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Ujutro alarm zvoni u sedam.

Ujutro alarm zvoni u sedam.
In the morning the alarm rings at seven.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Croatian
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Breakdown of Ujutro alarm zvoni u sedam.

u
at
ujutro
in the morning
alarm
alarm
zvoniti
to ring
sedam
seven

Questions & Answers about Ujutro alarm zvoni u sedam.

Do I need a word for “the” before alarm? Why is there no article?

Croatian has no articles at all (no equivalents of English “a/an/the”). You just say alarm. Context tells the listener whether you mean “the alarm,” “an alarm,” or “my alarm.” If you want to make it explicit that it’s yours, add moj (my) or the clitic mi (to me).

  • Moj alarm zvoni u sedam. = My alarm rings at seven.
  • Ujutro mi alarm zvoni u sedam. = In the morning, my alarm rings at seven. (literally “to me the alarm rings…”)
What exactly does Ujutro mean? Is it “tomorrow morning”?
Ujutro means “in the morning” (time of day). It does not mean “tomorrow morning.” For “tomorrow morning,” say sutra ujutro.
Why is ujutro written as one word and not u jutro?
In standard Croatian, the time adverb is a single word: ujutro. Writing u jutro is non‑standard/archaic. Similarly, Croatian has other fused time adverbs like navečer (in the evening) and poslijepodne/popodne (in the afternoon).
What case is ujutro?
Ujutro functions as an adverb (it doesn’t carry a case). It historically comes from u + jutro (morning, a neuter noun), but as a time adverb it behaves like a fixed word.
Why is it u sedam? Which case is used for clock times?

For points in time (clock hours, dates), Croatian uses u + accusative. With hours you’ll hear:

  • u sedam (sati) = at seven (o’clock)
  • u pet (sati) = at five (o’clock)

You can optionally add sati (hours): u sedam sati. Both forms are fine.

Why u and not na for times?
Clock times take u: u sedam, u 14:30. The preposition na appears with certain holidays/events (e.g., na Božić = on Christmas), but not with hours.
Do I need a comma after Ujutro?
No. Short initial time adverbials like Ujutro are not followed by a comma in a simple sentence: Ujutro alarm zvoni u sedam.
Can I change the word order? For example, Alarm zvoni ujutro u sedam?

Yes. Croatian word order is flexible. All of these are fine; the difference is emphasis/rhythm:

  • Ujutro alarm zvoni u sedam. (sets the time frame first)
  • Alarm zvoni ujutro u sedam. (keeps subject first)
  • U sedam ujutro alarm zvoni. (focuses on the exact time)

No comma is needed in any of them.

Does zvoni mean “is ringing right now,” or “rings (habitually)”?
The present tense in Croatian covers both. In this sentence, with Ujutro … u sedam, it most naturally means a habitual action (it rings at 7 every morning). For right now, you’d typically add a cue like sad (now): Alarm sad zvoni!
What’s the difference between zvoniti and zazvoniti?
  • zvoniti (imperfective): to ring (ongoing/habitual). Example: Alarm svako jutro zvoni u sedam.
  • zazvoniti (perfective): to ring once / to go off (single event). Example: Alarm će zazvoniti u sedam.
Do I need to say sati after the number? Is u sedam enough?
Both are correct. U sedam is common and understood; u sedam sati is a bit more explicit/formal. With minutes you usually include them: u sedam i deset (sati) = at 7:10.
How do I say “AM/PM”? Is ujutro used for that?

Croatian usually uses the 24‑hour clock. To disambiguate in speech, add time‑of‑day words:

  • u sedam ujutro = at 7 AM
  • u sedam navečer = at 7 PM
  • Or just use 24‑hour: u devetnaest = at 19:00
What’s the difference between ujutro and jutrom?
  • Ujutro = “in the morning” (specific or general).

  • Jutrom (instrumental used adverbially) = “in the mornings” (habitual, general routine).

    Examples:

  • Ujutro pijem kavu. = I drink coffee in the morning.
  • Jutrom pijem kavu. = I drink coffee in the mornings (as a habit).
Is alarm the best word here? What about budilica?

Both are fine, but they differ slightly:

  • alarm = an alarm (general; could be on a phone, a device, a siren).

  • budilica = an alarm clock (the device).

    So you can say Alarm zvoni u sedam or Budilica zvoni u sedam, depending on what you mean.

Can I say Alarm se zvoni?
No. Zvoniti isn’t used reflexively here. Say Alarm zvoni. The reflexive se would be wrong in this meaning.
How would I naturally say “my alarm rings at seven in the morning”?

Two very natural options:

  • Moj alarm ujutro zvoni u sedam.
  • Ujutro mi alarm zvoni u sedam. (very idiomatic; the dative mi marks personal involvement)

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