Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Croatian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Večeras ću učiti hrvatski.
What does the word ću do in this sentence?
Ću is the future-tense auxiliary (from the verb htjeti, to want) used to form the standard Croatian Future I. It roughly corresponds to English will. It combines with the infinitive of the main verb (učiti here). Person forms:
- I: ću
- you (sg): ćeš
- he/she/it: će
- we: ćemo
- you (pl): ćete
- they: će
Why is ću placed after Večeras?
Because ću is a clitic (an unstressed short word) that normally sits in second position in the clause. The adverb Večeras is the first element, so ću comes right after it: Večeras ću učiti hrvatski. Clitics like ću generally cannot start a sentence in standard Croatian.
Can I say Učit ću hrvatski večeras instead?
Yes. When the auxiliary follows the infinitive, the infinitive drops its final -i: učit ću. Both Večeras ću učiti hrvatski and Učit ću hrvatski večeras are correct and neutral. Avoid učiti ću (that’s incorrect in Croatian).
Why is it učiti and not a present-tense form like učim?
Future I is formed with the auxiliary (ću) + infinitive (učiti). You can, however, use the present for near-future plans: Večeras učim hrvatski also works and sounds like a scheduled plan. With ću + infinitive you simply state a future intention or prediction.
What’s the difference between učiti, naučiti, and studirati?
- učiti: to study/learn (process). Večeras ću učiti hrvatski.
- naučiti: to learn/come to know (completed result). Večeras ću naučiti novu frazu. Saying Večeras ću naučiti hrvatski implies you’ll master the whole language tonight, which is unrealistic or humorous.
- studirati: to study at university/as one’s field. Studiram hrvatski means Croatian is your degree/major or formal field of study.
Why isn’t hrvatski capitalized?
Names of languages in Croatian are written with a lowercase initial because they are adjectives (often used as nouns). Only proper names like Hrvatska (Croatia) are capitalized.
Why is it hrvatski, not hrvatskog?
After učiti (to study/learn), the direct object is in the accusative. Languages behave like inanimate masculine nouns, so their accusative singular equals the nominative: hrvatski (jezik). Hrvatskog is genitive (or accusative of animate masculine) and would be wrong here. You might see genitive in other contexts, e.g., Znam malo hrvatskog (I know a bit of Croatian).
Is hrvatski here a noun or an adjective?
It’s an adjective used as a noun (a substantivized adjective). Fully expanded, it’s hrvatski jezik (Croatian language). In everyday speech, the head noun jezik is usually omitted.
Can I say hrvatski jezik instead of just hrvatski?
Yes. Večeras ću učiti hrvatski jezik is correct, a bit more formal or explicit. In ordinary conversation you’ll most often hear just hrvatski.
Croatian has no articles, right? So there’s no equivalent of the or a?
Correct—Croatian has no articles. Hrvatski on its own covers what English expresses with a/an/the, and context does the rest.
Is večeras the same as noćas or sinoć?
- večeras: this evening/tonight (evening hours)
- noćas: tonight (during the night/late at night)
- sinoć: last night Related: navečer means in the evening (generally), and ove večeri is a more formal this evening.
How do I pronounce č vs ć in this sentence?
- č is a harder ch sound, like the ch in English church: Večeras has č.
- ć is a softer, more palatal ch, somewhat like the t in British tune when it sounds a bit like ty: ću and učiti have ć. In IPA: č [t͡ʃ], ć [t͡ɕ]. English lacks ć, so aim for a softer, more hissy ch.
How do I pronounce hrvatski?
- The r can act as a syllable nucleus, so the first syllable is basically hr. Think: HR-vat-ski.
- h is pronounced (often like the German ch in Bach or a strong h), r is tapped or trilled, v is closer to an English w/v blend ([ʋ]). Practice slowly: h(r)-VAT-ski. It gets easier with repetition.
How do I negate the sentence?
Add ne to the auxiliary: Večeras neću učiti hrvatski. Negative forms:
- neću, nećeš, neće, nećemo, nećete, neće.
What other word orders are possible, and what do they emphasize?
Croatian allows flexible word order for emphasis:
- Neutral: Večeras ću učiti hrvatski.
- Also neutral: Učit ću hrvatski večeras.
- Emphasis on the object (contrast): Hrvatski ću večeras učiti (implies not, say, German).
- Emphasis on the subject: Ja ću večeras učiti hrvatski. Avoid: Večeras učiti ću hrvatski or Učiti ću… (incorrect placement of ću).
How would I turn this into a yes/no question?
Use li with the auxiliary or invert with hoćeš etc. For example (2nd person): Hoćeš li večeras učiti hrvatski? Short answers: Hoću. / Neću. In standard Croatian, da li-questions are less preferred; li after the verb or word order changes are standard.
Is Učiću hrvatski večeras acceptable?
That spelling is Serbian. In Croatian, the auxiliary is a separate clitic and you either write Učit ću hrvatski večeras (short infinitive) or Večeras ću učiti hrvatski (full infinitive).