Learn Hardcore Croatian: Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde. - Don't stand too close to the fence.

Using just ne with the imperative (ne stoj) is possible and correct, but in everyday speech nemoj + infinitive is more common and feels more neutral and conversational.

Could I also say Ne stoj preblizu ograde? What is the difference from Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde?

Yes, Ne stoj preblizu ograde is grammatically correct and understandable.

Differences in feel:

Ne stoj preblizu ograde.
- Shorter, more direct.
- Uses the imperative stoj.
- Can sound a bit sharper or more commanding, depending on tone.
Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.
- Uses nemoj + infinitive stajati.
- Very common and natural in everyday speech.
- Often sounds slightly softer / more neutral.

Meaning-wise they are practically the same in this context. As a learner, it is safe (and very natural) to rely on nemoj + infinitive for negative commands.

What verb form is stajati here, and why not stati?

Stajati here is the infinitive form of an imperfective verb meaning to stand (be in a standing position).

Compare:

stajati – to stand (a continuing state)
stati – to stop, to come to a halt; to stand up/onto your feet (a one-time action, perfective)

So:

Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.
= Don’t be standing / don’t stay standing too close to the fence.

If you said:

Nemoj stati preblizu ograde.

that would mean something more like Don’t come to a stop too close to the fence (about the moment you stop moving), which is not what is meant here.

So stajati is correct because the speaker is talking about the ongoing position of standing.

I’ve seen stajati and stojati both used. Is stajati here the same verb as stojati?

In practice, yes, both stajati and stojati can mean to stand, and you will see both in different regions and styles.

In standard Croatian:

Both forms stajati and stojati exist and are related.
With the meaning to stand (be upright), many speakers will use stajati, others stojati, and both are understood.

In this sentence:

Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.
sounds fully natural.

You could also hear:

Nemoj stajati preblizu ogradi. (dialectal case variation)
Nemoj stojati preblizu ograde. (regionally)

As a learner, use stajati for this structure and you will be fine.

What does preblizu mean exactly, and why is it one word?

Preblizu means too close.

It is made of:

prefix pre- – meaning too, overly, excessively
adverb blizu – close, near

So preblizu literally is too close / excessively close and is written as one word.

The prefix pre- attaches to many adjectives and adverbs:

previsok – too tall
prejak – too strong
prebrzo – too fast
prekasno – too late

Alternative phrasing:

preblizu ograde = previše blizu ograde (too close to the fence)
Previše blizu is two words; preblizu is one word.

Why is it ograde and not ograda or ogradu?

The base noun is:

ograda – fence, railing (feminine, singular, nominative form)

Here we have ograde, which is:

genitive singular of ograda

Why genitive? Because the adverb blizu (and by extension preblizu) takes the genitive case:

blizu kuće – near the house
blizu škole – near the school
preblizu ograde – too close to the fence

So:

nominative: ograda – the fence
genitive: ograde – of the fence (used after blizu/preblizu)

Using ogradu (accusative) here would be incorrect in standard Croatian.

Does adding pre- to blizu change which case follows, or is it still genitive?

Adding pre- does not change the case requirement.

blizu requires genitive → blizu ograde
preblizu also requires genitive → preblizu ograde

So you treat preblizu case‑wise the same as blizu.

How would I say this to more than one person, or in a polite/formal way?

Use the plural imperative form nemojte:

Nemojte stajati preblizu ograde.

This can mean:

you (plural) – speaking to several people
you (formal) – when addressing one person politely (using Vi)

So:

Informal singular: Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.
Plural / polite: Nemojte stajati preblizu ograde.

Can I change the word order, for example Nemoj preblizu ograde stajati?

Yes, Croatian word order is quite flexible, especially with short sentences like this. The most neutral is:

Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.

But you can also hear:

Nemoj preblizu ograde stajati.

This version puts a bit more emphasis on preblizu ograde, but both are perfectly understandable and correct. For a learner, stick with the original order; it is the most typical and clear.

What case is ograde and how do the other forms look for ograda?

Ograde here is genitive singular of ograda.

Full singular declension of ograda (feminine):

Nominative: ograda – the fence
Genitive: ograde – of the fence
Dative: ogradi – to/for the fence
Accusative: ogradu – (object) the fence
Vocative: ogrado – O fence (rare in real life)
Locative: ogradi – at/on the fence (with prepositions like na, u, o)
Instrumental: ogradom – with/by the fence

Because of blizu/preblizu, we use ograde (genitive).

How could I soften this command, to make it more polite or caring?

You can add expressions like molim te or pazi:

Nemoj, molim te, stajati preblizu ograde.
– Please don’t stand too close to the fence.
Pazi, nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.
– Careful, don’t stand too close to the fence.

Word order of the polite phrase is flexible:

Molim te, nemoj stajati preblizu ograde.
Nemoj stajati preblizu ograde, molim te.

All sound natural and are commonly used.