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Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je poslije posla.

Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je poslije posla.
If she is sick tomorrow too, I will visit her after work.
FromLesson 8inHardcore Croatian
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Breakdown of Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je poslije posla.

biti
to be
sutra
tomorrow
poslije
after
posao
work
htjeti
will
ako
if
i
also
bolestan
sick
posjetiti
to visit
je
her

Questions & Answers about Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je poslije posla.

Why is the present tense used in the if-clause (Ako je bolesna i sutra) even though it refers to the future?
In Croatian, future conditions introduced by Ako normally use the present tense in the if-clause. The result clause then uses Future I: ću/ćeš/će/ćemo/ćete/će + infinitive. So Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je... is the standard pattern. You can also say Ako bude bolesna i sutra... (a slightly more formal/emphatic variant). Avoid Ako će biti... in standard Croatian.
Is it correct to say Ako će biti bolesna i sutra?

Not in standard Croatian. In if-clauses you normally use the present (Ako je...) or bude (Ako bude...), not će biti. So prefer:

  • Ako je bolesna i sutra, ...
  • Ako bude bolesna i sutra, ...
What exactly does i in i sutra mean here?
Here i means also/too/still. Ako je bolesna i sutra = “If she is sick tomorrow too.” Without i, Ako je bolesna sutra just says “If she is sick tomorrow,” without the “too/again” nuance.
Can I move i so it’s Ako je i sutra bolesna?

Yes. Both are fine:

  • Ako je bolesna i sutra (as in the original)
  • Ako je i sutra bolesna (arguably a bit more idiomatic, because i directly precedes the word it modifies)

Be careful: Ako je sutra i bolesna sounds odd here. If you want “even if,” use čak i ako: Čak i ako je sutra bolesna...

Why is it written posjetit ću and not posjetiti ću?

When the clitic ću comes after the infinitive, the infinitive drops its final -i:

  • posjetit ću (correct)
  • posjetiti ću (incorrect)

If ću comes before the infinitive, you keep -i:

  • Ja ću posjetiti (je).
Where does the object pronoun je go? Could I say ću je posjetiti?

Clitics (like ću, je) can’t start a clause; they need a “host” before them. So:

  • Correct: Posjetit ću je poslije posla.
  • Correct: Sutra ću je posjetiti.
  • Incorrect to start the clause with: Ću je posjetiti.

In your sentence, you can say:

  • Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je poslije posla.
  • Ako je bolesna i sutra, ja ću je posjetiti poslije posla.
There are two je’s—are they the same word?

They look the same but aren’t:

  • First je = 3rd person singular of biti (“is”): je bolesna = “is sick.”
  • Second je = clitic pronoun “her” (accusative): posjetit ću je = “I will visit her.”
Can I use ju instead of je for “her”?

Yes. je and ju are both standard feminine accusative clitics in Croatian. je is the default; ju is common and can help avoid confusion with the verb je. All are acceptable:

  • Posjetit ću je poslije posla.
  • Posjetit ću ju poslije posla. For emphasis (stressed form), use nju: Posjetit ću nju (a ne njega).
What case is posla, and why not posao?

Poslije governs the genitive case. posao (NOM) becomes posla (GEN):

  • poslije posla = “after work” Similarly, nakon also takes genitive: nakon posla.
Is poslije posla the only way to say “after work”?

Other natural options:

  • nakon posla (very common)
  • poslije radnog vremena (“after working hours,” a bit more formal/specific)

Note: posle posla is Serbian; in standard Croatian prefer poslije/nakon.

What about aspect—why posjetiti and not posjećivati?

Posjetiti is perfective (a single, completed visit), which fits a one‑off plan in the future. If you mean repeated or ongoing visits, use the imperfective posjećivati:

  • Posjetit ću je poslije posla. = I’ll visit her (once).
  • Posjećivat ću je poslije posla. = I’ll be visiting her (repeatedly).
Can I put the main clause first and what happens to the comma?

Yes:

  • Posjetit ću je poslije posla ako je bolesna i sutra. When the ako-clause comes second, you normally don’t use a comma. When it comes first, you do:
  • Ako je bolesna i sutra, posjetit ću je poslije posla.
Could I replace Ako je bolesna i sutra with Ako bude bolesna i sutra?
Yes. Ako bude bolesna i sutra is also correct and slightly more formal or cautious. It can suggest a condition still to be confirmed at that future time. Both versions are fine in everyday speech.
If the person were masculine or plural, what would change?
  • Masculine singular: Ako je bolestan i sutra, posjetit ću ga poslije posla.
    • adjective: bolestan, object pronoun: ga
  • Feminine plural: Ako su bolesne i sutra, posjetit ću ih poslije posla.
    • verb: su, adjective: bolesne, pronoun: ih
  • Masculine plural: Ako su bolesni i sutra, posjetit ću ih poslije posla.

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