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Večeras razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku u kafiću.

Večeras razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku u kafiću.
Tonight we are talking about the Croatian language in the café.

Breakdown of Večeras razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku u kafiću.

u
in
hrvatski
Croatian
večeras
tonight
razgovarati
to talk
kafić
cafe
jezik
language
o
of
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Questions & Answers about Večeras razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku u kafiću.

Why is there no word for we in the sentence?

Croatian is a pro-drop language: the subject pronoun is usually omitted because the verb ending already shows the person/number.
razgovaramo = we talk / we are talking (1st person plural).
You can add mi (we) for emphasis or contrast: Mi večeras razgovaramo… = We (not someone else) are talking tonight…

What tense is razgovaramo? Is it present or future?

It’s present tense. With a time word like večeras (tonight), Croatian often uses the present to express a planned near-future action, similar to English We’re talking tonight…
It can also simply mean we are talking this evening (right now, during the evening), depending on context.

Why does o change hrvatski jezik to o hrvatskom jeziku?

The preposition o (about) requires the locative case.
So:

  • hrvatski jezik (nominative) → hrvatskom jeziku (locative)
    Both the adjective and the noun change to locative.
Why is it hrvatskom jeziku and not hrvatski jezik or hrvatskom jezikom?
  • hrvatski jezik is nominative (used for the subject, dictionary form, etc.).
  • o hrvatskom jeziku must be locative because of o.
  • hrvatskim jezikom would be instrumental, and it usually means in Croatian / using Croatian (the language you speak in), e.g. Razgovaramo hrvatskim jezikom = We speak in Croatian (possible but stylistically marked; more natural: Razgovaramo na hrvatskom).
What case is u kafiću, and why is it not u kafić?

u can take different cases, but here it means location (in/at), so it uses the locative:

  • kafić (nominative) → u kafiću (locative)
    If you mean motion into (destination), u uses accusative: Idemo u kafić = We’re going to a café.
How do I know whether u means in or to?

Look for movement vs. location:

  • location (where?) → u + locative: u kafiću (in/at the café)
  • movement (where to?) → u + accusative: u kafić (to the café)
    Often the verb helps: biti/sjediti/razgovarati suggest location; ići/doći suggest movement.
Why is the adjective hrvatskom and not hrvatski or hrvatskoj?

Adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.
jezik is masculine singular, and after o we need locative singular masculine/neuter, which is -om:

  • hrvatski (nom. masc. sg.) → hrvatskom (loc. masc. sg.)
    hrvatskoj would be locative feminine singular (used with a feminine noun).
Should hrvatskom be capitalized?

Usually no. In Croatian, names of languages are typically not capitalized: hrvatski jezik, engleski jezik.
You capitalize only if it’s part of a proper name/title or at the start of a sentence.

Can the word order change? For example, can I say U kafiću večeras razgovaramo…?

Yes. Croatian word order is flexible because endings show grammatical roles. Different orders shift emphasis:

  • Večeras razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku u kafiću. (neutral)
  • Večeras u kafiću razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku. (emphasizes where tonight)
  • O hrvatskom jeziku večeras razgovaramo u kafiću. (emphasizes the topic)
Is razgovaramo the same as pričamo?

They’re close, but not identical:

  • razgovarati = to have a conversation / discuss (often sounds a bit more “formal” or “structured”)
  • pričati = to talk / chat / tell stories (often more casual)
    In this sentence, razgovaramo o… strongly fits discussing a topic.
How would I ask a question using this sentence?

Common options:

  • O čemu večeras razgovaramo u kafiću? = What are we talking about tonight at the café?
  • Gdje večeras razgovaramo o hrvatskom jeziku? = Where are we talking about Croatian tonight?
  • Razgovaramo li večeras o hrvatskom jeziku u kafiću? = Are we talking about Croatian tonight at the café? (yes/no; li marks the question)
What does the letter ć in kafiću sound like, and how is it different from č?

ć is a softer “ch” sound (more palatal), while č is typically a harder “ch” sound.
Learners often approximate both as English ch, but in Croatian they are distinct letters and can change meaning. In many standard pronunciations, ć is lighter/softer than č.