Learn Hardcore Croatian: Navečer šetamo uz rijeku. - In the evening we walk along the river.

It’s one word (not na večer) in standard Croatian. You may also see uvečer, which is similar in meaning and usage; navečer is more common in many areas.

Where can I put navečer in the sentence? Is the word order fixed?

The word order is flexible. All of these are possible:

Navečer šetamo uz rijeku. (neutral, “In the evening we walk along the river.”)
Šetamo navečer uz rijeku.
Šetamo uz rijeku navečer.

Putting navečer at the beginning is common when you want to set the time frame first. Moving it later can slightly change what feels emphasized, but all are grammatically correct.

Why is there no word for we (like mi) in the Croatian sentence?

Croatian is a pro‑drop language: subject pronouns (like ja, ti, mi) are often omitted because the verb ending already shows the subject.

šetamo = “we walk” (1st person plural)
Adding mi is possible but usually not necessary:
- Mi navečer šetamo uz rijeku. (correct, but mi adds emphasis, like “We walk along the river in the evenings.”)

So Navečer šetamo uz rijeku. is the most natural everyday version.

What verb is šetamo and how is it conjugated?

Šetamo is the 1st person plural present tense of šetati (to walk, to stroll).

Present tense of šetati:

ja šetam – I walk / stroll
ti šetaš – you (sg.) walk
on/ona/ono šeta – he/she/it walks
mi šetamo – we walk
vi šetate – you (pl./formal) walk
oni/one/ona šetaju – they walk

In this sentence, šetamo expresses a habitual action: something we usually do in the evenings.

What is the difference between šetati and hodati?

Both can be translated as to walk, but they’re used differently:

šetati – to walk for pleasure, stroll, take a walk
- Navečer šetamo uz rijeku. → We go for a walk along the river in the evening.
hodati – to walk (as a way of moving), or to walk repeatedly somewhere
- Ne volim hodati po kiši. → I don’t like walking in the rain.
- Also slang: hodati s nekim = to date someone.

In your sentence, šetati is better because it suggests a pleasant, leisurely walk.

Why is it uz rijeku and not uz rijeka?

The preposition uz requires the accusative case.

Nominative (dictionary form): rijeka (river)
Accusative singular (feminine -a noun): rijeku

So:

Uz rijeku = along/by the river (correct with uz)
Uz rijeka = incorrect

The -u ending on rijeku shows that the noun is in the accusative, governed by uz.

What exactly does the preposition uz mean here?

In this sentence, uz means along / by / beside.

Common meanings of uz:

next to, by
- Stojim uz prozor. – I’m standing by the window.
along (following the length of something)
- Šetamo uz rijeku. – We walk along the river.
against (physically)
- Naslonio se uz zid. – He leaned against the wall.

So uz rijeku is a natural way to say along the river.

Could I use a different preposition instead of uz, like pored or pokraj?

Yes, but with slightly different nuances:

uz rijeku – along / by the river (often implies following its course)
pored rijeke – beside / next to the river
pokraj rijeke – also beside / near the river
duž rijeke – along the length of the river (emphasizes the full length)

All are grammatically correct; uz rijeku and pored rijeke are very common in everyday speech.

Why isn’t there any word for the in the river?

Croatian has no articles (no the or a/an). Definiteness is understood from context, word order, or additional words.

rijeka / rijeku can mean a river or the river, depending on context.
Here, uz rijeku is naturally understood as along the river (the one both speakers know).

You don’t need to add anything to mark the.

What about aspect? Could I say Navečer prošetamo uz rijeku?

Yes, but it slightly changes the meaning.

šetamo (from šetati, imperfective) – focuses on the ongoing/habitual activity:
- Navečer šetamo uz rijeku. → In the evenings we (usually) walk along the river.
prošetamo (from prošetati, perfective) – focuses on the completed act of taking a walk, often once or as a whole event:
- Večeras ćemo prošetati uz rijeku. → This evening we will go for a walk along the river (one event).

For routines and habits, the imperfective šetati is the default choice.

Can I say Navečer šetamo rijekom without uz?

That would mean something different and usually odd:

šetamo uz rijeku – we walk along/by the river (on the bank, beside the water).
šetamo rijekom – we walk through the river / in the river (as if we’re in the water or along the riverbed).

So for the intended meaning, you need uz.

How do you pronounce Navečer šetamo uz rijeku?

Approximate English-like guidance:

Navečer – na-VE-cher
- š like sh in ship
- č like ch in church
šetamo – SHE-ta-mo
- š = sh sound
uz – like ooz (short u, not long “oo”)
rijeku – RYE-eh-koo (but said smoothly: RYE-eh-ku; r rolled or tapped)

Full sentence (roughly): na-VE-cher SHE-ta-mo uz RYE-eh-ku.

Does Navečer šetamo uz rijeku mean a single evening or a regular habit?

By default, present tense plus navečer suggests a habitual action:

Navečer šetamo uz rijeku. → We (usually) walk along the river in the evenings.

If you want to stress just this particular evening as a plan, you would typically add a time word or change the verb (often future):

Večeras ćemo šetati uz rijeku. – Tonight we will walk along the river.