Learn Hardcore Croatian: Vidimo se u sedam ispred škole. - See you at seven in front of the school.

se is a reflexive/reciprocal clitic. Here it means “each other,” so Vidimo se literally means “We see each other,” used idiomatically as “See you.”
You can’t drop it in this meaning; Vidimo u sedam sounds wrong.
Clitics like se can’t start a sentence: Se vidimo… is ungrammatical.

Why is the present tense used to talk about a future meeting?

Croatian often uses the present for near-future plans, especially in set phrases like Vidimo se.
A fully future form is also possible: Vidjet ćemo se u sedam ispred škole (“We will see each other at seven in front of the school”). Both are natural; the present feels a bit more casual.

Is Vidimo se OK if I’m talking to just one person?

Yes. Even with one person, Croatian uses the 1st person plural “we” form to mean “see you (and I).” It works for one or many addressees.

Which case is škole and why?

škole is genitive singular of škola.
The preposition ispred (“in front of”) always takes the genitive: ispred kuće, ispred zgrade, ispred škole.

Can I use pred školom instead of ispred škole?

Yes. pred also means “in front of,” but it takes the instrumental: pred školom (not ×pred škole).
Nuance: ispred can feel a touch more specific/immediate “right in front of,” while pred is very common and neutral. In everyday speech, both are fine.

Why is it u sedam and not na sedam?

For clock times, Croatian uses u + Accusative: u jedan, u dva, u tri… u sedam.
na is not used for telling time.

Do I need to add sati after sedam?

Optional. Both u sedam and u sedam sati are correct.
Adding sati (“o’clock/hours”) is a bit more explicit or formal. In writing you’ll also see numerals: u 7, u 19 sati.

How do I say 7 a.m. vs 7 p.m.?

Use time-of-day words:
- u sedam ujutro (7 a.m.)
- u sedam navečer (7 p.m.)
- u sedam poslijepodne (in the afternoon)
Or switch to 24‑hour style: u 19 sati (7 p.m.).

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Common variants:

Vidimo se u sedam ispred škole.
Vidimo se ispred škole u sedam.
U sedam se vidimo ispred škole.
Ispred škole se vidimo u sedam. Note the clitic se stays in the “second position” after the first stressed element. Avoid Se vidimo… at the very start.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Rough guide: “VEE-dee-mo seh oo SEH-dahm EES-pred SHKO-leh.”
Tips: š = “sh” (English “shoe”); č/ć aren’t in this sentence; r is tapped; u is “oo.”

Is there a more explicit way to say “Let’s meet …” instead of “See you …”?

Yes: Nađimo se u sedam ispred škole. (“Let’s meet at seven in front of the school.”)
Very common in speech: Nađemo se u sedam… (colloquial suggestion).
Neutral future: Srest ćemo se / Vidjet ćemo se u sedam…

Can I shorten this in a text message?

Absolutely. Elliptical messages are normal:

U 7 ispred škole.
19:00 ispred škole.
Vidimo se u 7.

Is Vidimo se also a goodbye formula?

Yes. Vidimo se! by itself is a very common friendly sign‑off meaning “See you (later)!” You can add time/place if already agreed: Vidimo se! / Vidimo se sutra!

Any common mistakes to avoid?

×Se vidimo… (clitic at start) → ✅Vidimo se…
×na sedam → ✅u sedam
×ispred školu / ×pred škole → ✅ispred škole (genitive) / ✅pred školom (instrumental)
×Dropping se: Vidimo u sedam → keep se or rephrase.

What case does u take generally?

Location “in”: u + Locative → u školi (“in the school”).
Motion into: u + Accusative → u školu (“into the school”).
Clock time “at”: u + Accusative → u sedam (sati).

Is there any article before škole like “the school”?

No. Croatian has no articles. Context alone signals whether you mean “a school” or “the school.” You can specify with determiners if needed: ispred one škole (“in front of that school”) or a name.

How is vidjeti conjugated in the present?

ja vidim, ti vidiš, on/ona/ono vidi, mi vidimo, vi vidite, oni/one/ona vide.
Hence Vidimo se = “We see (each other).”

Could I say “I’ll see you at seven …” with a direct object?

Use the future + object: Vidjet ću te u sedam ispred škole.
Present Vidim te u sedam… sounds odd for a future arrangement; prefer the future or the set phrase Vidimo se.