Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.

After work we talk more calmly in the park.

Breakdown of Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.

• u: in
• posao: work
• park: park
• razgovarati: to talk
• nakon: after
• mirnije: calmer

Questions & Answers about Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.

Why is it nakon posla and not nakon posao?

The preposition nakon (after) always requires the genitive case.

• posao is the nominative form (dictionary form).
• posla is the genitive singular of posao.

So:

• nakon posla = after work
• ✗ nakon posao = ungrammatical, because nakon cannot be followed by nominative.

Any noun after nakon must be in the genitive:

• nakon škole (after school)
• nakon večere (after dinner)

Could I say poslije posla instead of nakon posla? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say poslije posla; it is also correct and very common.

Both nakon and poslije mean after and both take the genitive:

• nakon posla razgovaramo…
• poslije posla razgovaramo…

In everyday speech they are almost interchangeable.
Stylistically, some speakers feel nakon is slightly more formal or “bookish”, while poslije sounds a bit more casual and conversational, but the difference is subtle and not grammatical.

Why is it razgovaramo and not mi razgovaramo? Where is the subject we?

Croatian is a pro‑drop language: subject pronouns (ja, ti, on, mi, vi, oni) are usually omitted when the verb ending already shows the person and number.

• razgovaramo = we talk / we are talking
  
  • the ending ‑amo clearly shows 1st person plural (we).

So:

• Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.
• Mi nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku. (also correct, but emphasizes we)

You typically add mi only for emphasis or contrast:

• Mi razgovaramo mirnije, a oni glasnije.
  “We talk more calmly, and they more loudly.”

What is the difference between razgovaramo and pričamo?

Both can often be translated as we talk, but there are nuances:

• razgovarati – to converse, have a conversation, often a bit more neutral/formal.

  • Razgovaramo o poslu. – We are talking about work.

• pričati – to talk, to tell, to chat, to tell a story; often a bit more informal or story‑like.

  • Pričamo o vikendu. – We’re chatting about the weekend.
  • Pričam priču. – I’m telling a story.

In this sentence, razgovaramo sounds slightly more like “have a (calmer) conversation”.
You could say Nakon posla pričamo mirnije u parku, and it would still be understandable and acceptable, just with a slightly more casual feel.

Why is mirnije used, and what form is it?

mirnije is the comparative form of the adverb mirno (calmly).

• mirno = calmly
• mirnije = more calmly

The base adjective is miran (calm), and from it we get:

• adjective: miran / mirna / mirno (calm)
  
  • miran razgovor – a calm conversation
• adverb: mirno (calmly)
  
  • razgovaramo mirno – we talk calmly
• comparative adverb: mirnije (more calmly)
  
  • razgovaramo mirnije – we talk more calmly

So the sentence says that the way we talk changes: after work, we talk more calmly than at some other time.

Could I say razgovaramo mirno instead of razgovaramo mirnije?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

• razgovaramo mirno – we talk calmly (just describes the manner, no comparison)
• razgovaramo mirnije – we talk more calmly (compares it to some other situation, e.g. earlier in the day)

In the original sentence, mirnije implies a comparison:
“After work we talk more calmly (than before / than at work / than in some other situation).”

Why is it u parku and not u park?

Because here u means in (location), not into (direction).

With u, Croatian uses:

• Accusative after u when it means into (movement towards):
  
  • Idemo u park. – We are going to the park.
• Locative after u when it means in/at (location, no movement):
  
  • Razgovaramo u parku. – We are talking in the park.

So:

• park (nominative) → u park (accusative: into the park, motion)
• park → u parku (locative: in the park, location)

In Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku, you are already in the park, not going there, so you must use the locative: u parku.

What case is parku, and how is park declined?

parku is locative singular.

A simple partial paradigm for park:

• Nominative: park (the park)
• Genitive: parka (of the park)
• Dative: parku (to/for the park)
• Accusative: park (to the park)
• Locative: parku (in/at the park)
• Instrumental: parkom (with the park)

The locative singular of most masculine nouns like park ends in ‑u:
u parku, o parku (in/about the park).

Can the word order be changed? For example, can I say Nakon posla mirnije razgovaramo u parku?

Yes, Croatian word order is fairly flexible, especially for adverbs and prepositional phrases. All of these are possible and grammatical:

• Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.
• Nakon posla mirnije razgovaramo u parku.
• U parku nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije. (sounds a bit marked/emphatic)

The basic information stays the same, but:

• Moving mirnije earlier can put a bit more focus on how you talk.
• Moving u parku to the front can emphasize location: In the park, after work, we talk more calmly.

The original order is neutral and natural.

Why is the verb in the present tense? Is it talking about right now or a habit?

Croatian present tense can express both:

1. An action happening right now:

   • Sada razgovaramo u parku. – We’re talking in the park now.

2. A habitual / regular action:

   • Svaki dan nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.
     – Every day after work, we (tend to) talk more calmly in the park.

Your sentence by itself is most naturally understood as describing a repeated / typical situation, especially with a phrase like nakon posla (after work), which often implies a regular routine.

To stress the habitual meaning, speakers often add adverbs like uvijek (always), obično (usually), često (often).

Could I say razgovaramo mirnije poslije posla u parku instead, or must nakon posla come at the beginning?

You can move nakon posla / poslije posla; position is flexible:

• Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.
• Razgovaramo mirnije nakon posla u parku.
• Razgovaramo mirnije u parku nakon posla.

All are grammatically correct. The differences are mostly in rhythm and emphasis:

• At the beginning, nakon posla sets the time frame first.
• Later in the sentence, it can sound a bit more like additional information.

The version with Nakon posla at the start is very natural and typical.

Is there any difference between nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku and saying something like nakon posla imamo mirniji razgovor u parku?

Yes, there is a subtle difference in what is described as “calmer”:

1. Nakon posla razgovaramo mirnije u parku.

   • Focus is on the manner of the action: we talk more calmly.
   • The adverb mirnije describes how we talk.

2. Nakon posla imamo mirniji razgovor u parku.

   • Focus is on the conversation itself as a thing: we have a calmer conversation.
   • The adjective mirniji describes razgovor (a calmer conversation).

Both are correct and similar in meaning, but the first one emphasizes the way we act, the second one the nature of the conversation as an event.