Learn Hardcore Croatian: Bez računa povrat novca nije moguć. - Without a receipt, a refund is not possible.

Because bez (without) is a preposition that requires the genitive case in Croatian. So the noun after it must be in genitive: bez + GEN.

Why is it bez računa and not bez račun?

The base (dictionary) form is račun (nominative singular). After bez, it must be genitive singular, which for this noun is računa:

račun (N sg)
bez računa (GEN sg)

What exactly is račun here—doesn’t it also mean bill or account?

Yes, račun can mean several things depending on context (e.g., account, calculation, bill). In shopping/returns contexts, račun is the normal word for receipt. If you want to be extra explicit, you may also see fiskalni račun (fiscal receipt).

Why is it povrat novca—what case is novca, and why?

Novca is genitive singular of novac (money). This is a common pattern where one noun specifies “of what” the first noun is:

povrat = return/refund
povrat novca = literally return of money (= refund)

This noun + genitive structure is very common in Croatian.

Which word is the subject here?

The subject is povrat novca. That’s why moguć agrees with it (see below). Bez računa is just a prepositional phrase giving the condition (without a receipt).

Why does it say nije moguć (masculine) and not something else?

Because the adjective must agree with the subject:

povrat is masculine singular
therefore: (povrat) nije moguć

If the subject were feminine, you’d get nije moguća; if neuter, nije moguće.

I’ve seen nije moguće a lot. What’s the difference between nije moguć and nije moguće?

nije moguć = adjective agreeing with a specific noun (here: povrat): Refund isn’t possible.
nije moguće = a more general/impersonal way to say it isn’t possible, often used without an explicit noun, or with a whole action implied.

Both can be correct depending on how you structure the sentence.

Why is there no word for “is” (like je)?

In the present tense, Croatian often omits je (is) in affirmative sentences (especially in writing). But in the negative, is not is normally expressed as the single word nije (you don’t say ne je).

So:

(On) je moguć = It is possible (often moguć alone can appear depending on style)
nije moguć = is not possible

Can the word order change? Which order sounds most natural?

Yes, Croatian word order is flexible. These are all natural, with slightly different emphasis:

Bez računa povrat novca nije moguć. (emphasizes the condition first: Without a receipt…)
Povrat novca nije moguć bez računa. (often feels very neutral/standard)
Bez računa nije moguć povrat novca. (also fine; emphasis still on bez računa)

How do I pronounce the tricky parts like računa and moguć?

A practical guide:

računa: ra-CHOO-na (the č is like ch in chess)
moguć: roughly MOH-gooch (the ć is a softer “ch”-type sound than č; many learners start by pronouncing it like ch and refine later)

Also note Croatian r can be “rolled/lightly tapped,” but you don’t need an exaggerated roll to be understood.