Learn Hardcore Croatian: Vidim ga svaki dan u školi.

ga is the unstressed (clitic) accusative pronoun for third person singular masculine (and often neuter): him/it.
njega is the stressed form used for emphasis or contrast: Vidim njega (a ne Marka).
After a preposition you must use the stressed form: za njega, not ✗za ga.
In a neutral sentence like this, ga is the normal choice.

Where does ga go in the sentence?

Croatian clitic pronouns like ga occupy the “second position” in a clause (after the first stressed word or phrase).
Here, the first stressed word is Vidim, so: Vidim ga svaki dan u školi.
If you front another phrase, the clitic stays second:
- Svaki dan ga vidim u školi.
- U školi ga vidim svaki dan.
Not standard: ✗Ga vidim svaki dan...

Should it be Viđam ga for a habitual action instead of Vidim ga?

Strictly, the habitual/imperfective verb is viđati: Viđam ga svaki dan u školi = I (regularly) see/run into him.
Everyday Croatian often uses vidim with time phrases for habits: Vidim ga svaki dan... is very common and natural.
Nuance: Vidim can also mean “I (can) see him (now)”; Viđam highlights repetition.

What cases are used in the sentence, and why?

ga: accusative (direct object).
svaki dan: accusative of time (duration/occurrence; with masculine inanimate nouns, the accusative equals the nominative, hence svaki dan, not svakog).
u školi: locative after u for a static location (“in/at school”). For motion into, use accusative: u školu (“into the school”).

Why is it svaki dan and not svakog dana? Are both correct?

Both are correct and common:
- svaki dan (accusative)
- svakog(a) dana (genitive)
The genitive version can feel a touch more formal/literary; meaning is the same.

When do I use u vs na with places like “school”?

For “school,” use u školi (in/at school).
Some institutions take na: na fakultetu (at the faculty), na sveučilištu (at the university).
Other common patterns: na poslu (at work), u uredu (in the office), na koncertu (at the concert), u restoranu (in the restaurant).

How do you conjugate vidjeti in the present?

Present: vidim, vidiš, vidi, vidimo, vidite, vide.
Habitual partner verb: viđati → viđam, viđaš, viđa, viđamo, viđate, viđaju.

What’s the difference between vidjeti and gledati?

Can ga mean “it” as well as “him”? What about feminine and plural objects?

Yes. ga = him / it (masculine or neuter referent).
Feminine: je (also ju), e.g., Vidim je/ju = I see her/it (fem.).
Plural (any gender): ih, e.g., Vidim ih = I see them.
Emphatic (stressed) forms: njega, nju, njih (and these are the forms used after prepositions).

Can I move the time and place around? Does the meaning change?

You can reorder for emphasis while keeping the same basic meaning:
- Vidim ga svaki dan u školi. (neutral)
- Svaki dan ga vidim u školi. (emphasis on “every day”)
- U školi ga vidim svaki dan. (emphasis on “at school”)
The clitic ga remains in second position of the clause.

How do I make the sentence negative?

Ne vidim ga svaki dan u školi. = I don’t see him every day at school.
ne goes before the verb; ga still sits after the first stressed word (the verb).
For “never,” use: Nikad ga ne vidim u školi.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Where is the subject “I”? Why isn’t there a word for it?

Croatian drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person.
vidim ends in -m → first person singular, so ja (I) is optional. You’d add Ja only for emphasis/contrast.

If the person is female, do I still use ga?

Does u školi mean “in school” or “at school”?

It covers both “in the school building” and “at school” (as a location). Context clarifies.
If you need to be specific: u školskoj zgradi (in the school building), pred školom (in front of the school), u školskom dvorištu (in the schoolyard).

If I mean “I run into/meet him every day,” is vidjeti still okay?

vidjeti is neutral “to see.” For “run into/meet,” prefer:
- sretati (impf) / sresti (pf): Srećem ga svaki dan u školi.
- Also possible: viđati se (to see each other regularly): Viđamo se svaki dan u školi.