Learn Hardcore Croatian: Koristimo digitalni rječnik i druge alate, uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor. - We use a digital dictionary and other tools, including an app for pronunciation.

Croatian is a pro‑drop language: subject pronouns (like ja, ti, on, mi) are usually omitted because the verb ending shows the person.
The ending -imo is the 1st person plural present tense, so koristimo can only mean we use.
You would say Mi koristimo… mainly for emphasis or contrast, e.g. Mi koristimo digitalni rječnik, a oni koriste papirnati. (“We use a digital dictionary, and they use a paper one.”)

What tense and aspect is koristimo? Is it like English “we are using” or “we use”?

Koristimo is:

Tense: Present.
Aspect: Imperfective (ongoing, repeated, or habitual action).

Croatian present with an imperfective verb can cover both:

“We use” (habitual): Redovito koristimo digitalni rječnik.
“We are using” (right now): Sada koristimo digitalni rječnik.

Context tells you which English translation fits best.

Could I say koristimo se digitalnim rječnikom instead of koristimo digitalni rječnik?

You can, but there is a small nuance:

Koristimo digitalni rječnik – simple transitive use: “We use a digital dictionary.”
Koristimo se digitalnim rječnikom – reflexive, literally “we make use of a digital dictionary / we avail ourselves of…”. It can sound a bit more formal or slightly more “instrumental”.

Both are correct in everyday language. In many contexts they are interchangeable, but if you just mean plain “use”, the non‑reflexive koristimo is the most straightforward option here.

What is the form and gender of digitalni rječnik? Why digitalni, not something like digitalnog?

rječnik = “dictionary”
- gender: masculine
- number: singular
- case here: accusative (direct object of koristimo)
For masculine inanimate nouns, nominative = accusative in form, so rječnik looks the same in both cases.

The adjective digitalni agrees with rječnik:

masculine, singular, accusative → form digitalni

You would see digitalnog rječnika in the genitive, for example:

Nema(mo) digitalnog rječnika. – “We don’t have a digital dictionary.”

How do you pronounce rječnik and why is it spelled rje and not rije?

Pronunciation (approximate):

rječnik ≈ “RYECH-neek”
- rj is pronounced together, like r plus a soft y sound.
- č is like ch in church.
- Stress is usually on the first syllable: RJEČ-nik.

Spelling:

It comes from riječ (“word”) + the suffix -nik.
In this combination, riječnik is normally written as rječnik (the i drops in standard spelling), but the ije pronunciation in the base word is still reflected in the rje cluster.
You will sometimes see riječnik informally, but rječnik is the standard form.

Why is it alate and not alat or alati?

alat = “tool”
- nominative singular: alat
- nominative plural: alati
- accusative plural: alate

In the sentence, druge alate is part of the object of koristimo (“we use what?” → “a digital dictionary and other tools”), so alate is accusative plural.

The adjective druge (“other”) agrees with it in gender, number, and case:

masculine plural accusative → druge alate

What exactly is uključujući grammatically, and why is aplikaciju after it in that form?

Uključujući is the present active participle of the verb uključiti / uključivati (“to include, to switch on”), used here in a preposition‑like way, meaning including.

In this usage, it behaves like it still “owns” a direct object, so it normally takes a noun in the accusative:

uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor – “including a pronunciation app”

That’s why:

aplikacija (nominative sg., feminine) becomes
aplikaciju (accusative sg., feminine) after uključujući.

Why is there a comma before uključujući?

The comma reflects how uključujući… functions in the sentence:

Koristimo digitalni rječnik i druge alate, uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor.

The part uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor is an additional, explanatory phrase specifying one example of “other tools”. In Croatian, such participle phrases that add extra information are usually separated by a comma.

Similar in English:
“We use a digital dictionary and other tools, including a pronunciation app.”
There’s also a comma before “including” in natural English usage.

Why is it aplikaciju za izgovor, not aplikacija za izgovor?

Because it’s also part of the object of the sentence:

“We use [what?] → a digital dictionary and other tools, including a pronunciation app.”

So aplikacija must be in the accusative singular:

nominative sg.: aplikacija
accusative sg.: aplikaciju

The preposition za always takes the accusative, so the full phrase is:

aplikaciju za izgovor (accusative) – “an app for pronunciation”

What does za izgovor literally mean, and what case is izgovor in?

Literally, za izgovor means for pronunciation (for the pronunciation).

za = “for”
izgovor = “pronunciation”

Grammar:

za always takes the accusative case.
izgovor is a masculine noun whose nominative and accusative singular look the same: izgovor.
So here it is accusative singular, even though it looks like nominative.

You would see a different form in other cases, e.g.:

genitive: izgovora (e.g. bez dobrog izgovora – “without a good excuse/pronunciation” depending on context).

Can I say digitalni online rječnik or use another word instead of digitalni?

Yes, several adjectives are possible, with slightly different nuances:

digitalni rječnik – “digital dictionary” (generic, any dictionary in digital form).
online rječnik – “online dictionary” (specifically accessed on the internet).
elektronički rječnik – “electronic dictionary” (often for standalone devices or general digital versions).
internetski rječnik – “internet dictionary / web‑based dictionary”.

All of these are grammatically correct; which one you choose depends on what exactly you mean. In everyday speech, digitalni and online are very common.

Can I change the word order, for example put uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor somewhere else?

You have some flexibility, but not all changes sound equally natural.

Acceptable variants include:

Koristimo digitalni rječnik i druge alate, uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor. (original)
Koristimo, uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor, digitalni rječnik i druge alate. (possible, a bit heavier and more formal)

Less natural or confusing would be:

Koristimo, uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor, digitalni rječnik i druge alate – punctuation and rhythm feel awkward in everyday style.
Koristimo, uključujući aplikaciju za izgovor i druge alate, digitalni rječnik. – suggests the dictionary is separate from what is “included”, which changes the nuance.

The original order is the clearest and most natural for standard usage: list the main items, then add uključujući… to single out one example.

How do you pronounce koristimo, uključujući, and izgovor?

Approximate English‑style pronunciations:

koristimo ≈ “ko-REE-stee-mo”
- r is rolled/flapped.
- Stress is on ri: ko‑RIST‑i‑mo.
uključujući ≈ “ook-KLYOO-yoo-chee”
- uk like “ook” (as in book but without the b).
- lj = a palatal l, like the lli in million.
- č = “ch” in church.
- Stress typically on klju: u‑KLJU‑ču‑ju‑ći.
izgovor ≈ “EEZ-go-vor”
- z is voiced, like z in zoo.
- Stress usually on iz: IZ‑go‑vor (or sometimes on the second syllable depending on accent region, but first‑syllable stress will be understood everywhere).