…
Breakdown of Djeca govore glasno u učionici.
u
in
dijete
child
učionica
classroom
govoriti
to speak
glasno
loudly
Questions & Answers about Djeca govore glasno u učionici.
Does the Croatian present tense here mean “are speaking” or “speak”?
Croatian present covers both ongoing and habitual actions. So Djeca govore glasno u učionici can mean:
- “The children are speaking loudly in the classroom (right now).”
- “Children speak loudly in the classroom (as a habit).” Add context words to clarify: Sada djeca govore… (now), Obično djeca govore… (usually).
Why is the verb govore used, and how is govoriti conjugated?
Govoriti (to speak) is regular in the present:
- ja govorim
- ti govoriš
- on/ona/ono govori
- mi govorimo
- vi govorite
- oni/one/ona govore Here, djeca (children) is plural, so the verb is govore (3rd person plural).
What’s special about the noun djeca?
- Djeca means “children” and is plural-only (no singular form).
- It behaves as neuter plural in agreement: Djeca su mala/dobra/glasna (not “dobri”).
- In past tense, the participle is neuter plural: Djeca su govorila.
- As a pronoun reference, standard grammar uses neuter plural ona: Ona su došla. (Colloquially, you may hear oni, but ona is standard.)
Why is it u učionici and not u učionicu?
Croatian uses different cases with u depending on meaning:
- Location (where?): u + locative → u učionici = “in the classroom.”
- Motion (into where?): u + accusative → u učionicu = “into the classroom.” Compare: Djeca su u učionici. vs Djeca ulaze u učionicu.
What case is učionici, and how does učionica decline?
Učionici is locative singular of učionica (classroom). Singular:
- N: učionica
- G: učionice
- D: učionici
- A: učionicu
- V: učionice
- L: (u) učionici
- I: učionicom Plural (for reference):
- N/A/V: učionice
- G: učionica
- D/L/I: učionicama
What’s the difference between glasno, glasan, and naglas?
- glasan = “loud” (adjective): Djeca su glasna.
- glasno = “loudly” (adverb): Djeca govore glasno.
- naglas = “out loud/aloud,” typically for reading or saying something audibly: Čitaj naglas. Synonyms: bučno (noisily), opposite: tiho (quietly).
Can I change the word order?
Yes, Croatian word order is flexible and used for emphasis:
- Neutral: Djeca govore glasno u učionici.
- Emphasize manner: Djeca glasno govore u učionici.
- Emphasize place: U učionici djeca govore glasno. All are grammatical; stress changes nuance/emphasis.
Could I say pričaju or razgovaraju instead of govore?
- govoriti = to speak (general).
- pričati = to talk/chat or tell (a story).
- razgovarati = to converse (with someone). In context:
- Djeca govore glasno… (they’re speaking loudly).
- Djeca pričaju glasno… (they’re chatting loudly).
- Djeca razgovaraju glasno… (they’re conversing loudly). All are possible, with slightly different shades.
How do I form the yes/no question “Are the children speaking loudly in the classroom?”
Use li after the verb:
- Govore li djeca glasno u učionici? Answers: Da, govore. / Ne, ne govore. Note: Da li is common regionally, but standard Croatian prefers li without da.
How do I negate the sentence?
Place ne before the verb:
- Djeca ne govore glasno u učionici. To say “quietly,” use tiho: Djeca govore tiho u učionici.
Is there any article for “the children” vs “children”? How do I say “some children”?
Croatian has no articles. Djeca can mean “children” or “the children” depending on context. To be explicit:
- “the children” → ta djeca / ona djeca
- “some children” → neka djeca
- “these/those children” → ova djeca / ta djeca
How do I say “in class” rather than “in the classroom”?
- u učionici = in the classroom (the room).
- na satu = in class/during the lesson.
- u razredu can mean “in the classroom” or “in (a) class (group/grade),” depending on context.
Any pronunciation tips for djeca and učionici?
- dj in djeca is a soft “dy” sound, close to “dyet-sa.”
- č in učionici is a hard “ch” as in “chop.”
- The word učionica has č (not ć). č is harder; ć is a softer “ch.”
How do I put the sentence into past and future?
- Past (perfect): Djeca su govorila glasno u učionici. (note neuter plural participle -la)
- Future: Djeca će govoriti glasno u učionici.
The two u’s in a row sound odd in u učionici. Is that okay?
Yes, it’s normal. You pronounce both: u učionici. There’s no alternative preposition here; native speakers say it this way without inserting anything.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Croatian grammar?”
Croatian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning CroatianMaster Croatian — from Djeca govore glasno u učionici to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions