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Questions & Answers about Nemoj ga zaboraviti u kinu.
What does the word in bold nemoj do, and how do you make a negative command in Croatian?
Croatian typically makes prohibitions with nemoj + infinitive (2nd person singular), e.g., Nemoj zaboraviti. For plural/formal, use nemojte + infinitive; for “let’s not,” use nemojmo + infinitive. So: Nemoj ga zaboraviti…, Nemojte ga zaboraviti…, Nemojmo ga zaboraviti….
Why is it zaboraviti (infinitive) and not the imperative zaboravi?
Because the negative imperative in Croatian is formed with nemoj + infinitive, not with ne + imperative. You’ll hear Ne zaboravi in real life (and it’s common in Serbian), but in standard Croatian the safest, most neutral prohibition is Nemoj zaboraviti.
What exactly is ga?
It’s the unstressed (clitic) pronoun for third person singular masculine or neuter in the accusative/genitive—roughly “him/it.” The stressed/long form is njega (used for emphasis or after prepositions). Example: Nemoj njega zaboraviti puts focus on “him.”
Where does ga go in the sentence? Can I say Nemoj zaboraviti ga?
Object clitics like ga prefer the “second position” in the clause—after the first stressed word or phrase. That’s why Nemoj ga zaboraviti is standard. Nemoj zaboraviti ga is generally unidiomatic; if you want to put the object after the verb for emphasis, switch to the full form: Nemoj zaboraviti njega.
Why is it u kinu and not u kino?
The preposition u takes:
- Locative for location (where?): u kinu = “in/at the cinema.”
- Accusative for movement (to where?): u kino = “to the cinema.”
Is kinu a different word from kino?
No—kinu is the locative singular of the neuter noun kino. Mini-paradigm: N/Acc kino, Gen kina, Dat/Loc kinu, Instr kinom.
Can ga refer to a thing as well as a person?
Yes. Ga can stand for any masculine or neuter singular noun (person or thing). For a feminine singular object, use je/ju; for any plural (all genders), use ih.
How would I say “Don’t forget her/them” instead?
- Her: Nemoj je zaboraviti u kinu. (also possible: Nemoj ju zaboraviti…; ju is common after vowels and in many styles)
- Them: Nemoj ih zaboraviti u kinu.
What’s the difference between zaboraviti and zaboravljati here?
Aspect. Zaboraviti (perfective) = a single, one-time event: “don’t forget (this time).” Zaboravljati (imperfective) = repeated or ongoing: Nemoj ga zaboravljati u kinu = “don’t keep forgetting him at the cinema.”
Is Ne zaboravi ga u kinu acceptable?
You will hear it, but for a clear prohibition, standard Croatian prefers Nemoj ga zaboraviti u kinu. If you’re taking exams or writing formally, stick with nemoj + infinitive.
Can I move the location around? For example, Nemoj ga u kinu zaboraviti or U kinu ga nemoj zaboraviti?
Yes. Both are possible and can add emphasis:
- Nemoj ga u kinu zaboraviti (keeps ga in second position, highlights the place mid-sentence).
- U kinu ga nemoj zaboraviti (fronts the location; the clitic ga still comes after the first stressed element, here the phrase ending in kinu).
Why is there no word for “the” before kinu?
Croatian has no articles. Definiteness comes from context or demonstratives. If needed, use a demonstrative: u tom kinu (“in that cinema”).
What’s the difference between ga and njega again?
- ga = short clitic form, lives in second position, cannot follow a preposition.
- njega = stressed/long form, used for emphasis or after prepositions. Examples: Nemoj ga zaboraviti. But: Nemoj zaboraviti na njega.
If I mean “don’t forget about him” (as in don’t overlook him), how do I say that?
Use zaboraviti na + accusative: Nemoj zaboraviti na njega. Without na, zaboraviti (nekoga/nešto) tends to mean forgetting the person/thing itself (including physically leaving someone behind).