Ovaj plan je drukčiji.

This plan is different.

Breakdown of Ovaj plan je drukčiji.

• biti: to be
• plan: plan
• ovaj: this
• drukčiji: different

Questions & Answers about Ovaj plan je drukčiji.

What does ovaj mean exactly, and is it always translated as this?

Ovaj is a demonstrative adjective meaning this (masculine, singular, near the speaker).

• ovaj plan = this plan (the one here / the one we’re talking about now)
• For other genders and numbers:
  • masculine: ovaj (sg), ovi (pl) → ovaj plan, ovi planovi
  • feminine: ova (sg), ove (pl) → ova knjiga, ove knjige
  • neuter: ovo (sg), ova (pl) → ovo pismo, ova pisma

It’s usually translated as this, but in some contexts English might use this, this one, or even the depending on the sentence.

Why is there no word for a or the before plan?

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

• plan in Croatian can mean a plan or the plan, depending on context.
• Ovaj plan je drukčiji. can be translated as:
  • This plan is different.
  • This plan is different from before.
  • This plan is a different one.

The idea of definiteness (specific vs nonspecific) is shown by context and by words like ovaj / taj / onaj, not by separate articles.

What case is plan in here, and why?

Plan is in the nominative singular.

• Ovaj plan is the subject of the sentence.
• The nominative is used for:
  • Subjects: Ovaj plan je drukčiji.
  • Predicate nouns: Ovo je plan.

If plan were used in another role (object, after a preposition, etc.), it would change form (e.g. accusative plan, genitive plana, dative planu, etc.).

What gender is plan, and how can I tell?

Plan is masculine.

Hints:

• Many masculine nouns end in a consonant (like plan, stol, grad).
• The form of ovaj tells you the gender:
  • ovaj plan (masculine)
  • ova knjiga (feminine)
  • ovo pismo (neuter)

The adjective drukčiji also appears in its masculine singular form to agree with plan.

Why is the adjective drukčiji in this exact form? What would it look like for feminine or neuter nouns?

Adjectives in Croatian agree with the noun in gender, number and case.

Here:

• plan = masculine, singular, nominative
• So the adjective must be: drukčiji (masculine, singular, nominative)

Other basic forms of drukčiji:

• Masculine sg: drukčiji plan
• Feminine sg: drukčija ideja (this idea is different)
• Neuter sg: drukčije rješenje (this solution is different)
• Plural (all genders, in nominative): drukčiji planovi / drukčije ideje / drukčija rješenja

So you always adapt the ending of drukčij- to match the noun.

What exactly does drukčiji mean? Is it the same as different?

Drukčiji means different or not the same, usually with a fairly neutral or descriptive tone.

• Ovaj plan je drukčiji. = This plan is different.

It can also carry a slight nuance of changed or not like before, depending on context, but the core meaning is simply different.

What is the difference between drukčiji, drugačiji, and različit?

All three can often be translated as different, but there are some tendencies:

• drukčiji
  • Very common in everyday speech.
  • Neutral different, not the same as something else.
• drugačiji
  • Also very common, often interchangeable with drukčiji.
  • Sometimes feels a bit more like in another way / in a different manner, but in practice people use it a lot like drukčiji.
• različit
  • Slightly more formal or descriptive.
  • Stresses being distinct, not identical, of a different kind.
  • E.g. različite vrste = different kinds/species.

In your sentence, you could also say:

• Ovaj plan je drugačiji.
• Ovaj plan je različit.

All are correct; drukčiji and drugačiji sound the most natural in casual speech.

How do I say “This plan is different from the old one” in Croatian?

You usually express different from with drukčiji/drugačiji + od + genitive:

• Ovaj plan je drukčiji od starog.
  • Literally: This plan is different from the old (one).
• If you want to say from the old plan explicitly:
  • Ovaj plan je drukčiji od starog plana.

Od takes the genitive:

• stari plan (nom.) → starog plana (gen.)

Can I omit je and just say Ovaj plan drukčiji?

In standard Croatian, you should not omit je here.

• Correct: Ovaj plan je drukčiji.
• Je is the 3rd person singular present of biti (to be), equivalent to English is.

In some dialects or very informal speech, people might drop it in fast conversation, but for correct, standard language you need je in this sentence.

Can I change the word order, for example Plan je drukčiji or Drukčiji je ovaj plan?

Yes, Croatian word order is relatively flexible, and different orders change the emphasis:

• Ovaj plan je drukčiji.
  • Neutral: This plan is different.
• Plan je drukčiji.
  • Still neutral; maybe the context already makes it clear which plan.
• Drukčiji je ovaj plan.
  • Emphasizes drukčiji (different): It’s different, this plan (as opposed to others).
• Ovaj je plan drukčiji.
  • Also possible; mild emphasis on ovaj (this one specifically).

All of these are grammatically correct; choice depends on what you want to emphasize.

How do you pronounce drukčiji, especially the č and the ij?

Pronunciation tips:

• č = like ch in chair (a hard “ch” sound).
• ij here is pronounced roughly like a long ee sound, slightly “y-ish” at the end, similar to the y in see ya.
• Syllables: druk-či-ji, with three syllables.
  • druk (as written, like drook but with a shorter u)
  • či (like chee)
  • ji (like yee)

So drukčiji sounds approximately like drook-chee-yee (but with a short u and clear separate syllables).

Is je here the same verb as in ja sam, ti si, etc.?

Yes. Je is one of the present tense forms of biti (to be):

• ja sam – I am
• ti si – you are (singular)
• on/ona/ono je – he/she/it is
• mi smo – we are
• vi ste – you are (plural/polite)
• oni/one/ona su – they are

In Ovaj plan je drukčiji., je corresponds to is in English.

How would the sentence change in the plural, for example “These plans are different”?

You need to put ovaj plan and je drukčiji into the plural:

• Singular: Ovaj plan je drukčiji.
  (this plan is different)

• Plural: Ovi planovi su drukčiji.
  (these plans are different)

Changes:

• ovaj → ovi (masculine plural)
• plan → planovi (plural noun)
• je → su (3rd person plural of biti)
• drukčiji stays drukčiji in masculine nominative plural

What is the difference between drukčiji (adjective) and drukčije (adverb)?

• drukčiji is an adjective: it describes a noun.
  • Ovaj plan je drukčiji. – This plan is different.
• drukčije is an adverb: it describes a verb, adjective or another adverb, usually meaning differently or in another way.
  • To moramo napraviti drukčije. – We have to do that differently.

So:

• Use drukčiji / drugačiji / različit with nouns.
• Use drukčije / drugačije when you want to say in a different way / differently.