Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi?

Can you turn on the light in the room?

Breakdown of Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi?

• u: in
• moći: to be able to
• soba: room
• svjetlo: light
• uključiti: to turn on

Questions & Answers about Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi?

What does Možeš li literally mean, and how is it forming a question?

Možeš li literally means “Can you?”

• možeš = “you can” (2nd person singular of moći, “to be able to”)
• li = a question particle that turns the clause into a yes/no question

So Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi? is structurally like saying “Can you (question) turn on the light in the room?”

Why do we need li here? Can I just say Možeš uključiti svjetlo u sobi?

li is the standard way to make a neutral yes/no question when the verb comes first.

• Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi? – fully correct, neutral question.
• Možeš uključiti svjetlo u sobi. – without li and with neutral intonation, this is usually understood as a statement: “You can turn on the light in the room.”

You can also ask a question just by using questioning intonation, for example with subject first:

• Ti možeš uključiti svjetlo u sobi? (spoken, with a rising intonation) – “You can turn on the light in the room?” (often sounds a bit surprised or checking)

But for a clear, neutral request, Možeš li…? with li is the safest and most typical.

Why is uključiti in the infinitive? Why not conjugated, like uključiš?

After moći (“can, be able to”), Croatian uses the infinitive, not another conjugated verb:

• Možeš uključiti = “You can turn on”
• (Literally “You can to-turn-on”)

So:

• Možeš uključiti svjetlo. – correct
• ✗ Možeš uključiš svjetlo. – incorrect (two conjugated verbs together)

This is similar to English “can turn on”, not “can you turn on you turn on”.

How would I say this politely to a stranger or someone I address with formal “you”?

You switch to the formal you (vi) by using the plural form of the verb:

• Možete li uključiti svjetlo u sobi? – “Can you (formal) turn on the light in the room?”

Key changes:

• možeš (informal singular “you can”) → možete (formal or plural “you can”)
• Everything else stays the same.

So:

• To a friend / child: Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi?
• To a stranger / boss / older person (formal): Možete li uključiti svjetlo u sobi?

What is the difference between svjetlo and svijetlo? Which one is correct here?

In this sentence, svjetlo is correct.

• svjetlo (noun, neuter) = “light” (as a thing, illumination):
  
  • Uključi svjetlo. – “Turn on the light.”
• svijetlo (adjective/adverb) = “light, bright, pale”:
  
  • svijetla soba – “a bright room”
  • svijetlo plava – “light blue”

So:

• uključiti svjetlo – “to turn on the light” (correct)
• ✗ uključiti svijetlo – incorrect spelling here.

Why is it u sobi and not u sobu?

The preposition u (“in/into”) can take locative or accusative depending on meaning:

• u + locative = “in” (location, where something is)
• u + accusative = “into” (movement, where something is going)

Here we are talking about the light in the room (location), so we use locative:

• soba (room) – dictionary form (nominative)
• u sobi – locative singular = “in the room”

If you said u sobu, that would be accusative and means “into the room”, which doesn’t fit here.

Can I omit u sobi? Does Možeš li uključiti svjetlo? still sound natural?

Yes, you can omit u sobi, and the sentence is still completely natural:

• Možeš li uključiti svjetlo? – “Can you turn on the light?”

Adding u sobi just specifies which light (the one in the room), which may matter if there are several lights around, for example:

• Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u hodniku? – “Can you turn on the light in the hallway?”
• Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u kuhinji? – “Can you turn on the light in the kitchen?”

What is the difference between uključiti and upaliti when talking about lights?

Both can be used with lights, but there is a nuance:

• uključiti svjetlo – literally “to switch on / connect (to power) the light”
  
  • Slightly more technical; often used for all kinds of electrical devices.
• upaliti svjetlo – literally “to light up / ignite the light”
  
  • Very common in everyday speech; many speakers may prefer this for lights.

Both are correct in this sentence:

• Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi?
• Možeš li upaliti svjetlo u sobi?

In daily conversation, upaliti svjetlo is extremely common and sounds very natural.

Can I change the word order, for example: Možeš li u sobi uključiti svjetlo?

Yes, Croatian word order is relatively flexible, and different orders are possible:

• Možeš li uključiti svjetlo u sobi? – neutral, very natural.
• Možeš li u sobi uključiti svjetlo? – also correct; slightly more focus on “in the room”.

The meaning stays the same. Word order mainly affects emphasis, not basic grammar here. Both versions are fine in everyday use.

How would someone answer this question naturally in Croatian?

Typical short answers:

Affirmative:

• Mogu. – “I can.”
• Naravno. – “Of course.”
• Da, mogu. – “Yes, I can.”
• (As an action, just getting up and turning it on is also a “yes” in practice.)

Negative:

• Ne mogu. – “I can’t.”
• Ne sada. – “Not now.”
• Nažalost, ne mogu. – “Unfortunately, I can’t.”

You don’t usually repeat the whole sentence; Mogu / Ne mogu is enough.