Tu zdjelicu uvijek stavljamo na sredinu stola kad doručkujemo zajedno.

Because zdjelicu is the accusative singular form of zdjelica (bowl).

In this sentence, the bowl is the direct object of stavljamo (we put / place), so Croatian uses the accusative:

• nominative: ta zdjelica = that bowl
• accusative: tu zdjelicu = that bowl (as the thing being placed)

This is very common with feminine nouns ending in -a:

• knjiga → knjigu
• čaša → čašu
• zdjelica → zdjelicu

Here tu is the accusative singular feminine form of the demonstrative ta.

So:

• ta zdjelica = that bowl
• tu zdjelicu = that bowl (object form)

A native English speaker may notice that Croatian has several demonstratives, often roughly corresponding to distance or discourse context:

• ovaj / ova / ovo = this
• taj / ta / to = often that
• onaj / ona / ono = that over there / that one further away

In real speech, taj/ta/to is also often used where English might simply say the, especially when referring to something already known in the situation.

Because stavljamo is the imperfective verb, and it fits a habitual / repeated action.

• stavljati → imperfective → to be putting / to put regularly
• staviti → perfective → to put, place once / complete the action

In this sentence, the meaning is something like we always put that bowl... when we have breakfast together, so it describes a repeated routine. That is why stavljamo is natural.

If you used stavimo, it would not sound like a normal habitual statement in the same way. Perfective present in Croatian often has a future-like or single-completed-action feel.

Because Croatian, like English, uses the present tense for habitual actions.

This sentence is not about what is happening right now at this exact moment. It describes a routine:

• uvijek stavljamo = we always put
• kad doručkujemo zajedno = when we have breakfast together

So the present tense here means what we generally do, not necessarily what we are doing right now.

This is a very important Croatian pattern: accusative for movement toward a place, locative for location in a place.

Here, the bowl is being moved to the middle of the table:

• na sredinu stola = to the middle of the table

So sredinu is in the accusative.

Compare:

• Stavljamo zdjelicu na sredinu stola. = We put the bowl to the middle of the table.
• Zdjelica je na sredini stola. = The bowl is in the middle of the table.

So:

• na + accusative = movement onto/to
• na + locative = location on/at

Because sredina usually takes the genitive to mean the middle of something.

So:

• sredina stola = the middle of the table
• na sredinu stola = to the middle of the table

This is similar to English the middle of the table, where Croatian expresses the of the table part with the genitive:

• nominative: stol
• genitive singular: stola

Normally, na sredinu stola is the more natural choice here.

Croatian often uses:

• na sredinu = to the middle / into the middle area
• u sredini = in the middle

So:

• Stavi to na sredinu stola. = Put that in the middle of the table.
• To je u sredini stola. = That is in the middle of the table.

Using u sredinu stola would usually sound less natural in this context.

Yes, it is normal. Croatian word order is much more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Tu zdjelicu gives that object a bit of topic or focus. It can suggest something like:

• As for that bowl, we always put it...
• That bowl, we always place...

A more neutral order is also possible:

• Uvijek stavljamo tu zdjelicu na sredinu stola kad doručkujemo zajedno.

Both are grammatical. Croatian often moves words around for emphasis, rhythm, or topic structure rather than because word order is fixed.

Uvijek means always, and it can move around somewhat, but it usually appears near the verb or early in the sentence.

In your sentence:

• Tu zdjelicu uvijek stavljamo...

This is very natural.

Other possible orders can also work, depending on emphasis:

• Uvijek stavljamo tu zdjelicu...
• Tu zdjelicu stavljamo uvijek... (possible, but less neutral)

So yes, uvijek is flexible, but the version in the sentence sounds very natural.

Kad means when here, introducing a time clause:

• kad doručkujemo zajedno = when we have breakfast together

Yes, you could also say kada. The difference is mostly stylistic:

• kad = shorter, very common in everyday speech
• kada = a bit fuller or sometimes slightly more formal

So both are correct:

• kad doručkujemo zajedno
• kada doručkujemo zajedno

Doručkujemo is the 1st person plural present tense of doručkovati (to have breakfast / to eat breakfast).

So:

• ja doručkujem = I have breakfast
• mi doručkujemo = we have breakfast

In this sentence it matches stavljamo, because both verbs refer to we:

• stavljamo = we put
• doručkujemo = we have breakfast

Zajedno means together.

Here it modifies doručkujemo:

• kad doručkujemo zajedno = when we have breakfast together

Its position is quite natural at the end of the clause. Croatian often places adverbs like this after the verb, especially when they complete the idea smoothly.

You could also hear:

• kad zajedno doručkujemo

That is also correct, with slightly different emphasis.

Croatian has no articles like English a / an / the.

So Croatian expresses definiteness in other ways, for example through:

• context
• word order
• demonstratives such as ta / tu
• general shared knowledge

That is why Croatian can simply say:

• na sredinu stola = to the middle of the table

There is no separate word corresponding exactly to English the.

Not usually in this context.

Because of uvijek (always) and the clause kad doručkujemo zajedno (when we have breakfast together), the sentence describes a habit or routine. So English normally uses we put, not we are putting.

So the Croatian present here corresponds to the English simple present, not the English present progressive.

Zdjelica usually means a small bowl or dish.

It is a diminutive-type form related to zdjela, which is a larger bowl / dish.

So:

• zdjela = bowl, larger serving bowl
• zdjelica = small bowl, little bowl

In everyday use, zdjelica is very common for a cereal bowl, snack bowl, sauce bowl, and similar items.