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Questions & Answers about Rođendan je u petak.
What does je do in this sentence?
Je is the 3rd-person singular present of the verb biti (to be). It’s the copula linking the subject (Rođendan) with the time expression (u petak). So it corresponds to English “is.”
Can I change the word order to U petak je rođendan?
Yes. Both Rođendan je u petak and U petak je rođendan are correct. Croatian allows flexible word order. The verb je is a clitic and should appear in the second position of the clause, which both versions respect. The first version emphasizes the topic “birthday,” the second emphasizes the time “on Friday.”
Why is there no word for “the” before rođendan?
Croatian has no articles. Definiteness is understood from context. If you need to specify a particular birthday, you can add a demonstrative, e.g., taj rođendan (that birthday), but it’s usually unnecessary.
Why is the preposition u used with a day? Why not na?
With days of the week, Croatian uses u + accusative to mean “on” that day: u petak, u ponedjeljak, u nedjelju. The preposition na is not used for days of the week in this meaning. Note: for months and years, you typically see u + locative, e.g., u siječnju (in January), u 2020. (godini) (in 2020).
What case is petak in here?
Accusative. With days, u + accusative means “on (that day).” For masculine inanimate nouns like petak, the accusative singular looks the same as the nominative singular, so you don’t see a change in form. The locative would be petku, but u petku does not mean “on Friday”; it’s not used that way.
Are days of the week capitalized?
No. Days of the week are written in lowercase in Croatian: ponedjeljak, utorak, srijeda, četvrtak, petak, subota, nedjelja. Capitalize only if the word starts the sentence.
How do you pronounce the letter đ in rođendan, and how is it different from dž?
- đ represents a soft, palatalized sound [dʑ], similar to the “dy” you might hear when saying “would you” quickly (dyu). So rođendan sounds roughly like “RO-dyen-dahn” (stress usually on the first syllable).
- dž is [dʒ], like English “j” in “jam.” Also, petak is pronounced roughly “PEH-tak,” with short, clear vowels.
How do I say “My birthday is on Friday”?
Several natural options:
- Moj je rođendan u petak.
- Rođendan mi je u petak. (very idiomatic; the clitic mi shows possession)
- If context is clear, just Rođendan je u petak can imply it’s yours.
Is Imam rođendan u petak okay?
Yes—very common in everyday speech to talk about your own or someone’s birthday: Imam rođendan u petak (I have my birthday on Friday), Ima rođendan u petak (He/She has a birthday on Friday).
How do I say “on Fridays” (regularly, every Friday)?
Use petkom (instrumental, meaning “on Fridays” habitually).
- Petkom radim. (I work on Fridays.) You can also say svakog petka (every Friday).
How do I say “by Friday,” “until Friday,” or “for Friday”?
- do petka = by/until Friday (deadline or endpoint)
- do petka navečer = by Friday evening
- za petak = for Friday (scheduled for Friday)
- od petka = from Friday (starting on Friday)
Can I omit the preposition and say Rođendan je petak?
No. You need u with days of the week in this meaning. Rođendan je u petak is the correct form.
What does rođendan literally mean?
It’s a compound of rođen (born) + dan (day) → “birthday.”
How do I specify which Friday: this, next, or last?
- ovaj petak = this Friday
- sljedeći petak or idući petak = next Friday
- prošli petak = last Friday In many contexts, plain u petak is understood as the upcoming Friday.
Can I add parts of the day, like “Friday morning” or “Friday evening”?
Yes:
- u petak ujutro = on Friday morning
- u petak poslijepodne = on Friday afternoon
- u petak navečer = on Friday evening