Voda je u hladnjaku; hladnjak je u kuhinji.

to be

Breakdown of Voda je u hladnjaku; hladnjak je u kuhinji.

• voda: water
• u: in
• kuhinja: kitchen

Questions & Answers about Voda je u hladnjaku; hladnjak je u kuhinji.

Why is there no word for "the" in this sentence?

Croatian has no articles like English the/a/an. Definiteness is understood from context or added with demonstratives:

• ova/ovaj/ovo = this
• ta/taj/to = that
• ona/onaj/ono = that (over there)

If you need to specify, you can say: Ta voda je u hladnjaku. (That water is in the fridge.)

What does "je" mean, and do I have to include it?

je is the 3rd person singular of biti (to be) and means is. In standard sentences you include it: Voda je u hladnjaku. Omitting it is mostly limited to headlines, notes, or very telegraphic style.

Why is it "u hladnjaku" and "u kuhinji"? Which case is that?

It’s the locative case, used with u to express location (being inside/in).

• hladnjak (fridge, masculine) → u hladnjaku
• kuhinja (kitchen, feminine) → u kuhinji

What’s the difference between "u hladnjaku" and "u hladnjak"?