Learn Hardcore Croatian: Dolazim za minutu, odmah poslije doručka. - I am coming in a minute, right after breakfast.

In Croatian, za + accusative with a time expression means “in (from now), after that amount of time.” So za minutu = “in a minute,” za sat = “in an hour,” za tjedan = “in a week.”

Why is it minutu and not minuta?

Because the preposition za takes the accusative, and the accusative singular of the feminine noun minuta is minutu. Nominative: minuta; Accusative: minutu.

Do I need to say jednu (za jednu minutu)?

No. Jednu (one) is optional and usually omitted unless you want to stress the exact number. Both are correct: za minutu and za jednu minutu.

How do I say “in two/five minutes”?

In two minutes: za dvije minute
In three/four minutes: za tri/četiri minute
In five (or more) minutes: za pet minuta, za deset minuta Note: After 2–4, the noun takes the form minute; after 5+, it’s minuta (genitive plural).

Why is the present tense (Dolazim) used for a future meaning?

Croatian often uses the present for near-future or scheduled actions, much like English “I’m coming/I’m leaving.” Dolazim za minutu sounds immediate and colloquial. The neutral future is Doći ću za minutu (“I will come in a minute”).

What’s the nuance difference between Dolazim, Doći ću, and Stižem?

Dolazim…: focuses on the process, informal/immediate (“I’m on my way”).
Doći ću…: neutral future, focuses on the eventual arrival.
Stižem…: “I’m arriving”/“I’m about to arrive,” emphasizes reaching the destination soon. All can work here, with small tone differences.

Can I say Dođem za minutu?

Not as a standalone statement in standard Croatian. Dođem is the present of a perfective verb and typically expresses future only in certain structures. Use Doći ću za minutu or Dolazim za minutu. You will, however, see dođem in clauses like Kad dođem za minutu, nazvat ću te (“When I come in a minute, I’ll call you”).

Is the comma necessary before odmah poslije doručka?

It’s optional. The comma simply marks a pause and separates two time adverbials. Without the comma (Dolazim za minutu odmah poslije doručka) is also acceptable, though the comma often improves readability.

Can I drop odmah? What changes?

Yes. Poslije doručka = “after breakfast.” Odmah poslije doručka = “right/immediately after breakfast,” which is stronger and more precise.

Is odmah poslije the same as odmah nakon?

Yes, they’re interchangeable here:

odmah poslije doručka
odmah nakon doručka Nakоn is a touch more formal/neutral in some contexts; both take the genitive.

Why is it doručka and not doručak?

Poslije (“after”) requires the genitive case: doručak (NOM) → doručka (GEN). So poslije doručka = “after breakfast.”

Is poslije always followed by genitive?

Yes. Examples: poslije posla (“after work”), poslije ručka (“after lunch”), poslije kiše (“after the rain”).

Is poslje a correct spelling?

No. The standard Croatian spelling is poslije (with -ije-). Poslje is a common misspelling. Posle (without i) is Serbian/colloquial in some regions, not standard Croatian.

I’ve seen minut instead of minuta. Which is correct in Croatian?

Standard Croatian uses minuta. Forms like minut/minuta are associated with Serbian or some regional speech. Stick with minuta/minutu/minute/minuta in Croatian.

Why not u minutu? What’s the difference between za and u with time?

za + time = “in (from now)” → za minutu (“in a minute”).
u + clock time = “at” → u pet (“at five o’clock”), u 12:35 (“at 12:35”).
u + duration can mean “within/over the span of” → U pet minuta je riješio zadatak (“He solved it in five minutes”). U minutu isn’t used to mean “in a minute (from now).”

Any quick pronunciation tips for odmah, poslije, doručka?

odmah: pronounce d and h; h is like German ch in “Bach.”
poslije: lj = “ly,” and -ije ≈ “yeh” (pos-lyeh).
doručka: č = “ch” in “church.”

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Croatian word order is flexible. For example:

Odmah poslije doručka dolazim (za minutu).
Dolazim odmah poslije doručka. Keep the elements together for clarity (odmah + poslije doručka is a tight unit).

Are there colloquial variants?

Yes:

odmah → odma (very colloquial speech; avoid in writing)
za minutu → za sekundu / za tren (figurative: “in a sec/in a jiffy”) Stick to the standard forms in formal contexts.