Learn Hardcore Croatian: Molim te, pitaj konobaricu gdje je toalet. - Please ask the waitress where the toilet is.

Molim te: informal, to one person you know well (friends, family, peers).
Molim vas: formal or plural, to a stranger, older person, or more than one person. Note: In emails/letters you may see Vas capitalized as a sign of respect; in ordinary writing, vas is fine.

What form is pitaj, and why not pita?

Pitaj is the 2nd person singular imperative of pitati (to ask). It means ask! directed at one person.
Pita is 3rd person singular present (he/she asks) and is not a command. For a polite/formal plural command, use pitajte.

Why is it konobaricu and not konobarica?

Because konobaricu is the accusative singular (direct object) of the feminine noun konobarica (waitress). In this sentence, the waitress is the object of the verb ask (ask the waitress), so accusative is required. Nominative konobarica would be for the subject position.

What if the server is male?

Use the masculine form:

Nominative: konobar (waiter)
Accusative: konobara
So you’d say: Pitaj konobara gdje je toalet.

Can I replace konobaricu with a pronoun if the waitress is already known from context?

Yes. Use the short clitic pronoun je (her, accusative):
Pitaj je gdje je toalet.
Clitics like je tend to appear early in the clause (after the first stressed word or phrase).

Why is it gdje je toalet and not gdje toalet je?

In Croatian, the verb je (is) is a clitic and normally sits in “second position” within its clause. After the question word gdje, the clitic je comes next: gdje je toalet.
The order gdje toalet je sounds wrong in standard Croatian.

What’s the difference between gdje, kamo, and kuda?

Gdje = where (location/place). Correct here: you’re asking where the toilet is.
Kamo = to where (destination). E.g., Kamo ideš? (Where are you going?)
Kuda = which way/along which route (path). Less common in this context.

Are there other common words for toalet in Croatia?

Yes:

WC (pronounced roughly “ve-tse”): extremely common on signs and in speech.
Zahod: standard but sounds formal/dated/regional to some.
Less common/older: nužnik.
Everyday speech often uses WC or toalet.

Is the comma after Molim te necessary?

Yes, it’s standard to set off the polite phrase with a comma: Molim te, …
In speech, you’ll naturally pause there. You can also move the phrase and still use commas, e.g., Pitaj, molim te, konobaricu…

How can I make the request softer/more polite than a direct imperative?

Try a question with a modal verb:

Informal: Možeš li, molim te, pitati konobaricu gdje je toalet?
Informal, gendered: Bi li mogao/mogla, molim te, pitati…
Formal/plural: Biste li mogli, molim vas, pitati konobaricu gdje je toalet?

Can I just drop Molim te?

Yes. Pitaj konobaricu gdje je toalet. is fine and not rude among friends; it’s simply more direct. Adding Molim te softens the tone.

Pronunciation tips: gdje and the c in konobaricu?

gdje: pronounce quickly as one beat, like “gd-ye” (the d blends with y).
konobaricu: the letter c is pronounced like “ts” (as in “cats”), so “ko-no-BA-ri-tsu.”
toalet: said clearly in three syllables “to-a-LET.”

Why is it Molim te and not Molim ti?

Because moliti (to ask/beg/plead) takes a direct object in the accusative in this idiomatic use. The short accusative form is te (you), not ti.

Accusative: te (I see you = Vidim te)
Dative: ti/tebi (I help you = Pomažem ti/tebi)
Nominative: ti (you as subject)

Do I need a question mark after the whole sentence?

No. The main clause is an imperative (Molim te, pitaj…), so the sentence ends with a period. The embedded clause gdje je toalet is an indirect question and doesn’t take its own question mark inside a larger sentence.

Can I move Molim te elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. Common variations:

Pitaj, molim te, konobaricu gdje je toalet.
Pitaj konobaricu, molim te, gdje je toalet. Keep the commas; they mark the polite parenthetical.

If I want to address the waitress directly, what form do I use?

Use the vocative:

Feminine: Konobarice, oprostite, gdje je toalet?
Masculine: Konobaru, oprostite, gdje je toalet?
Alternatively, skip the title and just say Oprostite, gdje je toalet?

Is gdje always used in Croatia? What about gde or di?

Standard Croatian uses gdje.

gde is standard in Serbian (Ekavian).
di is a common Dalmatian/colloquial Croatian variant.
Croatians will understand them, but gdje is the safe, standard choice in Croatia.

Should I use pitaj or zamoli here?

Use pitaj when you want someone to ask a question (e.g., where something is).
Zamoli means ask (someone) for a favor/request. You’d use it for things like “ask the waitress for a glass of water” (Zamoli konobaricu za čašu vode), not for asking for information.
For “Where is the toilet?”, pitaj is the natural verb.