Volim šaputati u parku.

I like to whisper in the park.

Breakdown of Volim šaputati u parku.

• u: in
• park: park
• voljeti: to like
• šaputati: to whisper

Questions & Answers about Volim šaputati u parku.

Why is there no word for I (ja) in Volim šaputati u parku?

Croatian usually leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already tells you who the subject is.

• Volim is the 1st person singular form of voljeti (to like / to love), so it already means I like.
• Adding ja is only needed for emphasis or contrast, for example:
  • Ja volim šaputati u parku, ali ti ne.
    I like whispering in the park, but you don’t.

So:

• Volim šaputati u parku. – normal, neutral
• Ja volim šaputati u parku. – I like whispering in the park (not someone else)

Why is it šaputati and not a present tense form like šaputam after volim?

After verbs like voljeti (to like/love), željeti (to want), morati (must), moći (can), Croatian normally uses the infinitive.

• šaputati is the infinitive: to whisper.
• You cannot put two fully conjugated (finite) verbs next to each other in this structure.

So:

• Volim šaputati u parku. – correct (I like to whisper / I like whispering in the park)
• Volim šaputam u parku. – wrong
• Volim da šaputam u parku. – common in Serbian; in standard Croatian you normally say Volim šaputati u parku.

This is parallel to English:

• English: I like to whisper / I like whispering.
• Croatian: Volim šaputati.

Why does park become parku in u parku?

Because Croatian uses cases, and the preposition u (in) with a static location requires the locative case.

Singular forms of park are:

• Nominative (dictionary form): park
• Genitive: parka
• Dative: parku
• Accusative: park
• Locative: parku
• Instrumental: parkom

After u with the meaning “in (somewhere)” you use the locative, so:

• u parku – in the park (locative, static location)

If you changed the case, you would change the meaning or make it wrong:

• Volim park. – I like the park. (accusative, direct object)
• Volim u parku. – incomplete / wrong (you’re missing what you like in the park)

What is the difference between u parku and u park?

The difference is between location and movement:

• u parku – in the park (locative; you are already there)
• u park – into the park (accusative; movement towards/into)

Examples:

• Volim šaputati u parku.
  I like whispering in the park (while I’m there).

• Idem u park.
  I am going to/into the park.

So in your sentence, you are describing an activity in a place (no movement), so u parku is correct.

Can the word order change, or must it be exactly Volim šaputati u parku?

Croatian word order is fairly flexible, so you can move parts around to change the emphasis, while keeping the basic meaning.

All of these are grammatical:

• Volim šaputati u parku. – neutral; slight focus on whispering in the park as an activity.
• U parku volim šaputati. – emphasizes u parku (it’s in the park that I like to whisper, maybe more than elsewhere).
• Volim u parku šaputati. – emphasizes šaputati a bit, with u parku inserted; still fine, a bit more “spoken” in feel.

What you cannot do is split words that belong tightly together (e.g. splitting the preposition from its noun):

• Volim šaputati parku u. – wrong

Does volim mean I like or I love here?

Volim can mean both I like and I love; the strength depends on context.

• With activities, foods, hobbies, etc., it usually means I like:

  • Volim šaputati u parku. – I like whispering in the park.
  • Volim kavu. – I like coffee.

• With people and strong emotions, it is often understood as I love:

  • Volim te. – I love you.

There is also another verb sviđati se:

• Sviđa mi se taj park. – I like that park (it appeals to me).
• Using it with this sentence would normally involve a noun or clause, e.g.
  Sviđa mi se kad šaputamo u parku. – I like it when we whisper in the park.

For your sentence, volim is the natural, standard choice.

What does šaputati imply exactly? Is it about one whisper or a repeated/ongoing action?

Šaputati is an imperfective verb. Imperfective verbs describe:

• ongoing actions,
• habitual actions,
• general activities.

So Volim šaputati u parku. means you enjoy the activity of whispering in the park, in general.

The corresponding perfective verb is šapnuti (to whisper once, a single short act):

• Šapnuo sam ti nešto u parku.
  I whispered something to you in the park (one specific event).

You normally use imperfective verbs like šaputati after volim when talking about likes and habits.

Should there be a reflexive se with šaputati, like šaputati se?

No. Šaputati is not reflexive.

You use it without se:

• Volim šaputati u parku. – correct
• Volim se šaputati u parku. – wrong

You can use šaputati with an indirect object (dative) or a direct object:

• Šaputam ti nešto. – I am whispering something to you.
• Šaputali smo tajnu u parku. – We whispered a secret in the park.

What is the difference between šaputati and šaptati? Could I say Volim šaptati u parku?

Both šaputati and šaptati mean to whisper and are very close in meaning.

• šaptati is more common and a bit shorter.
• šaputati can sometimes feel like “to keep whispering / murmur quietly,” but in everyday speech they are often interchangeable.

So these are both acceptable:

• Volim šaputati u parku.
• Volim šaptati u parku.

For most learners, you can treat them as synonyms.

Could I use a noun and say Volim šaptanje u parku instead?

You can, but the meaning shifts slightly.

• Volim šaputati u parku.
  I like whispering in the park (I like doing it).

• Volim šaptanje u parku.
  Literally: I like the whispering in the park.
  This sounds more like you enjoy the phenomenon/sound of whispering in the park (maybe other people whispering), not so clearly that you like to whisper yourself.

Native speakers do use verbal nouns like šaptanje, but for talking about what you personally like to do, Volim šaputati u parku. is the most natural and direct.

How do you pronounce Volim šaputati u parku?

Key points for pronunciation:

• v – like English v.
• o – a clear o (like in more but shorter).
• l – as in English love.
• i – like ee in see.
• m – as in English.

Volim → roughly VO-leem (both syllables short).

• š – like sh in shoe.
• a – like a in father.
• p – as in English.
• u – like oo in food.
• t – always hard, like t in stop.
• ti – tee.

šaputati → roughly sha-poo-ta-tee, with every syllable pronounced clearly.

• u – again like oo in food.
• p – as in English.
• ar – par as in park (but with a rolled r).
• ku – koo.

parku → roughly PAR-koo, with a rolled r and a clear final u (never silent).

Put together:
Volim šaputati u parku. – every letter is pronounced; there are no silent letters.