Breakdown of Jedan znanstvenik sanja da bude astronaut i da putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
Questions & Answers about Jedan znanstvenik sanja da bude astronaut i da putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
Jedan literally means one, but here it works much like the English indefinite article a.
- Jedan znanstvenik sanja… = A scientist dreams…
- If you really wanted to stress the number, you’d show it in context, e.g. Samo jedan znanstvenik sanja… = Only one scientist dreams…
You could also say simply Znanstvenik sanja…, which would still be understood as A scientist dreams…, but jedan makes it feel more like you’re introducing “one particular” scientist in a story.
Both mean scientist, but there is a regional difference:
- znanstvenik – standard in Croatia.
- naučnik – common in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro.
In a Croatian context (Croatian standard), znanstvenik is the usual and preferred word.
Sanja is:
- 3rd person singular, present tense of the verb sanjati (to dream).
So:
- sanjati – infinitive, to dream
- on/ona sanja – he/she dreams
In the sentence, Jedan znanstvenik sanja… means One/A scientist dreams… (in general, as a habit).
Croatian usually does not use the infinitive after verbs of wishing, wanting, dreaming, etc. Instead, it likes da + present tense:
- Želim da budem astronaut. – I want to be an astronaut.
- Sanja da postane astronaut. – He dreams of becoming an astronaut.
So:
- English: dreams to be an astronaut
- Croatian: sanja da bude astronaut (literally: dreams that he be an astronaut)
Sanjati biti astronaut is grammatically possible but sounds unusual and much less natural than sanjati da bude / da postane astronaut.
Both bude and je come from the verb biti (to be), but they are different present forms with different uses:
je – ordinary present of biti:
- On je astronaut. – He is an astronaut (a fact, present state).
bude – 3rd person singular of the so‑called “budem-present”, often used in da‑clauses for wishes, possibilities, or future/irrealis meanings:
- Želim da on bude sretan. – I want him to be happy.
- Sanja da bude astronaut. – He dreams of being an astronaut (in the future / in his dream world).
So bude here has a “subjunctive-like” feel: not something that is true now, but something desired or imagined.
This is about case.
- Astronaut here is not an object; it’s a predicate noun (a profession/role after “to be”):
- On je astronaut. – He is an astronaut. (nominative)
- Želim da on bude astronaut. – I want him to be an astronaut. (still nominative)
You use astronauta (accusative) when it is a direct object:
- Vidim astronauta. – I see the astronaut.
So after je / bude when you’re naming a profession or role, Croatian keeps the nominative: astronaut.
The subject of bude and putuje is still Jedan znanstvenik.
Croatian does not repeat a pronoun when it’s clear from context. Also, Croatian is a pro‑drop language: subject pronouns (like on = he) are often omitted because the verb ending shows the person:
- On sanja. = Sanja. – He dreams.
- In your sentence:
- Jedan znanstvenik sanja da (on) bude astronaut i da (on) putuje…
You’d only add on for emphasis or contrast:
- Sanja da on bude astronaut, a ne njegov brat. – He dreams that he will be an astronaut, not his brother.
Svemirom is the instrumental singular of svemir (space/universe).
With putovati (to travel), Croatian very often uses the instrumental to mean “travel around/through/in” a place:
- putovati svijetom – travel (around) the world
- putovati Europom – travel through Europe
- putovati svemirom – travel through space
You can also say:
- putovati kroz svemir – travel through space
This uses kroz + accusative (kroz svemir). It’s also correct, but putovati svemirom is very natural and idiomatic.
Velikom raketom is instrumental singular of velika raketa (big rocket):
- noun: raketa (feminine) → instrumental: raketom
- adjective: velik → feminine sg. instrumental: velikom
Here the instrumental expresses means / instrument:
- putuje svemirom velikom raketom ≈ “he travels through space by means of a big rocket”
In English you might say in a big rocket, on a big rocket, or by a big rocket. Croatian covers that with the instrumental velikom raketom, without a preposition.
Both are possible:
- … sanja da bude astronaut i da putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
- … sanja da bude astronaut i putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
In (2), the da is understood for putuje from the first da. This is grammatically fine and common in speech and writing.
Repeating da in (1):
- makes the two parts feel more clearly parallel (da bude / da putuje),
- can sound slightly more careful or emphatic.
Your sentence with repeated da is perfectly correct and natural.
Yes. Croatian word order is fairly flexible, especially with cases marking the roles. Variants include:
- … da putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
- … da putuje velikom raketom svemirom.
- … da velikom raketom putuje svemirom.
All are grammatically correct. The usual, neutral-sounding option is close to what you have: putuje svemirom velikom raketom (verb + where + by what).
Changing the order can slightly change rhythm or emphasis, but not the basic meaning.
Your sentence is understandable and acceptable, but some very natural alternatives a native might use are:
Jedan znanstvenik sanja da postane astronaut i da putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
- da postane astronaut = “to become an astronaut” (very idiomatic with “dream of”)
Jedan znanstvenik sanja o tome da bude astronaut i da putuje svemirom velikom raketom.
- sanjati o tome da… – literally “to dream about the fact that…”, common in more explicit style.
All of these follow the same grammar patterns you see in your original sentence; they just choose slightly more typical verbs (postati) or add o tome for clarity.