Learn Hardcore Croatian: Najbliži toalet je u kutu, lijevo od vrata. - The nearest toilet is in the corner, to the left of the door.

It means closest/nearest. It’s the superlative of blizak (close): comparative bliži, superlative najbliži. The ending -i is masculine singular nominative to agree with toalet (a masculine noun). For a feminine noun you’d use najbliža (e.g., najbliža stanica), and for a neuter noun najbliže (e.g., najbliže mjesto).

Why is there no word for the before najbliži toalet?

Croatian has no articles (no the/a/an). Definiteness is understood from context. Superlatives like najbliži often imply a unique, specific referent in context, which in English you’d translate with “the.”

Why toalet and not toaleta?

In Croatian, toalet (masc.) is the restroom/toilet. Toaleta is a different word meaning toilette/dress (e.g., an evening gown) or personal grooming. So stick with toalet for the bathroom.

What does je do here, and where does it go?

Je is “is,” the 3rd person singular of biti (to be). It’s a clitic, so it usually sits in the second position in a clause. In this sentence it follows Najbliži toalet: Najbliži toalet je…. If you start with a place phrase, it would go after that phrase: U kutu je najbliži toalet….

Can I drop je?

Not in a full, standard sentence. You might see it omitted on signs or in headlines (e.g., Toalet u kutu), but in normal speech/writing you should keep je.

Why is it u kutu and not u kut?

Because it’s a static location. With u:

Location (where something is): u
- locative → u kutu (in the corner).
Motion into (where something goes): u
- accusative → u kut (into the corner).

What case is kutu, and what’s the base word?

Kutu is locative singular of kut (corner). Many masculine nouns take -u in the locative singular for location expressions after u.

What’s going on in lijevo od vrata?

Lijevo is an adverb meaning “to the left/leftwards.”
Od “of/from” governs the genitive case.
Vrata is the genitive (and nominative) plural form of a plural-only noun meaning “door.” So lijevo od vrata = “to the left of the door.”

Why is vrata plural if there’s only one door?

Vrata is plural-only (pluralia tantum) in Croatian. You use plural forms even for a single physical door. Don’t confuse it with vrat, which means “neck.”

Could I just say u kutu lijevo and omit od vrata?

Yes. U kutu lijevo means “in the corner, on the left.” It’s fine when the reference point is obvious (e.g., relative to where you’re standing). …od vrata makes the reference point explicit: it’s left of the door.

Is na lijevo correct?

Not for static position. Say lijevo (to/on the left) or use a fuller phrase like na lijevoj strani (on the left side). For movement/directions you may hear ulijevo (turn left: Skrenite ulijevo).

Is there another natural way to say “to the left of the door”?

Yes: s lijeve strane vrata or na lijevoj strani vrata (“on the left side of the door”). Here lijeve agrees with strane (fem.), and vrata stays in the genitive after s/od.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Croatian is flexible with word order. For example:

U kutu je najbliži toalet, lijevo od vrata.
Najbliži je toalet u kutu, lijevo od vrata. Just keep the clitic je in second position of its clause.

Do we need the comma before lijevo od vrata?

It’s optional. The comma simply separates two location details (u kutu and lijevo od vrata). In a short sentence, many writers omit it: Najbliži toalet je u kutu lijevo od vrata.

Is kut the only word for “corner”?

In Croatian, kut is standard for an interior corner. For street corners you’ll often hear na uglu (on the corner). In Serbian/Bosnian you’ll also see ugao/uglu or ćošak/ćošku, but kut is the Croatian norm for inside a room.

How do I pronounce the tricky letters here?

ž in najbliži = “zh” (like the s in “measure”).
lj in lijevo is a palatal “ly” sound; ije sounds like “yee-eh” fused (roughly “lyeh-vo”).
j in je is “y” (so je ≈ “yeh”).
Vowels are pure and short unless marked long; syllable stress is not fixed like in English.