Ovaj mjesec ne želim biti u minusu.

A fairly literal breakdown is:

• ovaj mjesec = this month
• ne želim = I do not want
• biti = to be
• u minusu = in the negative / in debt / overdrawn

So the whole sentence is literally:

This month, I do not want to be in the negative.

In natural English, that would usually be something like:

• This month I don’t want to be in the red.
• This month I don’t want to be overdrawn.
• This month I don’t want to end up with a negative balance.

Both can be correct, but they work a little differently.

In ovaj mjesec, the noun phrase is in the accusative, which is often used for a time span/duration expression:

• ovaj mjesec = this month as a period of time

So here it means something like throughout this month / in the course of this month.

You may also hear:

• Ovog mjeseca ne želim biti u minusu.

That uses the genitive and often means this month / during this month too. In everyday speech, both can be natural, but the given sentence with ovaj mjesec presents the month as the time period being talked about.

Because mjesec is a masculine singular noun.

The demonstrative ovaj must match the noun in gender, number, and case.

Here:

• mjesec = masculine singular
• the phrase is in the accusative
• for masculine inanimate nouns, nominative and accusative look the same

So:

• nominative: ovaj mjesec
• accusative: ovaj mjesec

That is why you see ovaj here.

Ne is the standard way to negate a verb in Croatian.

• želim = I want
• ne želim = I do not want / I don’t want

Croatian usually puts ne directly before the finite verb:

• Želim biti u minusu. = I want to be in the red.
• Ne želim biti u minusu. = I don’t want to be in the red.

Because željeti means to want, and after it Croatian normally uses an infinitive to express what someone wants to do or be.

So:

• želim = I want
• biti = to be

Together:

• želim biti = I want to be

If you said nisam, that would mean I am not, which expresses a fact, not a desire.

Compare:

• Nisam u minusu. = I’m not in the red.
• Ne želim biti u minusu. = I don’t want to be in the red.

Želim is the 1st person singular present tense of željeti (to want).

So:

• želim = I want

Some other forms are:

• želiš = you want
• želi = he/she/it wants
• želimo = we want
• želite = you want (plural/formal)
• žele = they want

Minusu is in the locative singular.

That is because it follows the preposition u, which often takes:

• locative for location/state
• accusative for movement toward

Here we are talking about a state: being in a negative financial situation.

So:

• u minusu = in the negative / in debt / overdrawn

This is locative, not accusative.

Compare the pattern:

• u kući = in the house (location/state)
• u minusu = in the red (state)

It is a very common expression meaning that your finances are below zero.

Depending on context, it can mean:

• to be overdrawn
• to have a negative balance
• to be in debt
• to be in the red

Literally, it is in the minus, which sounds unusual in English, but it is a normal Croatian expression.

Examples:

• Na računu sam u minusu. = My account is overdrawn.
• Opet je u minusu. = He’s/She’s in debt again.

Because after želim Croatian normally uses the infinitive.

So the pattern is:

• želim + infinitive

Examples:

• Želim jesti. = I want to eat.
• Želim ići. = I want to go.
• Želim biti u minusu. = I want to be in the red.

Budem is a different finite verb form and would not fit this structure here.

Yes. Croatian word order is fairly flexible, though some versions sound more natural depending on emphasis.

The given sentence:

• Ovaj mjesec ne želim biti u minusu.

puts emphasis on this month first.

You could also hear:

• Ne želim biti u minusu ovaj mjesec.

This is also natural and may sound closer to English word order.

Both mean essentially the same thing. The difference is mainly one of focus and style.

Yes, the subject pronoun is omitted because Croatian usually does not need it.

The verb form želim already tells you the subject is I.

So:

• (Ja) ne želim biti u minusu.

The ja is optional. It is normally left out unless you want extra emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

For example:

• Ja ne želim biti u minusu, ali on nema problema s tim.
• I don’t want to be in the red, but he doesn’t have a problem with that.

A rough guide for an English speaker:

• mjesec ≈ MYEH-sets
• želim ≈ ZHEH-leem

A few notes:

• j in Croatian is like English y
• ž sounds like the s in measure
• c is pronounced like ts

So:

• mjesec has that mj cluster, roughly mye-
• želim starts with zh

Yes. Although u minusu very often refers to money, it can also be used more generally for being behind, below zero, or at a loss, depending on context.

But in this sentence, the most natural interpretation is financial:

• bank account below zero
• spending more than you have
• ending the month in debt

So the sentence most naturally suggests:

This month I don’t want to overspend / go into debt / have a negative balance.