Otkako planiraju vjenčanje, mladenka i mladoženja imaju manje slobodnog vremena nego prije.

Otkako means since in a time sense: from the time that.

In this sentence, Otkako planiraju vjenčanje... means Since they have been planning the wedding... / Ever since they started planning the wedding...

A quick comparison:

• otkako = since
• kad = when
• od kada = also since/from when, and is very similar in meaning to otkako

So:

• Kad planiraju vjenčanje... would mean When they are planning the wedding..., which is not the intended idea here.
• Otkako planiraju vjenčanje... clearly sets up a starting point in time that continues into the present.

Croatian often uses the present tense after otkako when talking about something that started in the past and is still going on now.

So Otkako planiraju vjenčanje literally looks like Since they plan/are planning the wedding, but in natural English it is better understood as:

• Since they have been planning the wedding
• Ever since they started planning the wedding

This is a very common difference between Croatian and English: Croatian uses the present tense where English often prefers the present perfect or present perfect continuous.

Because vjenčanje is the direct object of planiraju.

The verb planirati usually takes an object in the accusative case, and vjenčanje is a neuter noun whose nominative and accusative singular forms are the same.

So:

• nominative singular: vjenčanje
• accusative singular: vjenčanje

That is why the form does not visibly change here.

They are both in the nominative case because they are the subject of the verb imaju.

• mladenka = the bride
• mladoženja = the groom

Together, mladenka i mladoženja means the bride and groom, and they are the ones who have less free time.

So the structure is:

• Otkako planiraju vjenčanje, = time clause
• mladenka i mladoženja = subject
• imaju = verb
• manje slobodnog vremena nego prije = object/comparison phrase

Because the subject is plural in meaning: mladenka i mladoženja = the bride and groom.

Even though each noun is singular by itself, they are joined by i (and), so together they form a plural subject.

That is why Croatian uses:

• imaju = they have

not:

• ima = he/she has

This is a very common pattern in Croatian.

Manje means less, and after words like manje, Croatian typically uses the genitive.

So:

• slobodno vrijeme = free time
• after manje → slobodnog vremena

This is similar to how quantity expressions often trigger the genitive in Croatian.

So the phrase means:

• manje slobodnog vremena = less free time

You can think of it as roughly parallel to expressions like a smaller amount of free time, where Croatian marks that idea with the genitive.

Nego is used to make a comparison after manje (less), više (more), and comparative forms.

So:

• manje ... nego ... = less ... than ...

In this sentence:

• manje slobodnog vremena nego prije = less free time than before

Here, prije means before.

So nego prije means than before.

Not naturally in this sentence.

For comparisons like less than before, Croatian normally uses:

• manje ... nego prije

Using od is common in many comparisons, especially with adjectives and adverbs:

• veći od mene = bigger than me
• brže od vlaka = faster than the train

But with expressions like manje nego prije, više nego prije, bolje nego prije, nego is the standard choice.

So nego prije is the natural form here.

Here prije means before, specifically before now / before this period.

In context:

• manje slobodnog vremena nego prije = less free time than before

So prije refers to the earlier period, before they were busy planning the wedding.

Depending on context, English might translate it as:

• than before
• than they used to
• than previously

Yes, but the sentence is quite natural.

Croatian word order is more flexible than English word order, because case endings help show grammatical roles. Still, some orders sound more natural than others.

Here the sentence starts with the time clause:

• Otkako planiraju vjenčanje, ...

This is very normal, because it sets the time frame first. Then comes the main clause:

• mladenka i mladoženja imaju manje slobodnog vremena nego prije.

You could rearrange parts of the sentence, but this version is neutral and clear.

For example, Croatian often places background information first, especially time expressions and subordinate clauses.

In this sentence, vjenčanje means wedding as an event or ceremony.

So:

• planirati vjenčanje = to plan a wedding / the wedding

It does not usually mean marriage in the abstract sense here. For the institution or state of being married, Croatian more often uses words like brak.

So:

• vjenčanje = the wedding ceremony/event
• brak = marriage

Because Croatian does not have articles like a and the.

English says:

• the bride and groom
• the wedding

Croatian simply says:

• mladenka i mladoženja
• vjenčanje

Whether something is definite or indefinite is usually understood from context.

So planiraju vjenčanje can mean:

• they are planning a wedding
• they are planning the wedding

and the exact meaning comes from the situation.

Yes. It naturally suggests a period that began in the past and continues into the present.

So depending on how you express it in English, it can feel like:

• Since they started planning the wedding
• Ever since they have been planning the wedding
• As long as they’ve been planning the wedding

The Croatian wording focuses on the ongoing period from that starting point until now, rather than sharply separating the start from the continuing activity.