Sutra ću pisati majci.

Tomorrow I will write to my mother.

Breakdown of Sutra ću pisati majci.

• sutra: tomorrow
• majka: mother
• pisati: to write
• htjeti: will

Questions & Answers about Sutra ću pisati majci.

What does the word ću do, and why is it placed before the verb?

• ću is the 1st-person singular auxiliary from htjeti (“to want”) used to form the simple future (called Futur I).
• Croatian clitics like ću normally sit in “second position” in the clause, i.e., right after the first stressed word or phrase.
• Hence: Sutra ću pisati… (“Tomorrow I will write…”). Other persons: ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete, će.

Can I say “Pisati ću majci”?

No. You have two correct options:

• If the auxiliary comes first: ću pisati (keep the -i).
• If the auxiliary comes after the verb: drop the infinitive -i → pisat ću.
  So: Sutra ću pisati majci or Sutra ću pisat ću majci? The correct one is Sutra ću pisati majci or Pisat ću sutra majci. The form Pisati ću is non‑standard.

What form is pisati here?

pisati is the infinitive (“to write”). In Futur I, you combine the auxiliary (ću, ćeš…) with the infinitive: ću pisati.
When the auxiliary follows, the infinitive typically drops its final -i: pisat ću.

Why is it majci and not majka or majku?

Because Croatian marks “to someone” with the dative case. majci is the dative singular of majka (“mother”).
Mini paradigm for reference:

• Nominative: majka
• Genitive: majke
• Dative: majci
• Accusative: majku
• Vocative: majko
• Locative: majci
• Instrumental: majkom

Do I need a preposition like “to” before majci?

No. Croatian uses case endings instead of a preposition here. pisati + dative expresses “write to someone”: pisati majci, pisati prijatelju, etc.

Why does majka become majci (k > c)?

Before the vowel -i in certain endings, Croatian applies a consonant change (palatalization): k → c, g → z, h → s in many nouns. So majka → majci in the dative/locative singular.

Can I use napisati instead of pisati?

Yes, but it changes the aspect:

• pisati (imperfective): focuses on the activity or duration; “I’ll be writing (to) my mother tomorrow.”
• napisati (perfective): focuses on completion; “I’ll write (and finish) a message/letter to my mother tomorrow.”
  Both are fine; choose based on whether you want to emphasize the process (pisati) or the completed action (napisati).
  Examples:
• Sutra ću pisati majci. (activity)
• Sutra ću napisati pismo majci. (completed letter)

Can I include the subject pronoun ja?

Yes, but it’s usually omitted because the auxiliary already shows person.

• Neutral: Sutra ću pisati majci.
• With pronoun (slight emphasis on “I”): Ja ću sutra pisati majci.
  The clitic ću still needs to be in second position.

Is “Sutra pišem majci” also possible?

Yes. Croatian can use the present tense for a scheduled near-future action: Sutra pišem majci. It sounds like a definite plan in your schedule. The future (ću pisati) is more neutral about intention/future reference.

How do I negate it?

Use ne + auxiliary, which fuses in writing:

• Sutra neću pisati majci. = “I won’t write to my mother tomorrow.”
  (nega. forms: neću, nećeš, neće, nećemo, nećete, neće)

Can I replace majci with a pronoun?

Yes, the dative of “she” is joj (“to her”), which is also a clitic:

• Sutra ću joj pisati.
  Don’t double it with a full noun: avoid something like “Sutra ću joj pisati majci.” Use either joj or majci, not both.

Where else can majci go in the sentence?

Word order is flexible (information structure decides the emphasis), but clitics stay in second position. All of these are grammatical:

• Sutra ću pisati majci. (neutral)
• Sutra ću majci pisati. (slight focus on the recipient)
• Majci ću sutra pisati. (stronger focus on “to my mother”)
• Pisat ću majci sutra. (verb-first style; still neutral)

Why not majki?

majki is the genitive plural (“of mothers”). You need the dative singular: majci.
For plural “to mothers,” the dative plural would be majkama.

How do I ask “Who will you write to tomorrow?”

• Kome ćeš sutra pisati? (“To whom will you write tomorrow?”)
  Answer pattern: Pisat ću (sutra) [dative] — e.g., Pisat ću sutra majci.

How do I pronounce ću, and what’s the difference between č and ć?

• ću is pronounced roughly like “chyoo” (a soft “ch” + “yoo”).
• ć is a softer, more “palatal” sound than č.
  Minimal idea: ć is “soft ch,” č is “hard ch.” Spelling matters; here it must be ću, not “ču.”

Can I include what I’m writing?

Yes. The thing written is usually in the accusative, the recipient in the dative:

• Sutra ću pisati pismo majci. (activity)
• Sutra ću napisati pismo majci. (completed letter)

Should I say mojoj majci or svojoj majci?

Both are correct in the dative: mojoj majci and svojoj majci.
When the possessor is the subject, Croatian prefers the reflexive possessive svoj:

• Sutra ću pisati svojoj majci. (natural, “to my own mother”)
  Using mojoj is not wrong; svojoj just follows the stylistic norm.

Is there any difference between “ću pisati” and “pisat ću”?

Both are standard. Choice depends on placement of the clitic in second position and on what you put first for emphasis.

• If the auxiliary precedes the verb, keep the infinitive: ću pisati.
• If it follows the verb, drop the -i: pisat ću.
  Avoid: Pisati ću.