Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka.

Today we have a short break after the meeting.

Breakdown of Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka.

• imati: to have
• danas: today
• poslije: after
• sastanak: meeting
• kratak: short
• odmor: break

Questions & Answers about Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka.

Can I move danas to a different position in the sentence?

Yes. Croatian word order is fairly flexible, especially with time expressions like danas. All of these are correct and mean the same basic thing:

• Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka.
• Imamo danas kratak odmor poslije sastanka.
• Imamo kratak odmor danas poslije sastanka. (less common, but possible)

Putting danas at the beginning (Danas imamo…) is very natural and neutral. Moving danas can slightly change what you emphasize, but not the core meaning.

Why is there no word for a in kratak odmor (as in a short break)?

Croatian has no articles (no a/an or the). The noun phrase kratak odmor can mean:

• a short break
• the short break
• just short break in general

Which one is meant is understood from context, not from a separate word like in English.

Why is it sastanka instead of sastanak after poslije?

Because poslije (after) is a preposition that always takes the genitive case.

• Dictionary form (nominative): sastanak (meeting)
• Genitive singular: sastanka

So you must say:

• poslije sastanka = after the meeting

Using the nominative sastanak here would be ungrammatical.

What case is sastanka, and how does sastanak decline?

Sastanka is genitive singular.

A simplified declension of sastanak (masculine, ending in -ak) is:

• Nominative: sastanak (the basic dictionary form)
• Genitive: sastanka
• Dative: sastanku
• Accusative: sastanak
• Locative: sastanku
• Instrumental: sastankom

So after poslije, you must use genitive → poslije sastanka.

Why is it kratak odmor and not kratko odmor?

Because odmor is a masculine noun, and adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

• Masculine singular (nominative/accusative inanimate): kratak
• Feminine singular: kratka
• Neuter singular: kratko

So:

• kratak odmor (masculine) = a short break
• kratka pauza (feminine) = a short pause
• kratko vrijeme (neuter) = a short time

Kratko odmor would be wrong, because kratko here would be neuter or an adverb, and odmor is masculine.

Can I say kratki odmor instead of kratak odmor?

In everyday speech you will hear kratki odmor quite often, and people will understand you without any problem.

From a grammar point of view, kratak is the standard nominative/accusative masculine singular form that matches odmor here, so kratak odmor is the form taught in textbooks.

As a learner, it is safest to stick with:

• kratak odmor in sentences like this one.

Why is there no mi (we) in imamo? Should it be Mi danas imamo kratak odmor…?

The verb ending in Croatian already shows the person and number, so the subject pronoun is usually omitted.

• imamo = we have
• ja imam = I have
• ti imaš = you (sg.) have

So both are grammatically correct:

• Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka. (normal, neutral)
• Mi danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka. (adds emphasis on we)

You add mi mainly when you want to stress we as opposed to someone else.

How is imamo conjugated from imati?

Imamo is the 1st person plural, present tense of imati (to have). The full present-tense conjugation is:

• ja imam – I have
• ti imaš – you (sg.) have
• on / ona / ono ima – he / she / it has
• mi imamo – we have
• vi imate – you (pl. or formal) have
• oni / one / ona imaju – they have

So imamo means we have.

Why is present tense (imamo) used when it is about a specific time today?

Croatian often uses the present tense with a time expression (like danas) to talk about scheduled or near‑future events, similar to English We have a meeting at 3.

Here:

• Danas imamo kratak odmor… = Today we have a short break…

This can mean:

• a fact about today’s schedule (neutral present)
• effectively a near-future arrangement (today)

You don’t need a separate future form for this sentence.

Can I use nakon instead of poslije? What is the difference?

Yes, you can. Both take the genitive:

• poslije sastanka
• nakon sastanka

The difference is small:

• poslije – very common, neutral, everyday
• nakon – also common; can sound a bit more formal in some contexts, but is fine in normal speech

In this sentence, both poslije sastanka and nakon sastanka are good.

Can I say posle instead of poslije?

In standard Croatian, the usual form is poslije.

• posle is typical for standard Serbian and some regional varieties, and Croatians will understand it, but if you are specifically learning Croatian, you should learn and use poslije.

What is the difference between odmor and pauza? Could I say kratku pauzu?

You can say:

• Danas imamo kratku pauzu poslije sastanka.

The differences:

• odmor – rest, break, holiday; can be longer (school break, vacation, etc.)
• pauza – a pause/break, usually shorter and more technical (coffee break, pause in speaking, etc.)

Because pauza is feminine, the adjective must agree:

• kratka pauza (nom.)
• kratku pauzu (acc.) in this sentence

So both are fine, but odmor feels a bit more like a rest, while pauza is like a pause/break.

Is the sentence formal or informal? Can I use it at work and at school?

The sentence is neutral in style and can be used in both formal and informal contexts:

• At work: Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka.
• At school: Danas imamo kratak odmor poslije sastanka.

There is nothing slangy or overly formal in the vocabulary or structure, so it’s safe in almost any situation.