Learn Hardcore Croatian: Idemo prema školi i pričamo. - We are going toward the school and talking.

Croatian is a pro‑drop language: the verb ending shows person and number. Idemo (1st person plural) already means “we go/are going,” so mi is optional. You could add Mi idemo… for emphasis or contrast.

Does Idemo mean “let’s go” here?

Not here. In this sentence, idemo is simple present “we’re going.” On its own, Idemo! can mean “Let’s go!” as an encouragement, but followed by the rest of the sentence it’s just a statement of action.

Why is it prema školi and not prema školu?

Because prema governs the dative case. The dative singular of škola is školi. The form školu is accusative and would be used after u for movement into a place: u školu (“into/to school”).

Is školi dative or locative? They look the same.

Formally it looks identical in the singular, but with prema it’s dative, because prema always takes the dative. The locative appears with prepositions like u, na, o, pri (e.g., o školi = “about school”).

What’s the difference between prema školi, u školu, and do škole?

prema školi = “toward the school” (direction, not necessarily reaching it).
u školu = “to/into the school” (entering or headed to the institution).
do škole = “up to the school” (reaching the place/its vicinity, endpoint).

Could I say ka školi or k školi?

In standard Croatian, prema is the normal choice. k is archaic/literary in Croatian, and ka is typical in Serbian. You may hear them regionally, but stick to prema in Croatian.

Do I need a comma before i?

No. When two clauses are joined by i (“and”) and share the same subject, Croatian normally doesn’t use a comma: Idemo prema školi i pričamo.

Are the two actions simultaneous?

Yes. The present tense plus i here implies simultaneity: “We’re going toward the school and (at the same time) talking.” A more explicit version is: Dok idemo prema školi, pričamo.

Could I say Pričamo i idemo prema školi instead?

Yes. That’s fine and still natural. The change in order slightly shifts the focus to the talking first, but the meaning (two simultaneous actions) remains.

Why no article before školi? How do I say “the school” vs “a school”?

Croatian has no articles. školi can mean “to the school” or “to a school,” and context clarifies definiteness. If needed, you can add a demonstrative like toj školi (“to that school”).

Does ići mean specifically “to walk”?

No. ići means “to go” in general, regardless of transport. If you want to stress walking, use hodati or pješačiti. For riding/driving as a passenger, use voziti se.

What’s the nuance of pričamo vs govorimo vs razgovaramo?

pričamo = “we’re chatting/telling/talking” (informal, storytelling vibe).
govorimo = “we’re speaking” (more formal or about language ability: govorimo engleski).
razgovaramo = “we’re having a conversation” (two-way exchange).

How do I say what we’re talking about?

Use pričati/razgovarati o + locative: pričamo o filmu (“we’re talking about the movie”), razgovaramo o školi (“we’re discussing school”).

Can I mix forms like “Idemo prema školi i pričati”?

No. Coordinate like with like: two finite verbs (idemo … i pričamo) or use an infinitive only in certain constructions (e.g., Idemo pričati = “Let’s go talk,” purpose). Here, keep both in the present.

Is the present here progressive or habitual?

Croatian present covers both. Context decides whether it’s “we are going and talking (now)” or “we go and talk (habitually).” Add time expressions to clarify: Sada idemo… (now), Svaki dan idemo… (every day).

How do I pronounce š and č in this sentence?

š in školi is like English “sh” in “ship.”
č in pričamo is like “ch” in “church” (stronger than Croatian ć).