Breakdown of U ponedjeljak moram ustati rano.
u
on
morati
to have to
rano
early
ponedjeljak
Monday
ustati
to get up
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Questions & Answers about U ponedjeljak moram ustati rano.
What does the preposition u mean here, and why is it used with a day?
In time expressions with days of the week, u means on. So U ponedjeljak = On Monday. With days, u takes the accusative case (see next Q&A). Examples: u ponedjeljak, u utorak, u srijedu.
What case is ponedjeljak in, and how does it decline?
It’s accusative singular after u (days use u + accusative). Ponedjeljak is a masculine noun. Key singular forms:
- Nominative: ponedjeljak
- Genitive: ponedjeljka
- Dative/Locative: ponedjeljku
- Accusative: ponedjeljak (same as nominative for inanimate masculine)
- Instrumental: ponedjeljkom (also used adverbially to mean “on Mondays,” i.e., habitually)
Can I say Na ponedjeljak?
No. For days of the week, Croatian uses u + accusative: u ponedjeljak. Na isn’t used for this meaning.
Is the word order fixed? Can I move parts around?
Word order is flexible. All of these are correct:
- U ponedjeljak moram ustati rano. (neutral)
- Moram ustati rano u ponedjeljak. (keeps focus on “Monday” at the end)
- U ponedjeljak rano moram ustati. (emphasis on “early”)
- Rano moram ustati u ponedjeljak. (strong emphasis on “early”) Choose order based on what you want to highlight.
Why ustati and not ustajati? What’s the difference?
Aspect:
- ustati = perfective “to get up (once, a specific occasion).”
- ustajati = imperfective “to get up (habitually/repeatedly).” Here it’s about one upcoming Monday, so ustati fits. If you mean a habit, use imperfective: Ponedjeljkom moram rano ustajati.
Can I put rano before the verb? Is Moram rano ustati okay?
Yes. Both Moram ustati rano and Moram rano ustati are natural. The meaning is the same; placement can mildly affect rhythm/emphasis.
Does moram require the infinitive? Why not moram ustajem?
Yes. Morati is followed by the bare infinitive: moram + infinitive (e.g., moram ustati). You cannot use a conjugated verb there, so moram ustajem is incorrect.
What’s the difference between moram and trebam here?
- moram = I must / I have to (strong obligation/necessity).
- trebam
- infinitive can mean “I need to,” often softer or practical necessity: Trebam ustati rano. In many contexts both appear, but moram feels stronger and is very common for obligations.
How do I say “on Mondays (habitually) I have to get up early”?
Use the instrumental adverbial form of the day and the imperfective verb:
- Ponedjeljkom moram rano ustajati. You can also place it later: Moram rano ustajati ponedjeljkom.
Do I capitalize days of the week in Croatian?
No. Days are written in lowercase unless they begin a sentence: ponedjeljak, utorak, srijeda, etc.
How do I pronounce ponedjeljak?
Approximate it as: po-ne-dyel-yak.
- j sounds like English y in “yes.”
- lj is a palatal “ly” sound.
- The dj sequence is pronounced close to “dy” (the d merges a bit with the y-like j).
Is ustati reflexive? I’ve seen dići se / dizati se too.
Ustati is not reflexive in standard Croatian (no se). There’s also a reflexive pair: dići se (perfective) / dizati se (imperfective), which also mean “to get up/stand up.” Your sentence could also be: U ponedjeljak se moram dići rano.
Can the present tense refer to the future here? Why not use ću morati?
Yes. Croatian often uses the present for scheduled/near-future events when there’s a time expression: U ponedjeljak moram… is natural. You can also say U ponedjeljak ću morati ustati rano or Morat ću ustati rano u ponedjeljak—they’re just slightly more explicitly future.
How do I negate or ask a question?
- Negation: Ne moram ustati rano (u ponedjeljak). = I don’t have to get up early.
- Prohibition (“mustn’t”): Ne smijem ustati kasno. = I mustn’t get up late.
- Yes/no question (with enclitic li): Moram li ustati rano?
- Information question: Zašto moram ustati rano u ponedjeljak?
Can I add a specific time of day?
Yes. Stack the time phrases naturally:
- U ponedjeljak moram ustati u šest ujutro.
- Moram ustati u 6 ujutro u ponedjeljak. Both are fine; many speakers prefer the more chronological order: day → clock time → part of day.