Molim te, nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer.

Please don't sing too loudly in the evening.

Breakdown of Molim te, nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer.

• ne: not
• molim te: please
• navečer: in the evening
• pjevati: to sing
• preglasno: too loudly

Questions & Answers about Molim te, nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer.

What does molim te literally mean, and how does it compare to English please?

Literally, molim te is I ask you or I beg you, addressing one person informally (te = you in the object form).

In practice, molim te is just a very common way to say please to someone you’re on ti terms with (friends, family, children, etc.).

• Informal: Molim te, nemoj pjevati… = Please, don’t sing…
• Formal / plural: Molim vas, nemojte pjevati… (using vas / nemojte)

You can often drop te and just say Molim, nemoj pjevati…, which is still polite, but molim te sounds a bit more directly addressed and personal.

Why is there a comma after Molim te?

The comma separates the polite introductory phrase Molim te from the main request nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer.

Croatian normally uses a comma:

• After introductory words or phrases that function like please, you know, well, etc.
• Around direct address or “vocative”-like elements.

So:

• Molim te, nemoj pjevati… – standard punctuation.
• You could also say: Nemoj, molim te, pjevati preglasno navečer. (commas around molim te)

What exactly is nemoj and why not just ne pjevaj?

Nemoj is the negative imperative form used with an infinitive:

• Nemoj pjevati. = Don’t sing.

Structurally:

• nemoj (2nd person singular, informal) + infinitive (pjevati)
• plural / formal: nemojte pjevati.

You can also say Ne pjevaj preglasno. – that is also a correct negative command. In many contexts:

• Nemoj pjevati preglasno.
• Ne pjevaj preglasno.

both mean Don’t sing too loudly.
Nemoj + infinitive is extremely common and can sound a bit softer or more “standard” as a negative instruction. Ne pjevaj can sometimes feel a touch more direct or abrupt, depending on tone.

Why is the verb pjevati in the infinitive after nemoj?

In Croatian, the usual pattern for a negative command with nemoj is:

• nemoj
  • infinitive (for one person)
• nemojte
  • infinitive (for more people or for polite you)

So:

• Nemoj pjevati. – Don’t sing.
• Nemojte jesti. – Don’t eat.
• Nemoj trčati. – Don’t run.

That is the standard grammar: nemoj / nemojte is followed by the base infinitive form of the verb.

Why is it te and not ti in molim te?

Croatian distinguishes between subject and object forms of you (informal singular):

• ti = subject form (you as the doer)
• te = unstressed object form (you as the receiver of an action)

In molim te, I am the subject (understood ja molim) and te is the object (I ask you):

• Ti pjevaš. – You sing. (subject = ti)
• Molim te. – I ask you. (object = te)

So ti would be wrong here; you need the object form te.

What does preglasno mean exactly, and how is it formed?

Preglasno means too loudly (excessively loud), not just loudly.

It is formed from:

• pre- = a prefix meaning too / overly / excessively
• glasno = loudly

So:

• glasno = loudly
• vrlo glasno / jako glasno = very loudly
• preglasno = too loudly (beyond what is acceptable or comfortable)

In this sentence, nemoj pjevati preglasno is not just don’t sing loudly, but don’t sing louder than is appropriate.

Could I say glasno instead of preglasno here?

You could, but the meaning changes:

• Nemoj pjevati glasno navečer. – Don’t sing loudly in the evening.
  (Any loud singing is unwanted.)
• Nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer. – Don’t sing too loudly in the evening.
  (Some singing may be fine, but not excessively loud.)

So preglasno allows for singing at a normal or moderate volume; it warns against going over the line.

What is the difference between navečer and večeras?

Both relate to the evening, but they’re used differently:

• navečer = in the evening (in general / usually / habitually)
  It can refer to evenings as a time of day, not just one specific evening.
• večeras = this evening, tonight (the specific upcoming or current evening)

So:

• Nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer.
  = Don’t sing too loudly in the evenings / in the evening (as a rule or habit).

• Nemoj večeras pjevati preglasno.
  = Don’t sing too loudly this evening / tonight (one specific evening).

Can the word order of pjevati preglasno navečer be changed?

Yes, Croatian word order is more flexible than English, and various orders are possible, for example:

• Nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer. (neutral, very natural)
• Nemoj navečer pjevati preglasno.
• Nemoj preglasno pjevati navečer.

All are understandable. Differences are mostly about rhythm and slight emphasis:

• Keeping preglasno directly after pjevati sounds very natural.
• Moving navečer earlier can emphasize the time more:
  Nemoj navečer pjevati preglasno. = It’s particularly the evening when this matters.

But if you put the words in a very unusual order, it can start to sound odd or poetic.

How would I say this formally to someone I don’t know well (or to multiple people)?

Use the polite / plural you (vi) and the corresponding forms:

• Molim vas, nemojte pjevati preglasno navečer.

Changes:

• te → vas (polite/plural object you)
• nemoj → nemojte (2nd person plural / polite imperative)

This works both for:

• One person you’re addressing formally, or
• Several people at once.

Can I leave out molim te and just say the command?

Yes. You can simply say:

• Nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer.

That is grammatically correct and common. However:

• Without molim te, it’s a more direct instruction.
• With Molim te, nemoj…, it sounds more polite or more like a request than an order.

Context, tone, and relationship decide how “strong” it feels.

Is there another way to say don’t sing too loudly in Croatian?

Yes, there are several common alternatives, for example:

• Nemoj pjevati tako glasno navečer.
  = Don’t sing that loud in the evening.

• Nemoj pjevati toliko glasno navečer.
  = Don’t sing that / so loud in the evening.

• Nemoj navečer pjevati jako glasno.
  = Don’t sing very loud in the evening. (Weaker than preglasno, more about high volume than “too much”.)

But nemoj pjevati preglasno navečer is very natural and clearly expresses too loudly.