Questions & Answers about Ne volim toliko skupe stvari.
In Croatian, present‑tense negation is usually formed simply by putting ne in front of the verb in its normal form.
- volim = I like / I love
- ne volim = I don’t like / I don’t love
You do not change the verb ending; you just add ne before it:
- Razumijem. = I understand.
- Ne razumijem. = I don’t understand.
So ne volim is exactly parallel to volim, just negated.
Croatian usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person.
- volim clearly indicates I (1st person singular).
- So Ne volim toliko skupe stvari. literally has an unspoken ja (I).
You can say Ja ne volim toliko skupe stvari., but then you are emphasizing I (as in: I don’t like them, maybe someone else does).
Neutral version: just Ne volim …
toliko is an adverb of degree meaning so (much), that (much), often with a sense of “to that extent”.
In Ne volim toliko skupe stvari., the most natural reading is that toliko modifies skupe (expensive):
- toliko skupe stvari ≈ things that are that expensive / so expensive
So the sentence is close to:
- Ne volim toliko skupe stvari.
= I don’t like things that are that expensive.
In some contexts, speakers might intend toliko to modify volim (I don’t like them that much), but the word order more strongly suggests it goes with skup (expensive) here.
All three relate to degree/intensity, but they’re used a bit differently:
toliko – that much, to that degree (often pointing to something mentioned or implied)
- Ne volim toliko skupe stvari. = I don’t like things that expensive.
tako – so, like that, often more general or descriptive
- Ne volim tako skupe stvari. ≈ I don’t like so expensive things / things that expensive (very similar to toliko here; nuance often small).
jako – very, really, intensifier usually for verbs/adjectives
- Jako volim sladoled. = I really like ice cream.
- Ne volim jako skupe stvari. = I don’t like very expensive things.
In your sentence, toliko highlights a specific or previously known level of expensiveness: “to that extent”.
skupe is the correct form because it has to agree with stvari in gender, number, and case.
- stvar = thing (feminine, singular)
- stvari = things (feminine, plural)
Here, stvari is the direct object of volim, so it is in accusative plural feminine. For adjectives:
- feminine plural nominative = feminine plural accusative (for inanimate nouns)
The adjective skup (expensive) in feminine plural accusative/nominative is:
- skupe stvari = expensive things
Other forms, for comparison:
- skupa stvar = an expensive thing (fem. sg)
- skupa kuća = an expensive house (fem. sg)
- skupi auti = expensive cars (masc. pl)
So with stvari (fem. pl), you must use skupe.
stvari is in the accusative plural feminine.
Reason:
- It is the direct object of the verb (ne) volim.
- In Croatian, direct objects of most verbs are in the accusative.
Forms of stvar:
- Nominative singular: stvar (thing)
- Nominative plural: stvari (things)
- Accusative plural (inanimate feminine): also stvari
So the form looks the same as the nominative plural, but the function here is accusative (object of volim).
Yes, you can change the word order, and it slightly shifts the emphasis.
Ne volim toliko skupe stvari.
– Focus is on how expensive they are:
“I don’t like things that are that expensive.”Ne volim skupe stvari toliko.
– Now toliko is more likely heard as modifying volim:
“I don’t like expensive things that much.”
Croatian word order is flexible, but it affects what feels emphasized:
- Earlier in the sentence = more emphasized or more tightly connected.
- Here, placing toliko right before skupe strongly ties it to skupe (so expensive).
- Putting toliko at the end often makes it sound like it modifies volim (that much).
Use the adjective jeftin (cheap) in the correct form:
Volim jeftine stvari.
= I like cheap things.Ne volim toliko jeftine stvari.
= I don’t like things that are that cheap.
(Structure parallels Ne volim toliko skupe stvari.)
If you mean “I don’t like cheap things very much” (emphasizing your feeling, not the degree of cheapness), you could say:
- Ne volim jeftine stvari baš toliko.
- Ne volim baš toliko jeftine stvari.
Context and word order decide whether toliko modifies the adjective (that cheap) or the verb (that much).
Both can translate as “I don’t like expensive things,” but they use different verbs and feel slightly different:
Ne volim skupe stvari.
- Verb: voljeti (to love/like).
- Structure: [ne] + volim + object in accusative.
- Direct and common, can sound a bit stronger (like English “I don’t like …”).
Skupe stvari mi se ne sviđaju.
- Verb: sviđati se (to be pleasing to someone).
- Literally: “Expensive things are not pleasing to me.”
- Structure:
- skupе stvari (subject, nominative)
- mi (to me, dative)
- se ne sviđaju (reflexive verb)
- Often sounds a bit more neutral/polite, similar to English “I’m not so fond of expensive things.”
In everyday speech, both are fine. Your sentence uses the simpler ne volim pattern.
Yes, Ne volim ništa skupo. is natural and common.
- ništa = nothing / anything (in negative clauses)
- skupo = expensive (neuter singular, used adverbially/adjectivally here)
It means:
- Ne volim ništa skupo.
= I don’t like anything expensive.
Your original sentence:
- Ne volim toliko skupe stvari.
= I don’t like things that expensive.
So:
- Ne volim toliko skupe stvari. focuses on a certain high level of expensiveness.
- Ne volim ništa skupo. is a stronger, more general statement: you dislike all expensive things.