Learn Hardcore Croatian: Zrak u sobi je topao, ali voda je skoro hladna. - The air in the room is warm, but the water is almost cold.

Zrak means air in standard Croatian. In Serbian (and often Bosnian), the common word is vazduh. Both are understood across the region, but zrak is the Croatian default. Don’t confuse it with zraka, which can be “a ray (of light).”

Why is “je” where it is? Can it move?

Je (the present-tense form of “to be”) is a clitic that tends to sit in the “second position” of the clause—after the first word or the first emphasized phrase.

Zrak u sobi je topao. (First constituent = “Zrak u sobi,” then the clitic “je.”)
U sobi je zrak topao. (First constituent = “U sobi,” then “je.”) You can change word order for emphasis, but keep the clitic in second position.

Could I omit the second “je” after the comma?

Yes, in coordinated sentences Croatian often omits a repeated verb:

Zrak u sobi je topao, a voda (je) skoro hladna. With ali this is also fine: “…, ali voda skoro hladna.” Keeping the second je is perfectly correct and perhaps a bit clearer for learners.

What’s the difference between “ali” and “a” here?

Both can translate as “but,” but:

ali = stronger, more contrastive “but”
a = milder contrast or simple juxtaposition (“and/whereas”) So “ali” emphasizes the contrast between warm air and almost-cold water. You could also use dok (“while/whereas”) for a contrastive nuance: “…, dok je voda skoro hladna.”

Why “topao” but “hladna”? Why don’t they look the same?

Adjectives agree with the noun’s gender/number/case:

zrak is masculine singular → topao (m sg nom)
voda is feminine singular → hladna (f sg nom) Basic forms:
topao (m), topla (f), toplo (n)
hladan (m), hladna (f), hladno (n)

I’ve seen “topli zrak.” Which is right: “topao zrak” or “topli zrak”?

After the verb “to be,” use the predicative form: zrak je topao. Before a noun (attributive position), Croatian typically prefers the long/definite form for masculine: topli zrak. So:

Attributive: “Udahni topli zrak.”
Predicative: “Zrak je topao.”

Could I just say “U sobi je toplo” instead of naming the air?

Yes. U sobi je toplo means “It’s warm in the room” (a general ambient statement). Zrak u sobi je topao specifically comments on the air in the room. Both are natural; choose based on what you want to emphasize.

Does “skoro” mean “almost” or “soon”?

Here skoro means almost/nearly: “The water is almost cold.” For “soon,” use uskoro. A near-synonym of “skoro” in this sense is gotovo: “voda je gotovo hladna.”

Is “skoro hladna” idiomatic? Are there alternatives?

Yes, it’s idiomatic. Alternatives:

gotovo hladna = almost cold (a bit more neutral/formal)
prilično hladna = quite/pretty cold (stronger than “almost,” different meaning)
jedva topla = barely warm (emphasizes it’s still slightly warm)
mlaka = lukewarm

Why is there a comma before “ali”?

In Croatian, you put a comma before coordinating conjunctions like ali and a when they join clauses or predicate parts. The comma in the sentence is correct.

How do I turn this into a yes–no question?

Use Je li…? (standard) or colloquial Jel’…?

Je li zrak u sobi topao?
Je li voda skoro hladna? You’ll also hear Da li…? in some varieties, but Je li…? is the neutral standard.

How do I say “not warm but (rather) cold” in Croatian?

After a negation, use nego (“but rather”):

Zrak u sobi nije topao, nego hladan.
Voda nije mlaka, nego hladna.

Could I say “voda skoro je hladna”?

No. Because je is a clitic, it should be in second position in its clause. The correct order is voda je skoro hladna, not “voda skoro je hladna.”

How do you pronounce “topao”?

Three syllables: to-pa-o. The “ao” is two separate vowels, not a single “o.” Compare:

topao (warm, m) → to-pa-o
toplo (warm, n/adverb) → top-lo (two syllables)