Pošalji mi e-mail večeras, molim te.

Send me an email tonight, please.

Breakdown of Pošalji mi e-mail večeras, molim te.

• večeras: tonight
• mi: me
• molim te: please
• e-mail: email
• poslati: to send

Questions & Answers about Pošalji mi e-mail večeras, molim te.

What form is "Pošalji" and why not "Šalji"?

"Pošalji" is the 2nd person singular imperative of the perfective verb poslati (to send as a single, completed action). It’s used when you want one specific sending.
"Šalji" is the imperative of the imperfective slati and implies repeated/ongoing action, e.g., "Šalji mi e-mailove svaki tjedan."

Why is it "mi" and not "meni"?

Mi is the unstressed dative clitic meaning "to me" and is the normal choice in neutral sentences: "Pošalji mi e-mail."
Meni is the stressed form used for emphasis or contrast: "Pošalji e-mail meni, ne njemu." You might also front it for emphasis: "Meni pošalji e-mail."

Why not "Pošalji e-mail mi"? Where does "mi" go?

Croatian clitics like mi sit in the "second position" of the clause. They come right after the first stressed word: "Pošalji mi e-mail..."
If something else comes first, the clitic is still second: "Večeras mi pošalji e-mail..." or "Molim te, pošalji mi e-mail..."

Where can "večeras" go? Does word order change the meaning?

"Večeras" (this evening) is flexible:

• "Pošalji mi e-mail večeras, molim te." (neutral)
• "Večeras mi pošalji e-mail, molim te." (emphasis on time)
• "Pošalji mi večeras e-mail, molim te." (also fine)
  Meaning stays the same; moving "večeras" just changes focus.

How do I make this formal or more polite?

Use formal/plural forms and optionally a conditional:

• Imperative, formal: "Pošaljite mi e-mail večeras, molim vas."
• Softer conditional: "Biste li mi večeras mogli poslati e-mail?" or "Biste li mi večeras poslali e-mail?"

Do I need the comma before "molim te"?

Yes. "Molim te"/"molim vas" is parenthetical and is normally set off with a comma:

• "Pošalji mi e-mail večeras, molim te."
• "Molim te, pošalji mi e-mail večeras."
• "Pošalji mi, molim te, e-mail večeras."

What’s the difference among "molim", "molim te", and "molim vas"?

• Molim can mean "please", "you’re welcome", or "pardon?" depending on context.
• Molim te = informal "please" to one person.
• Molim vas = formal/polite (or plural) "please."

Is "e-mail" the only acceptable word? What about spelling?

You’ll see several variants, all understood:

• e-mail / email / mail (very common)
• mejl (colloquial; fully declinable: mejl, mejla, mejlu…)
• e-pošta (more native-sounding; the message can be "poruka e-poštom")
  In your sentence you can say: "Pošalji mi mail/mejl večeras, molim te."

Does "e-mail" decline? Why not "e-mailu" here?

As a direct object, "e-mail" is accusative. Many speakers keep "e-mail" undeclined in everyday use, so "Pošalji mi e-mail" is standard.
You may also see declined forms (especially in writing): gen. "e-maila", dat./loc. "e-mailu", instr. "e-mailom". In this sentence, "e-mailu" would be wrong because you need the accusative, not the dative.

What if I mean "send it by e-mail" rather than "send me an e-mail"?

Use the instrumental to express the means:

• "Pošalji mi dokument e-mailom." (Send me the document by e-mail.)
• "Pošalji mi to mailom/mejlom."

How do I pronounce the special letters here?

• š = "sh" as in "ship": po-ŠAL-ji.
• č = "ch" as in "chocolate": ve-ČE-ras.
• lj = a palatal "ly" sound (similar to the "lli" in "million" said quickly): po-ŠA-lji.

Can I leave out "molim te"? Is the bare imperative rude?

You can omit it: "Pošalji mi e-mail večeras." A bare imperative isn’t automatically rude in Croatian, especially among friends. "Molim te" simply softens it. For extra softness, use a conditional question: "Bi li mi večeras poslao/poslala e-mail?"

How do I say this to more than one person?

Use plural forms:

• "Pošaljite mi e-mail večeras, molim vas."

How do I say "Don’t send me an e-mail tonight"?

Use "nemoj/te" + infinitive:

• Informal singular: "Nemoj mi večeras slati e-mail."
• Formal/plural: "Nemojte mi večeras slati e-mail."

Can I use "da" + present instead of the imperative?

Yes; it’s very common and sounds softer: "Molim te da mi večeras pošalješ e-mail." (formal: "Molim vas da mi večeras pošaljete e-mail.")

Why is it "molim te" and not "molim ti"?

Because "molim" (I request/beg) takes the accusative object. The accusative of "ti" is te.

• nominative: ti (you, as subject)
• accusative: te (you, as object)
  Hence "molim te."