Breakdown of Posudit ću dvije knjige u knjižnici.
knjiga
book
u
at
htjeti
will
knjižnica
library
dva
two
posuditi
to borrow
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Questions & Answers about Posudit ću dvije knjige u knjižnici.
Why is it written as Posudit ću and not Posuditi ću?
In Future I, when the auxiliary ću/ćeš/će… follows the verb, the infinitive drops the final -i: posudit ću. If the auxiliary comes before the verb, you keep -ti: Ja ću posuditi. Note: Posudiću is Serbian orthography, not standard Croatian.
Where does the auxiliary ću go?
It’s a clitic and normally sits in “second position” in the clause (after the first stressed word/phrase):
- Posudit ću dvije knjige…
- U knjižnici ću posuditi dvije knjige…
- Ja ću posuditi dvije knjige… Clitics cannot start a sentence, so not: Ću posuditi…
Should it be u knjižnici or iz knjižnice with this verb?
Both are possible but with a nuance:
- u knjižnici = at/in the library (place where the action happens).
- iz knjižnice = from the library (emphasizes the source).
With borrowing, many speakers prefer iz knjižnice: Posudit ću dvije knjige iz knjižnice.
Why is it u knjižnici and not u knjižnicu?
The preposition u takes:
- Locative for location: u knjižnici = in/at the library.
- Accusative for motion into: u knjižnicu = into the library.
Here we’re talking about location, so locative is used.
Why is it dvije and not dva?
Because knjiga is feminine. The numeral “two” agrees in gender:
- Feminine: dvije knjige
- Masculine/neuter: dva filma, dva pisma
What case is knjige after dvije?
After numbers 2–4, the noun appears in the “count form,” which for most nouns looks like genitive singular: dvije knjige, tri knjige, četiri knjige. From 5 upwards, use genitive plural: pet knjiga.
How do you pronounce ću and knjižnici?
- ću = roughly “chyoo” [tɕu] (the letter ć is soft, not like English ch exactly).
- knjižnici ≈ “k-nyizh-nee-tsee”: nj is one sound [ɲ], ž like the s in “measure.”
What’s the difference between posuditi and posuđivati?
- posuditi is perfective (a single, completed act): Posudit ću dvije knjige.
- posuđivati is imperfective (repeated/ongoing): Posuđivat ću knjige svaki tjedan.
Does posuditi mean “to borrow” or “to lend”?
Both, depending on the arguments:
- Borrow: Posudio sam knjigu od prijatelja. (I borrowed a book from a friend.)
- Lend: Posudio sam mu knjigu. (I lent him a book.) Context and prepositions/case disambiguate it.
Is knjižnica the same as biblioteka or knjižara?
- knjižnica = library (standard in Croatia).
- biblioteka = also used for library, but in Croatia often means a book series/imprint.
- knjižara = bookstore (shop), not a library.
How do I negate this sentence?
Use ne with the auxiliary (written together): Neću posuditi dvije knjige u knjižnici.
How do I turn it into a yes/no question?
Use hoće li (or rising intonation in spoken language):
- First person: Hoću li posuditi dvije knjige u knjižnici?
- Second person: Hoćeš li posuditi dvije knjige u knjižnici?
What’s the past-tense version?
Use the perfect with gender agreement:
- Masculine speaker: Posudio sam dvije knjige (u/iz knjižnice).
- Feminine speaker: Posudila sam dvije knjige (u/iz knjižnice).
Can the sentence start with ću?
No. Clitics like ću can’t start a sentence. Use Posudit ću… or add a first element: Ja ću posuditi…, U knjižnici ću posuditi…
Where do object pronouns go if I replace “two books” with “them”?
They join the clitic cluster after the first element:
- Posudit ću ih u knjižnici.
- U knjižnici ću ih posuditi. (Here ih = “them,” accusative plural.)
Are the diacritics (č, ć, ž, etc.) optional?
No. They’re essential for correct spelling and pronunciation: ću is not cu, and knjižnici is not knjiznici.