Nemam spajalicu, pa ću uzeti klamericu iz ureda.

Questions & Answers about Nemam spajalicu, pa ću uzeti klamericu iz ureda.

Why is it nemam?

Nemam means I do not have.

It is made from:

  • imam = I have
  • ne + imamnemam = I don’t have

In Croatian, negation is usually formed by adding ne to the verb, and with imati this combines into the single written form nemam.


Why is it spajalicu and not spajalica?

Because spajalicu is the accusative singular form.

The noun spajalica is feminine:

  • nominative: spajalica
  • accusative: spajalicu

After a verb like imam / nemam when talking about a direct object, Croatian normally uses the accusative:

  • Imam spajalicu.
  • Nemam spajalicu.

So the sentence is using the correct object form.


Why is it also klamericu and not klamerica?

For the same reason: it is also a direct object, so it goes into the accusative singular.

This noun is also feminine:

  • nominative: klamerica
  • accusative: klamericu

Since uzeti means to take, the thing being taken is the object:

  • uzeti klamericu = to take a stapler

What is the difference between spajalica and klamerica?

They are different objects.

  • spajalica = usually paper clip
  • klamerica = stapler

So even though both are office items and both relate to fastening papers, they are not the same thing.

Depending on region or speaker, you may also hear other words for stapler, but klamerica is a common everyday word.


What does pa mean here?

Here pa means something like:

  • so
  • therefore
  • and so
  • sometimes then

In this sentence it connects the two ideas:

  • Nemam spajalicu = I don’t have a paper clip
  • pa ću uzeti klamericu = so I’ll take a stapler

It is a very common Croatian connector in everyday speech.


Why is the future tense ću uzeti split into two words?

Croatian future I is often formed with:

  • a present-tense form of htjeti used as an auxiliary
  • the infinitive of the main verb

Here:

  • ću = I will
  • uzeti = take

So:

  • ću uzeti = I will take

This is a normal future construction in Croatian.


Why is it ću uzeti and not uzet ću?

Both are possible.

Croatian often allows two common patterns:

  • uzet ću
  • ću uzeti

In your sentence, ću comes before the infinitive because Croatian clitics often take the second position in the clause:

  • pa ću uzeti...

So this word order is very natural.


What does uzeti mean exactly, and why not uzimati?

Uzeti is the perfective verb, meaning to take as a completed action.

Croatian often has verb pairs:

  • uzimati = imperfective, ongoing/repeated/habitual taking
  • uzeti = perfective, one completed act of taking

In this sentence, the speaker means a single future action:

  • I’ll take a stapler

So uzeti is the natural choice.


Why is it iz ureda?

Because iz means from / out of, and it requires the genitive case.

The noun ured changes like this:

  • nominative: ured = office
  • genitive: ureda = of the office / from the office

So:

  • iz ureda = from the office

This is a very important pattern in Croatian:

  • iz škole = from school
  • iz kuće = from the house/home
  • iz grada = from the city

What case is ureda?

It is genitive singular.

The preposition iz always takes the genitive, so ured becomes ureda.

That is why you get:

  • iz ureda not
  • iz ured

Is nemam followed by accusative or genitive in Croatian?

In standard modern Croatian, with a noun like this, nemam normally takes the accusative:

  • Nemam spajalicu.

Learners may notice that some Slavic languages, and some older or more formal patterns, use genitive with negation more often. But in ordinary Croatian, for this sentence, spajalicu in the accusative is the expected form.


Is the word order natural?

Yes, very natural.

The sentence is structured like this:

  • Nemam spajalicu,
  • pa ću uzeti klamericu iz ureda.

This sounds like normal spoken and written Croatian. The position of ću is especially natural because short auxiliary words often come early in the clause, typically in second position.


Could ured be replaced by another word?

Yes, depending on context and region.

  • ured = office
  • kancelarija can also mean office, but ured is the more standard Croatian choice

So iz ureda sounds very standard in Croatian.


How would this sentence sound if I changed it to the present tense?

You could say:

  • Nemam spajalicu, pa uzimam klamericu iz ureda.

But that changes the meaning slightly:

  • pa ću uzeti = so I’ll take / a future decision
  • pa uzimam = so I’m taking / I take

The original sentence sounds like a decision about what the speaker is about to do.


What is the dictionary form of the main words in the sentence?

The dictionary forms are:

  • imati = to have
  • spajalica = paper clip
  • htjeti = to want / auxiliary used for future
  • uzeti = to take
  • klamerica = stapler
  • iz = from, out of
  • ured = office

This can help you recognize the forms even when they change in the sentence.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
What's the best way to learn Croatian grammar?
Croatian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Croatian

Master Croatian — from Nemam spajalicu, pa ću uzeti klamericu iz ureda to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions