Learn Hardcore Croatian: U banci se ne govori glasno, čeka se u redu i ne puši se. - In the bank one does not speak loudly, one waits in a line, and one does not smoke.

ne govori se = “one doesn’t speak / people don’t speak”
čeka se = “one waits / people wait”
ne puši se = “one doesn’t smoke / smoking isn’t done” It’s not reflexive here (nobody is speaking to themselves); it’s impersonal.

Why is there no subject?

The se-impersonal construction has no explicit subject. Verbs appear in 3rd person singular (and in the past they take neuter singular), because the idea is general: “people/one.”

Where does se go, especially with negation?

General rule: se is a second-position clitic within its clause; it follows the first stressed word/phrase.

After a fronted phrase: U banci se ne govori...
Clause starting with a verb: Čeka se...
With initial negation, the normal pattern is: Ne puši se... (don’t say: ❌ Ne se puši) Also avoid ❌ U banci ne se govori; say U banci se ne govori or Ne govori se u banci.

Why is it banci and not banka?

Because u with a static location takes the locative case. Banka (NOM) becomes banci (LOC). The consonant changes (k → c) are regular in this pattern. If you express motion into the bank, you’d use the accusative: u banku.

Can I say U banci ne govori se glasno?

It’s not the preferred word order. Keep se in second position relative to the clause: U banci se ne govori glasno. Another natural option is Ne govori se glasno u banci.

Why is it u banci and not na banci?

Use u (“in/inside”) for enclosed interior spaces like a bank. Na (“on/at”) is for surfaces or certain institutions/events (e.g., na pošti occurs in some usage, but the standard for bank is u banci).

Does u redu here mean “OK”?

No. U redu can mean “OK/alright” in many contexts, but here it literally means “in a line/queue.” It’s the locative of red (“order/row/line”). Common collocations: čekati u redu (“wait in line”), stajati u redu (“stand in line”).

Do I have to repeat se in each clause?

It’s best to repeat it for each predicate: ... ne govori se..., čeka se..., i ne puši se. If you drop it (e.g., ... i ne puši), the last part becomes ambiguous (could be “he/she doesn’t smoke” or an imperative “don’t smoke”).

What’s the difference between ne puši se, ne smije se pušiti, and Pušenje je zabranjeno?

Ne puši se: descriptive or mild rule (“people don’t smoke here”).
Ne smije se pušiti: explicit prohibition (“you are not allowed to smoke”).
Pušenje je zabranjeno: formal/legal prohibition (“smoking is forbidden”). All are correct; the tone/register differs.

Why is the present tense used?

Croatian uses the present to express general rules, habits, and timeless statements. That’s exactly what this sentence does.

Can I use pričati instead of govoriti?

Both exist, but they differ:

govoriti = to speak (neutral, about speaking/volume), so govoriti glasno is the normal collocation.
pričati = to tell/relate/chat. pričati glasno is possible but suggests chattering/telling stories loudly. For a rule about speaking volume, govoriti is the natural choice.

Where should I put the adverb glasno?

Default placement is after the verb: ne govori glasno. Variations are possible for emphasis:

U banci se glasno ne govori (focus on “not loudly”)
Ne govori se glasno u banci Avoid ne glasno govori.

How do I pronounce čeka, puši, and banci?

č = “ch” as in “chocolate” → čeka = “CHEH-kah”
š = “sh” as in “shoe” → puši = “POO-shee”
c = “ts” as in “cats” → banci = “BAHN-tsi” These are rough approximations; Croatian pronunciation is consistent once you learn the letters.

How would this look in the past tense?

Use the neuter singular participle and place clitics correctly:

U banci se nije govorilo glasno, čekalo se u redu i nije se pušilo. Note the order nije se and the neuter forms govorilo/čekalo/pušilo.

Could I just say Ne govoriš glasno u banci to mean the same thing?

That sounds like you’re addressing a specific you (2nd person). For a general rule, Croatian prefers the se-impersonal: U banci se ne govori glasno.