Breakdown of Idemo na tržnicu ujutro; tamo je salata dobra.
biti
to be
tamo
there
dobar
good
ići
to go
ujutro
in the morning
na
to
salata
salad
tržnica
market
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Questions & Answers about Idemo na tržnicu ujutro; tamo je salata dobra.
Why is it "na tržnicu" rather than "u tržnicu" or "na tržnici"?
- na + accusative expresses movement toward an open/public place: na tržnicu = to the market.
- na + locative expresses location: na tržnici = at the market.
- u + accusative/locative is used more for enclosed spaces (e.g., u trgovinu “to the store,” u trgovini “in the store”). U tržnicu sounds odd; idiomatically we say na tržnicu.
What case is "tržnicu," and how does it decline?
- tržnicu is the accusative singular of the feminine noun tržnica (“market”).
- Useful singular forms:
- Nominative: tržnica
- Accusative: tržnicu
- Genitive: tržnice
- Dative/Locative: tržnici
- Instrumental: tržnicom
What’s the difference between "tržnica," "trgovina," and "tržište"?
- tržnica: an open-air farmers’ market.
- trgovina: a shop/store.
- tržište: “market” in the economic sense or a marketplace square in a more abstract/formal sense, not the everyday place you go to buy produce.
Does "Idemo" mean “we go,” “we’re going,” or “let’s go”?
All are possible depending on context:
- Habitual/present: “we go.”
- Near future/plan: “we’re going (later).”
- As a suggestion/exhortation: Idemo! ≈ “Let’s go!” (More explicitly: Hajdemo! / Ajmo!)
Could I also say "Ići ćemo na tržnicu ujutro"?
Yes. Ići ćemo… is the future tense (“we will go”), which can sound more explicit or planned. The present Idemo… is very common for near-future plans as well.
What exactly does "ujutro" mean, and how is it different from "jutros," "ujutru," or "jutrom"?
- ujutro: “in the morning” (general or the next morning depending on context). Standard in Croatian.
- jutros: “this morning” (earlier today).
- ujutru: a Serbian/Bosnian variant; in Croatian the standard is ujutro.
- jutrom: “in the mornings” (habitually), somewhat literary/less common.
Where can I place "ujutro" in the sentence?
It’s flexible:
- Ujutro idemo na tržnicu.
- Idemo ujutro na tržnicu.
- Idemo na tržnicu ujutro. All are natural; placing ujutro early slightly emphasizes time.
Why is there a semicolon in the sentence?
Croatian uses the semicolon much like English—to link two closely related independent clauses. A period would also be fine. A simple comma would be non‑standard without a conjunction.
What’s the difference between "tamo," "ondje," and "tu"?
- tamo: “there,” away from both speaker and listener; common and neutral.
- ondje: also “there,” a bit more formal/literary.
- tu: “here/there near you,” closer to the listener’s or shared space.
Why is "je" after "tamo" in "tamo je salata dobra"?
je (3rd‑person singular of “to be”) is a clitic and normally sits in second position in the clause (the “second‑position” rule). So:
- Correct: Tamo je salata dobra. / Salata je tamo dobra.
- Avoid: Tamo salata je dobra. (clitic too late)
Can I say "Tamo je dobra salata" instead of "Tamo je salata dobra"? Any difference?
Both are grammatical. Subtle nuance:
- Tamo je salata dobra. Topic = “salad”; you’re saying that as for salad, it’s good there (perhaps in contrast to other dishes).
- Tamo je dobra salata. Slightly more neutral/new‑info feel: there, the salad is good.
Why is it "dobra" and not "dobro"?
Agreement. salata is feminine singular, so the adjective is dobra (fem. sg.). dobro is neuter singular.
Does "salata" mean “salad” or “lettuce”?
Both, depending on context. At markets, salata often means “lettuce,” especially zelena salata (“leaf/green lettuce”). For mixed salads, context or a modifier clarifies (e.g., krumpirova salata “potato salad”).
How would I say “They have good salad/lettuce there”?
- Availability: Tamo imaju dobru salatu.
- Quality statement (what the sentence already does): Tamo je salata dobra.
How do I say “At the market, the salad is good”?
Use locative for location: Na tržnici je salata dobra.
Any pronunciation tips for "tržnicu" and the special letters?
- ž sounds like the s in “measure.”
- c is “ts.”
- tržnicu is syllabified roughly as trž-ni-cu; Croatian can have a syllabic r in clusters (e.g., trg, prst), so don’t insert a vowel between t and r.