Proba je večeras u dvorani.

The rehearsal is tonight in the hall.

Breakdown of Proba je večeras u dvorani.

• biti: to be
• u: in
• večeras: tonight
• dvorana: hall
• proba: rehearsal

Questions & Answers about Proba je večeras u dvorani.

What kind of word is proba here, and what does it mean exactly?

Proba is a noun in the nominative singular (dictionary form: proba).

In this sentence it means “rehearsal” (e.g. rehearsal for a play, concert, etc.).

Other common meanings of proba in Croatian:

• test / trial – e.g. proba zvuka = soundcheck, probna vožnja = test drive
• it does not mean “exam” (that would usually be ispit).

Here, from context, proba is clearly “the rehearsal”.

Why is je used? Is it the verb “to be”?

Yes. Je is the 3rd person singular present of biti (“to be”).

• Proba je… = “The rehearsal is…”

Structure:

• Proba = subject
• je = verb “to be”
• večeras u dvorani = time + place (predicate complement)

So the core is: Proba je … = “The rehearsal is …”

Could I leave out je and just say Proba večeras u dvorani?

Normally, no. In standard Croatian you keep je here.

• Proba je večeras u dvorani. – correct, standard.
• Proba večeras u dvorani. – sounds incomplete or like a note heading / shorthand.

Croatian can sometimes drop je in very informal speech or special constructions, but with a simple time–place sentence like this, you usually need it.

What exactly does večeras mean, and how is it different from večer?

Večeras is an adverb meaning “this evening / tonight” (today’s evening).

Večer is a noun meaning “evening”.

Compare:

• Proba je večeras. – The rehearsal is this evening / tonight.
• Proba je navečer. – The rehearsal is in the evening (generally).
• Proba je ove večeri. – The rehearsal is this evening (more formal/literary; uses the noun).

So večeras is the usual everyday way to say “this evening / tonight”.

What case is dvorani, and what is the base form?

The base form (nominative singular) is dvorana = “hall”.

In u dvorani, dvorani is in the locative singular, feminine:

• Nominative: dvorana – “a / the hall”
• Locative: (u) dvorani – “in the hall”

The preposition u (“in”) often takes the locative when it means location (where something is).

Why is it u dvorani and not u dvoranu?

Because u dvorani here expresses location (“in the hall”), not movement into the hall.

With u:

• u + accusative = motion into or to
  
  • Idem u dvoranu. – I’m going into/to the hall.
• u + locative = being in a place
  
  • Proba je u dvorani. – The rehearsal is in the hall.

So here we need locative: dvorani.

How would I say “The rehearsals are this evening in the hall”?

You’d make proba plural and match the verb:

• Probe su večeras u dvorani.

Changes:

• Proba je → Probe su
  
  • Probe = plural of proba
  • su = 3rd person plural of biti (“are”)

Is there any article like “the” before proba or dvorani in Croatian?

No. Croatian has no articles (no “a”, “an”, or “the”).

• Proba je večeras u dvorani. can mean:
  • “A rehearsal is this evening in the hall”, or
  • “The rehearsal is this evening in the hall”

Whether it’s “a” or “the” comes from context, not from a word in the sentence. For example, if everyone already knows which rehearsal you’re talking about, English will use “the”, but Croatian doesn’t change the form.

Can I change the word order? For example: Večeras je proba u dvorani. Is that correct?

Yes, Croatian word order is quite flexible, and your sentence is correct.

All of these are grammatically fine:

• Proba je večeras u dvorani. – neutral; “the rehearsal” as topic.
• Večeras je proba u dvorani. – emphasizes “this evening”.
• U dvorani je večeras proba. – emphasizes “in the hall”.

The basic information doesn’t change; the different word orders mainly handle emphasis and what is already known vs. new in the conversation.

What part of speech is večeras? Does it ever change form?

Večeras is an adverb. It does not decline or change its form.

It always looks the same:

• Dolaziš večeras? – Are you coming this evening?
• Večeras radim. – I’m working this evening.
• Proba je večeras. – The rehearsal is this evening.

Could I use a different phrase instead of u dvorani?

Yes, depending on what exactly you mean:

• u dvorani – in the hall (generic)
• u velikoj dvorani – in the big hall
• u koncertnoj dvorani – in the concert hall
• u sportskoj dvorani – in the sports hall/gym
• u sali – in the hall/room (more general “room/hall”)

So you might say: Proba je večeras u koncertnoj dvorani.

Is proba related to a verb? How would I say “to rehearse”?

Yes. Proba is related to the verb probati, but probati by itself mainly means “to try”.

Common ways to say “to rehearse”:

• imati probu – literally “to have a rehearsal”
  • Večeras imamo probu. – We have rehearsal tonight.
• more specific:
  
  • vježbati – to practice (e.g. music, sports)
  • uvježbavati – to rehearse/practise something until it’s ready

In everyday speech, people often say:

• Večeras imamo probu u dvorani. – “We have a rehearsal in the hall tonight.”