Learn Hardcore Croatian: Večeras razgovaramo u kinu poslije filma. - Tonight we are talking at the cinema after the movie.

Croatian usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. The ending -mo in razgovaramo already means “we.” You can add mi for emphasis, but it’s not needed.

ja: razgovaram
ti: razgovaraš
on/ona/ono: razgovara
mi: razgovaramo
vi: razgovarate
oni/one/ona: razgovaraju

Why is it u kinu and not u kino?

Because Croatian marks the difference between location and direction with cases:

Location (in/at a place): u
- locative → u kinu (in/at the cinema)
Direction (into/to a place): u
- accusative → u kino (to the cinema)

Compare: Razgovaramo u kinu. vs. Idemo u kino.

What case is kinu, and what are the main forms of kino?

Kinu is locative singular. Key singular forms:

Nominative: kino (the cinema)
Genitive: kina (of the cinema)
Dative/Locative: kinu (to/at/in the cinema)
Accusative: kino (to the cinema)
Instrumental: kinom (with/by the cinema)

Why is it poslije filma and not poslije film?

Because poslije (and nakon) require the genitive case. The genitive of film is filma.

Correct: poslije filma / nakon filma
Incorrect: posle film, poslije film

Can I use nakon or posle instead of poslije? Any differences?

poslije and nakon are both standard in Croatian and take the genitive: poslije/nakon filma.
posle is mostly Serbian or regional; widely understood, but not standard Croatian. In Croatia, prefer poslije or nakon.
Style: nakon can feel a bit more formal; poslije is neutral.

Does the present tense razgovaramo mean present or future here?

Both are possible in context. Croatian often uses the present for near-future plans. You can also use the future to be explicit:

Večeras ćemo razgovarati u kinu poslije filma. (neutral future) Colloquially you may hear the shortened infinitive: razgovarat (e.g., ćemo razgovarat), but in careful writing use razgovarati.

What’s the difference between razgovarati, pričati, and govoriti?

razgovarati = to have a conversation (two-way, interactive). Most natural here.
pričati = to tell/narrate; also “to chat.” Slightly more informal or story-like.
govoriti = to speak/talk (the act or ability; often one-way or formal speaking). All three can mean “talk,” but razgovarati best fits a planned discussion between people.

Do I need se with razgovarati?

No. Standard Croatian uses razgovarati without se. Patterns you’ll use:

With someone: razgovarati s/sa
- instrumental (e.g., s Markom, sa mnom)
About something: razgovarati o
- locative (e.g., o filmu, o planovima)

Why is it u and not na for the cinema?

General guideline:

u for enclosed spaces/buildings: u kinu, u školi, u restoranu
na for open areas, surfaces, and many organized events: na stadionu, na koncertu, na predavanju Cinema is a building/room, so u kinu.

Can I move parts of the sentence around?

Yes, Croatian word order is flexible; changes affect emphasis, not basic meaning. For example:

Večeras razgovaramo u kinu poslije filma. (neutral, time first)
Razgovaramo večeras u kinu poslije filma. (focus on the action first)
U kinu razgovaramo večeras poslije filma. (emphasis on place) In general, new/important info often comes later in the sentence.

How do I pronounce the tricky parts?

večeras: veh-CHER-as (č like English “ch”)
razgovaramo: raz-go-VA-ra-mo (g is always hard, as in “go”)
u kinu: oo KEE-noo
poslije: POS-lye (the lj is a palatal “ly” sound; say “lye” in one beat)

How would I say “after the movie ends” or “once the movie is over”?

Two natural options:

Razgovaramo kad film završi.
Razgovaramo nakon što film završi. The second uses the conjunction nakon što to introduce a clause.

There’s no word for “the.” How do I make “the movie” explicit?

Croatian has no articles, so context does the job. If you need to be explicit, use a demonstrative:

poslije tog filma = after that (particular) movie
poslije onog filma = after that movie (further away/previously mentioned)

Is bioskop also correct for “cinema”?

In standard Croatian, the common word is kino. Bioskop is standard in Serbian (and understood across the region), but in Croatia you’ll hear and use kino.