Breakdown of Moja kolegica misli da projekt ide dobro, pa idemo na kratku pauzu.
ići
to go
na
for
moj
my
misliti
to think
da
that
pa
so
kratak
short
pauza
break
projekt
project
kolegica
female colleague
dobro
well
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Croatian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Moja kolegica misli da projekt ide dobro, pa idemo na kratku pauzu.
What does the word bolded as kolegica tell me about the colleague?
Kolegica means a female colleague. The masculine form is kolega. The possessive moja confirms it’s feminine.
Why is it moja kolegica and not moj kolegica?
Possessive adjectives agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case. Kolegica is feminine singular nominative, so it takes moja. For a male colleague, you’d say moj kolega.
What form is misli, and what verb is it from?
It’s 3rd person singular present of misliti (to think): ja mislim, ti misliš, on/ona misli, mi mislimo, vi mislite, oni misle.
What does da do here? Can it be omitted?
Da introduces a content clause, like English “that” in “thinks that…”. In standard Croatian you don’t drop it: misli da…. You might also hear misli kako… in some styles.
Is projekt ide dobro idiomatic, since it literally looks like “the project goes well”?
Yes. Croatian often uses ići (to go) metaphorically to mean “be going/doing,” so projekt ide dobro = “the project is going well.” Alternatives: projekt dobro ide, projekt dobro napreduje.
Can I change the word order in the clause da projekt ide dobro?
Yes, word order is flexible for emphasis:
- Neutral: da projekt ide dobro
- Emphasis on “well”: da projekt dobro ide
- Emphasis on the project (commenting that it’s going well): da dobro ide projekt
What does pa mean here, and how is it different from i, tako da, or zato?
Pa is a coordinating conjunction meaning “so/and then,” often showing a light consequence or next step.
- i = “and,” just adds information.
- tako da = “so that/as a result,” introduces a result clause.
- zato = “therefore,” a clearer, stronger consequence.
Here, pa keeps it conversational: “…so we’re going for a short break.”
Is the comma before pa correct?
Yes. When pa connects two independent clauses, a comma is used: …, pa …. No comma if it connects simple sentence parts.
Does idemo here mean “let’s go”?
It can be either a plain statement (“we are going”) or an inclusive suggestion (“let’s go”). With pa, it reads like a suggestion: “so let’s go…”. Colloquial equivalents: hajdemo, ajmo.
Why is it na kratku pauzu? What case is that?
After na:
- Motion toward = accusative: na kratku pauzu (“for/to a short break”).
- Location = locative: na kratkoj pauzi (“on a short break”).
So here it’s motion, hence accusative: pauzu (from pauza) and adjective agreement kratku (fem. acc. sg.).
How would I say “We are on a short break,” not “We’re going for a short break”?
Use locative: Mi smo na kratkoj pauzi.
Why is it dobro and not dobar?
Dobro is the adverb “well,” modifying the verb ide. Dobar is an adjective (“good”) and would modify a noun, e.g., dobar projekt (“a good project”).
Are there articles like “a/the” in Croatian? Why is there nothing before kratku pauzu?
Croatian has no articles. Definiteness/indefiniteness is inferred from context, so kratku pauzu covers “a short break.”
How do I pronounce projekt?
Croatian j is pronounced like English “y” in “yes,” so projekt sounds like “pro-yekt.”