Imamo dvadeset minuta.

We have twenty minutes.

Breakdown of Imamo dvadeset minuta.

• imati: to have
• minuta: minute
• dvadeset: twenty

Questions & Answers about Imamo dvadeset minuta.

Why is imamo used here, and what verb is it?

Imamo is the present-tense, 1st person plural form of imati (to have).
So grammatically it literally means we have (often understood as we’ve got / we have available in the context of time).

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Do I need to say mi (we) as well: Mi imamo dvadeset minuta?

Usually no. Croatian commonly drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person/number.
Imamo dvadeset minuta. sounds natural and neutral.
Mi imamo dvadeset minuta. is used for emphasis/contrast, like We have 20 minutes (not someone else).

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Why is it dvadeset minuta and not dvadeset minute or dvadeset minuti?

After numbers 5 and higher (including 20), Croatian uses the genitive plural for the counted noun.
So minuta here is genitive plural of minuta (minute).

Rule of thumb:

• 1 minuta
• 2, 3, 4 minute (special pattern)
• 5+ minuta (genitive plural)

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Does dvadeset change for case or gender?

In this sentence, dvadeset stays as dvadeset.
Many Croatian numerals don’t behave like regular adjectives, and 20 is typically used in this fixed form in everyday counting phrases (like dvadeset minuta, dvadeset dana, etc.).

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Is the word order fixed? Can I move words around?

Imamo dvadeset minuta. is the most neutral order.
You can change word order for emphasis:

• Dvadeset minuta imamo. = stresses 20 minutes (maybe “as much as 20 minutes” / “20 minutes is what we have”)
• Minuta imamo dvadeset. sounds more marked and is usually only used in very specific stylistic contexts.

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How do I pronounce dvadeset minuta?

A practical approximation for English speakers:

• dvadeset ≈ dvah-deh-set
• minuta ≈ mee-NOO-tah

Croatian r is rolled/tapped when it appears, but here it doesn’t. Vowels are “pure” (not diphthongs): a, e, i, o, u are consistent.

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Does this sentence imply “left” (as in time remaining), or just “available”?

By itself, Imamo dvadeset minuta. is neutral: it can mean we have 20 minutes available or we have 20 minutes left, depending on context.
If you want to be explicit about “left,” you can say:

• Imamo još dvadeset minuta. = We still have 20 minutes.

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How would I say “We don’t have 20 minutes”?

Negation uses nemamo:

• Nemamo dvadeset minuta. = We don’t have 20 minutes.

You can also add emphasis:

• Nemamo ni dvadeset minuta. = We don’t even have 20 minutes.

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How do I say “We have 20 minutes to do it” using this structure?

A common pattern is imati + time + da + present:

• Imamo dvadeset minuta da to napravimo. = We have 20 minutes to do it.

You can also use za with a noun:

• Imamo dvadeset minuta za posao. = We have 20 minutes for the job/task.

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Can I write the number as digits: Imamo 20 minuta?

Yes, that’s very common in informal writing, messages, schedules, etc.
In more formal prose, you’ll often see the number written out (dvadeset), but both are acceptable depending on style.

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How does this compare to saying “in 20 minutes”?

Be careful: Imamo dvadeset minuta. = We have 20 minutes.
But Za dvadeset minuta typically means in 20 minutes (after 20 minutes pass), e.g.:

• Vidimo se za dvadeset minuta. = See you in 20 minutes.