Learn Hardcore Croatian: Ona koristi kartu grada kad putuje preko mosta i kroz grad. - She uses a city map when she travels over the bridge and through the city.

Yes. Croatian often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. So you can say: Koristi kartu grada kad putuje preko mosta i kroz grad. Context tells you it’s “she.” Without context, it could be “he/she/it.”

What is "koristi" and how is it conjugated?

It’s the 3rd person singular present of koristiti “to use.” Present conjugation:

koristim, koristiš, koristi, koristimo, koristite, koriste It’s imperfective, so it naturally expresses habitual or ongoing action.

Why is it "kartu grada" and not "karta grada"?

Because kartu is the accusative singular of the feminine noun karta (it’s the direct object of koristiti). Nominative: karta, Accusative: kartu.

Why is "grada" in the genitive? Could I say "kartu od grada"?

The pattern “X of Y” is expressed as a noun followed by a genitive noun in Croatian: kartu grada = “map of the city.” Od + genitive usually means “from” (origin/source), so karta od grada is not idiomatic for “city map.”

Can I say "gradsku kartu" instead of "kartu grada"?

Yes. Gradsku kartu uses the adjective gradski (“city”) in the feminine accusative singular. Both kartu grada (“map of the city”) and gradsku kartu (“city map”) are natural; the meaning is essentially the same in everyday speech.

Why is it "preko mosta" but "kroz grad"? What cases do these prepositions take?

preko (“over/across/via”) takes the genitive: most → mosta.
kroz (“through”) takes the accusative: grad → grad (for masculine inanimate, acc = nom in singular).

Why not "mostu" or "mostom" after "preko"?

Because preko always governs the genitive: preko mosta. Forms like na mostu (on the bridge, locative) or s mostom (with the bridge, instrumental) use different prepositions/cases for different meanings.

Should "grad" change after "kroz"? Why isn’t it "kroz grada"?

No change to genitive: kroz requires the accusative. For masculine inanimate nouns, singular accusative equals nominative, so it’s kroz grad, not kroz grada (genitive).

What’s the difference between "kad", "kada", and "dok"?

kad and kada both mean “when.” Kad is the shorter, very common form; kada can sound a bit more formal/emphatic.
dok means “while,” emphasizing overlap: Dok putuje… = “While she is traveling…” For a specific future time, Croatian often uses present in the time clause or “biti” + participle: Kad dođe, … / Kad bude putovala, ona će koristiti kartu.

Can I move the "kad..." clause to the front, and do I need a comma?

Yes. Kad putuje preko mosta i kroz grad, ona koristi kartu grada. When the “kad” clause comes first, put a comma. If it comes after the main clause, usually no comma: Ona koristi kartu grada kad putuje…

Do I need to repeat the prepositions in "preko mosta i kroz grad"?

Yes, because they’re different prepositions. Both must appear: preko mosta i kroz grad. If the same preposition applied to two nouns, you could say it once: e.g., preko mosta i rijeke (both genitive).

How would I replace "kartu grada" with a pronoun?

Use the feminine accusative clitic je (“it/her” for feminine nouns). Clitic placement is 2nd position in the clause:

Ona je koristi kad putuje… (correct)
Kad putuje…, koristi je. (also correct) Avoid: Ona koristi je… (the clitic is misplaced).

How do articles work here—is it “a city map” or “the city map”?

Croatian has no articles. Kartu grada can mean either “a city map” or “the city map.” Context supplies definiteness.

Any tips on pronouncing "putuje" and the letter "j"?

j is like English “y” in “yes.”
putuje ≈ “POO-too-yeh.”
kroz has a trilled/rolled r.
grada ≈ “GRAH-dah” (short a’s).

Could I say "po gradu" instead of "kroz grad"?

You can, but the meaning shifts:

kroz grad = through the city (movement from one side to another, along a route).
po gradu (locative) = around/throughout the city (moving within the area, roaming about).

How would this change with plurals: “bridges” and “cities”?

preko mostova (genitive plural of “most”) = over bridges.
kroz gradove (accusative plural of “grad”) = through cities. For “city maps” you could have karte gradova (“maps of cities”) or gradske karte (“city maps”).

Is "mapa" okay for “map,” or should I use "karta"/"plan"?

In standard Croatian, karta (map) and plan (as in plan grada, “city map/plan”) are common. Mapa in Croatian usually means a folder/file. So here prefer karta or plan.