Learn Hardcore Croatian: Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu.

In standard Croatian, the little word ću is a clitic and likes to be in second position in the sentence (after the first stressed word), which is why we say Večeras ću obući…, not Večeras obući ću… in normal speech.

Why is ću placed after večeras and not directly before the verb?

Because ću is a clitic (an unstressed, short word) and Croatian clitics normally go in second position in the sentence or clause.

In Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu:

Večeras is the first stressed word.
ću comes next, in second position.
obući comes after that.

You could say Ja ću večeras obući plavu haljinu:

Ja (first position)
ću (second position)
večeras obući… (rest of the sentence)

So it’s about clitic placement, not about staying next to the main verb.

What is the difference between obući and nositi?

Both are related to clothing, but they describe different things:

obući = to put on (the action of dressing in something)
- Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu.
  Tonight I will put on a blue dress (the moment of getting dressed).
nositi = to wear, to carry (the state of having it on / carrying it)
- Večeras ću nositi plavu haljinu.
  Tonight I will be wearing a blue dress.

In everyday speech, both sentences can describe your outfit for tonight, but:

obući focuses on the moment you change into it.
nositi focuses on the fact you’ll have it on during the evening.

What is the difference between obući and oblačiti?

They are two aspects of the same basic verb:

obući – perfective: a single, completed action (to put on)
- Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu. – I will put it on (once, completed).
oblačiti – imperfective: ongoing or repeated action (to be putting on, to dress repeatedly)
- Svako jutro oblačim pidžamu. – Every morning I put on pajamas / I get dressed in pajamas.

For a single future event, like tonight, you normally use the perfective obući.

Why is it plavu haljinu and not plava haljina?

Because in Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu, the dress is the direct object of the verb obući (what are you putting on?), so it’s in the accusative case.

Dictionary form (nominative): plava haljina – a blue dress
Accusative (direct object): plavu haljinu – (I will wear) a blue dress

In Croatian, adjectives and nouns agree in:

gender
number
case

So:

haljinu – feminine, singular, accusative
plavu – feminine, singular, accusative
They match.

What gender is haljina, and how can I tell?

Haljina is feminine.

Clues:

The base form ends in -a (haljina), which is very often feminine.
The adjective plava in the nominative also ends with -a, the usual feminine ending.

So:

Feminine nominative: plava haljina
Feminine accusative: plavu haljinu

Why is there no word like a or the before plavu haljinu?

Croatian does not have articles like a / an / the.

Plavu haljinu can be translated as:

a blue dress
the blue dress depending on context.

If the conversation makes it clear which one you mean (for example, you have already talked about a particular dress), Croatian still just says plavu haljinu and English chooses the blue dress.

Can I change the word order and still be correct? For example: Plavu haljinu ću obući večeras?

Yes, Croatian word order is fairly flexible, and several versions are grammatically correct, though they can sound more or less natural or add emphasis.

All of these can be correct:

Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu. – neutral, very natural.
Večeras ću plavu haljinu obući. – still OK, a bit heavier.
Plavu haljinu ću obući večeras. – emphasizes the blue dress (as opposed to another one).
Ja ću večeras obući plavu haljinu. – emphasizing I.

The main rule to respect is still clitic placement: ću must remain in that second position in its clause.

Could I use the present tense to talk about tonight, like Večeras nosim plavu haljinu?

Yes. Just like English can say I’m wearing a blue dress tonight, Croatian can use the present for a near, planned future:

Večeras nosim plavu haljinu. – I’m wearing a blue dress tonight.
Večeras oblačim plavu haljinu. – I’m (going to be) putting on a blue dress tonight.

Difference in nuance:

Večeras ću obući… – more like a decision or plan stated in the future tense.
Večeras nosim / oblačim… – sounds like a fixed arrangement or schedule, similar to English present continuous for the future.

What does večeras exactly mean? Is it the same as noćas?

Večeras means this evening / tonight (but more on the evening side).

Usually from late afternoon / early evening until somewhere around 10–11 p.m.

Noćas means tonight but more on the night side:

late at night, during the night.

So:

Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu. – This evening / tonight I’ll put on a blue dress.
Noćas neću spavati. – Tonight I won’t sleep (during the night).

What’s the difference between obući se and obući? Why don’t we use se here?

obući se – reflexive: to get dressed (in general)
- Moram se obući. – I have to get dressed.
obući
- object – to put on a specific item
  - obući haljinu – to put on a dress

In Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu, we have a direct object (plavu haljinu), so we use the non‑reflexive form obući.

If you didn’t mention what you’re putting on, you’d say:

Večeras ću se obući. – I will get dressed tonight.

How do I pronounce ću and sounds like č and lj?

Basic pronunciation tips:

č = like ch in church
- ću sounds roughly like chu (as in chew).
ć (in obući) is a bit softer than č, but as a learner you can pronounce both like ch in church and you’ll be understood.
lj = one sound, like lli in million (British) or like saying l
- y together.

So roughly:

Večeras ću obući plavu haljinu ≈ Veh-CHEH-ras chu oh-BOO-chee PLAH-voo HAHL-yee-noo (approximate guide only).

Does haljinu mean only dress, or can it also be gown?

In most everyday contexts, haljina = dress.

Depending on context, it can also be translated as:

gown (e.g. svečana haljina – evening gown / formal dress)
frock (older-fashioned English)

So plavu haljinu can be a blue dress or a blue gown, depending on style and context.