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Questions & Answers about Imamo novac za ručak.
Why is there no word for “we” in the sentence?
Croatian is a pro‑drop language: the verb ending shows the subject. Imamo ends in -mo, which marks first person plural, so it already means “we have.” You can add mi for emphasis: Mi imamo novac za ručak.
What form (case) is novac, and why doesn’t it change?
It’s the direct object of imamo, so it’s in the accusative singular. For most masculine inanimate nouns (like novac), the accusative has the same form as the nominative, so you see no change: novac.
I also see Imamo novca za ručak. Which is right: novac or novca?
Both are correct but they differ in nuance.
- Imamo novac za ručak = “We have the money for lunch” (more definite/specific sum).
- Imamo novca za ručak = “We have (some/enough) money for lunch” (partitive genitive; more idiomatic when talking about having enough).
What case does za take in za ručak?
With the meaning “for (the purpose of),” za takes the accusative. Ručak is masculine inanimate, so its accusative looks like the nominative: ručak.
Could it be za ručkom instead of za ručak?
That would mean something different. Za ručkom (instrumental) means “during/at lunch,” e.g., Pričali smo za ručkom = “We talked during lunch.” For “for lunch (purpose),” stick with za ručak (accusative).
Can I say na ručak instead?
Na ručak means “to (go for) lunch,” used with movement/going: Idemo na ručak = “We’re going to lunch.” When you mean money intended for lunch, use za ručak.
Can I change the word order?
Yes. Croatian word order is flexible for emphasis:
- Imamo novac za ručak (neutral).
- Za ručak imamo novac (emphasis on “for lunch”).
- Novac imamo za ručak (emphasis on “money”).
- Mi imamo novac za ručak (emphasizes “we”).
How do I ask, “Do we have money for lunch?”
Use the particle li after the verb: Imamo li novca za ručak? (You can also hear Da li imamo novca za ručak? in everyday speech.)
How do I say, “We don’t have money for lunch”?
Nemamo novca za ručak. In negatives, Croatian often uses the genitive for the object (especially with mass nouns), so novca is most natural here.
How do I say, “We have enough money for lunch”?
Imamo dovoljno novca za ručak.
Are there articles (“a/the”) in Croatian? How do I know if it’s “the money” or just “money”?
Croatian has no articles. Definiteness/indefiniteness comes from context and choices like accusative vs. genitive:
- Imamo novac za ručak can mean “we have the money (for lunch).”
- Imamo novca za ručak clearly means “we have some/enough money (for lunch).”
How do I pronounce the tricky letters?
- c in novac = ts (like “ca” in “cats”): no-vats.
- č in ručak = ch in “chop” (a hard “ch”).
- u is like “oo” in “food.”
- r is tapped/flipped; no silent letters.
Are there common colloquial words for novac?
Yes:
- pare (colloquial “money”): Imamo para za ručak is very common in speech.
- novci can mean “funds/cash,” but for general “money,” novac (or colloquial pare) is more natural.
Can I omit novac and just say Imamo za ručak?
In conversation, yes—if context already makes “money” obvious. It’s an ellipsis of Imamo (novca/para) za ručak.
What’s the verb “to have lunch,” if I want to say “We’re having lunch”?
The verb is ručati. Ručamo = “We’re having lunch.” Different idea from Imamo novac za ručak (which is about money).
How would I say “We have time for lunch”?
Use vrijeme (time) in the genitive: Imamo vremena za ručak. (Compare: Imamo novca za ručak.)
What gender/number is novac? Does it have a plural?
Novac is masculine singular and usually treated as an uncountable mass noun. There is a plural novci, but it’s used for “funds/amounts/coins” rather than generic “money.” For “a lot of money,” say puno/mnogo/dosta novca.