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Questions & Answers about Doktor danas radi u bolnici.
Why is there no word for “the” or “a” before doktor?
Croatian has no articles. Context supplies definiteness.
- Doktor danas radi u bolnici. = “The doctor” or “A doctor,” depending on context.
- To make it clearly definite, use a demonstrative: Taj/ovaj doktor danas radi u bolnici. (That/this doctor…)
- To make it clearly indefinite: Jedan/neki doktor danas radi u bolnici. (A/one/some doctor…)
Does radi mean “works” or “is working”?
Both. The present tense of the imperfective verb raditi covers English simple and progressive:
- Doktor danas radi u bolnici. = “The doctor works at the hospital today” / “is working at the hospital today.” There is no special “be + -ing” form in Croatian. If you mean mere presence, not working, say: Doktor je danas u bolnici. (The doctor is in the hospital today.)
How do I conjugate raditi (to work) in the present?
- ja radim
- ti radiš
- on/ona/ono radi
- mi radimo
- vi radite
- oni/one/ona rade Negation: put ne before the verb, e.g., ne radi (is not working/doesn’t work).
Why is it u bolnici and not u bolnica or u bolnicu?
After u:
- Use locative for location: u bolnici = in/at the hospital.
- Use accusative for motion into: u bolnicu = into/to the hospital. So: Radi u bolnici, but Ide u bolnicu.
What case is bolnici, and how does bolnica decline?
Bolnici is locative singular. Key singular forms:
- Nominative: bolnica
- Genitive: bolnice
- Dative: bolnici
- Accusative: bolnicu
- Locative: bolnici
- Instrumental: bolnicom
Can I say na bolnici?
No; use u bolnici. Croatian splits “at/in” roughly as:
- u for being inside/enclosed places (u kući, u školi, u bolnici).
- na for surfaces, events, many institutions (na poslu, na fakultetu, na sudu). There are fixed expressions, so learn them case by case. For hospitals, it’s u bolnici.
Where can I put danas in the sentence?
Word order is flexible for emphasis:
- Neutral/common: Doktor danas radi u bolnici.
- Emphasizing “today”: Danas doktor radi u bolnici.
- End focus: Doktor radi u bolnici danas. Meaning stays the same; you just shift the focus.
How do I make a yes/no question?
Use li after the verb, or just rise your intonation:
- Radi li doktor danas u bolnici? (Is the doctor working at the hospital today?)
- Colloquial: Doktor danas radi u bolnici? (rising intonation) Be careful: Je li doktor danas u bolnici? asks if he is there (present), not necessarily working.
How do I negate the sentence?
Place ne before the verb:
- Doktor danas ne radi u bolnici. (The doctor isn’t working at the hospital today.)
How do I say “to the hospital,” “in the hospital,” and “from the hospital”?
- To the hospital (motion in): u bolnicu
- In/at the hospital (location): u bolnici
- From the hospital: iz bolnice Examples: Idem u bolnicu. Radim u bolnici. Dolazim iz bolnice.
Does doktor always mean a medical doctor?
Everyday Croatian uses doktor for a physician, but it can also mean a PhD. The specifically medical term is liječnik (male) / liječnica (female):
- Liječnik danas radi u bolnici. (More formal/precise.)
How do I say it for a female doctor?
Use the feminine form:
- Doktorica danas radi u bolnici. Or with the formal medical term:
- Liječnica danas radi u bolnici.
What are the plural forms?
- Subject plural: Doktori danas rade u bolnici. / Liječnici danas rade u bolnici.
- “In hospitals” (plural): u bolnicama.
Can I drop the subject like in Spanish/Italian?
Yes. Croatian is pro-drop. If the subject is clear from context:
- Danas radi u bolnici. You can use a pronoun for emphasis or contrast: On danas radi u bolnici. (He, specifically, is working today.)
Why not say Doktor je danas radi u bolnici?
Because je (is) doesn’t form a progressive. Use either:
- Doktor danas radi u bolnici. (He is working.) or
- Doktor je danas u bolnici. (He is at the hospital.)
Any quick pronunciation tips?
- c = “ts” (so bolnici ≈ “bol-nee-tsee”).
- u = “oo.”
- r is tapped.
- Roughly: Doktor “DOK-tor,” danas “DAH-nahs,” radi “RAH-dee,” u “oo,” bolnici “BOL-nee-tsee.”
How can I emphasize “today”?
Add particles:
- Baš danas / Upravo danas (exactly/just today): Baš danas doktor radi u bolnici.
- Tek danas (only today): Doktor tek danas radi u bolnici.
I’ve seen radi used as “because of.” Is that the same word?
It’s a different usage. Radi + genitive can mean “because of” (formal/literary), e.g., Radi kiše ostajemo doma. In your sentence, radi is the verb “works.”
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