Breakdown of Ove godine planiramo ljetovati na otoku s pogledom na more, a sljedeće godine na planini.
Questions & Answers about Ove godine planiramo ljetovati na otoku s pogledom na more, a sljedeće godine na planini.
In time expressions like ove godine (this year), Croatian typically uses the genitive singular of the noun:
- ova godina – nominative (subject form)
- ove godine – genitive (used here as an adverbial phrase: in this year)
- ovoj godini – locative (in this year, but sounds more literal and is rare in everyday time phrases)
- ovu godinu – accusative (this year as a direct object)
Phrases such as ove godine, prošle godine, sljedeće godine are fixed patterns with the genitive, meaning this year / last year / next year in a temporal sense.
Same reason as with ove godine: sljedeće godine is the genitive singular feminine of sljedeća godina. In time expressions, Croatian prefers the genitive:
- sljedeća godina – the next year (as a subject)
- sljedeće godine – next year (when saying next year we will…)
So Ove godine… a sljedeće godine… literally is In this year… and in next year…, but in English we just say This year… and next year….
Ljetovati means to spend the summer (usually on holiday), to spend the summer somewhere. It already implies a period of staying somewhere over the summer, usually for vacation.
Compare:
- ljetovati na otoku – to spend the summer holidays on an island
- ići na odmor – to go on holiday (not necessarily in summer)
- ići na more – to go to the seaside
So planiramo ljetovati = we plan to spend our summer vacation, more specific than just we plan to go somewhere.
In Croatian, it’s normal to use a verb directly in the infinitive after planirati:
- Planiramo ljetovati na otoku. – We plan to spend the summer on an island.
Using a clause like planiramo da ćemo ljetovati is grammatically possible but sounds heavier, more formal or even a bit unnatural in everyday speech. The infinitive construction is the default and most natural here.
The choice between na + locative and na + accusative depends on state vs. movement:
- na + locative – location / being somewhere:
- na otoku – on the island (we are there / will be there)
- na + accusative – movement / direction:
- na otok – to the island (going there)
In ljetovati na otoku, the focus is on being located there during the summer, so the locative otoku is correct. If you said ići na otok, that would describe the movement towards the island.
Otok is a masculine noun. In the locative singular, most hard-stem masculine nouns end in -u:
- nominative: otok
- locative: (na) otoku
This is a regular pattern, similar to:
- grad → u gradu (in the city)
- otok → na otoku (on the island)
Planina is a feminine noun. Planini here is the locative singular form, used with the preposition na to express location:
- nominative: planina
- locative: (na) planini – on the mountain / in the mountains (mountain area)
So na planini is parallel to na otoku: both are na + locative, expressing where you will be spending your holiday.
Grammatically yes:
- Planiramo ljetovati na otoku i na planini.
But this changes the meaning slightly: now it sounds like both locations are in the same time frame (e.g. in one summer). The original sentence Ove godine… a sljedeće godine… clearly separates this year vs. next year, which is why the time expressions are repeated.
This is a case of ellipsis – leaving out repeated words that are understood from context. The full version would be:
- Ove godine planiramo ljetovati na otoku s pogledom na more, a sljedeće godine (planiramo ljetovati) na planini.
Croatian (like English) often omits the repeated verb when it’s the same in both clauses; it sounds natural and not incomplete.
Literally, s pogledom na more is with a view of/on the sea. Grammatically:
- s
- instrumental: pogledom (from pogled) – with a view
- na
- accusative: more (same form as nominative here, because it’s neuter singular)
The pattern pogled na + accusative is standard:
- pogled na grad – view of the city
- pogled na planinu – view of the mountain
- pogled na more – view of the sea
The difference is:
- na more (accusative) – direction / target of the view: a view toward the sea
- na moru (locative) – location: at the sea / on the sea
With pogled, Croatian normally uses na + accusative to mark what you are looking at: pogled na more, pogled na rijeku, etc. Na moru would mean located at the seaside, not view of the sea.
S and sa are variants of the same preposition (with, from), used with the instrumental.
- s is the default short form: s pogledom, s prijateljem.
- sa is used:
- before certain consonant clusters for easier pronunciation (sa mnom, sa stolom, sa snijegom),
- or sometimes for emphasis or style.
Here, s pogledom na more is perfectly standard; sa pogledom na more is less common and sounds heavier.
A often has a contrastive meaning, somewhat between and and but:
- Ove godine… a sljedeće godine… – This year (here), whereas next year (there).
I is a neutral and, simply adding things:
- Idemo na more i u planine. – We are going to the seaside and to the mountains (no contrast implied).
In the sentence you gave, a nicely highlights the contrast between this year and next year, and between island + sea vs mountain.
Yes, but it changes the nuance:
- Ove godine ćemo ljetovati na otoku… – We will spend the summer on an island… (simple future fact, sounds decided).
- Ove godine planiramo ljetovati na otoku… – This year we’re planning to spend the summer on an island… (emphasizes the planning; it might still change).
Grammatically both are fine; the original sentence focuses on what is planned, not just what will certainly happen.