh.”
Is a comma needed before poslije škole?
No. Just write Vidimo se poslije škole. In casual messages you might use ! (Vidimo se poslije škole!), but no comma is required.
Is this expression formal or informal?
Vidimo se is friendly and neutral-casual—perfect for friends, classmates, and colleagues. For a more formal feel you could use the explicit future: Vidjet ćemo se nakon škole.
Does poslije škole mean today specifically?
Not necessarily; it’s context-dependent. To be specific, add a time word:
- Vidimo se danas poslije škole. (today)
- Vidimo se sutra poslije škole. (tomorrow)
- Vidimo se poslije škole u tri. (at three)
What’s the difference between Vidimo se and Čujemo se?
- Vidimo se = “See you” (in person).
- Čujemo se = “Talk to you” (by phone/online). Use the one that matches how you’ll reconnect.
Is iza škole a valid alternative to mean “after school”?
No. Iza škole means “behind the school” (location), not “after school” (time). For time, use poslije škole or nakon škole.
Any common spelling pitfalls here?
- It’s poslije (with lj and ije), not “poslje.”
- Keep Croatian diacritics: š in škole. Writing “skole” is common in informal texting but is not standard.