Nažalost, nećemo moći dugo ostati, jer sutra rano radimo.

Because Croatian treats the negative forms of htjeti (ću, ćeš, će...), which is used to make the future tense, as single words:

• neću
• nećeš
• neće
• nećemo
• nećete
• neće

But with most ordinary verbs, ne is written separately:

• ne radimo
• ne možemo
• ne ostajemo

So nećemo moći is correct, not ne ćemo moći.

Because the sentence expresses two layers of meaning:

• nećemo = we will not
• moći = be able / can
• ostati = stay

So the structure is:

future of moći + infinitive of the main verb

In natural English, that becomes we won’t be able to stay.

Croatian often stacks verbs like this when one verb depends on another:

• moram ići = I must go
• želim spavati = I want to sleep
• nećemo moći ostati = we won’t be able to stay

Moći is the infinitive, meaning to be able.

After the future auxiliary, Croatian normally uses the infinitive:

• ćemo raditi = we will work
• nećemo moći = we won’t be able
• hoću doći = I will come

If you said možemo, that would be a present-tense finite form meaning we can / we are able. That would not fit after nećemo.

So:

• ne možemo ostati = we can’t stay / we are not able to stay
• nećemo moći ostati = we won’t be able to stay

This is about aspect.

• ostati is perfective
• ostajati is imperfective

In this sentence, ostati is the natural choice because it refers to the event of remaining/staying as a whole: we won’t be able to stay long.

With verbs after moći, Croatian often prefers the form that matches the intended meaning:

• ostati = to stay / remain, seen as a complete situation
• ostajati = to be staying / to keep staying / to stay repeatedly or over time

Here, ostati dugo sounds natural and idiomatic. Ostajati would suggest a different nuance and would sound less natural in this context.

Dugo is an adverb meaning for a long time / long.

It modifies ostati:

• dugo ostati = to stay long
• nećemo moći dugo ostati = we won’t be able to stay long

Croatian often places adverbs like dugo before the infinitive they modify, though other placements can be possible depending on emphasis.

Because jer means because and introduces a subordinate clause.

The sentence has two parts:

• Nažalost, nećemo moći dugo ostati
• jer sutra rano radimo

Croatian normally separates these with a comma when jer introduces the reason.

So the comma is standard and expected here.

Croatian very often uses the present tense for future events when the future time is already clear from context.

Here, sutra already tells you the action is in the future:

• sutra rano radimo = literally tomorrow we work early
• natural English: we’re working early tomorrow or we have to work early tomorrow

This is very similar to English sentences like:

• Tomorrow we leave early
• I’m working tomorrow
• We start at 8 tomorrow

So radimo is present in form, but future in meaning because of sutra.

Yes, you could. It is grammatically correct.

• jer sutra rano radimo
• jer ćemo sutra rano raditi

Both mean roughly the same thing.

The version with the present tense, sutra rano radimo, is often more natural and conversational when the future time is already obvious.

The future form ćemo raditi can sound a bit more explicit or formal, but it is not wrong.

Because Croatian usually does not need subject pronouns unless there is special emphasis or contrast.

The verb ending already tells you the subject:

• radimo = we work
• nećemo = we will not

So mi is normally omitted.

You would add mi only if you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity:

• Mi sutra rano radimo, a oni ne. = We work early tomorrow, but they don’t.

In your sentence, leaving out mi is the normal choice.

Nažalost means unfortunately.

It functions as a sentence adverb or discourse marker, commenting on the whole statement rather than on one specific word.

That is why it is separated by a comma:

• Nažalost, nećemo moći dugo ostati...

This is similar to English:

• Unfortunately, we won’t be able to stay long...

You can also place it elsewhere in some contexts, but sentence-initial position is very common.

Not completely. Croatian word order is more flexible than English word order, although some versions sound more natural than others.

The given sentence is a very natural neutral order:

Nažalost, nećemo moći dugo ostati, jer sutra rano radimo.

You might also hear variations such as:

• Nažalost, dugo nećemo moći ostati...
• Jer sutra rano radimo, nažalost nećemo moći dugo ostati.

But the original order is the most straightforward and idiomatic for everyday use.

In Croatian, word order often changes for emphasis, rhythm, or style rather than basic grammar.