Pošaljite mi poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal.

Breakdown of Pošaljite mi poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal.

biti
to be
imati
to have
mi
me
kad
when
bolji
better
poslati
to send
poveznica
link
signal
signal

Questions & Answers about Pošaljite mi poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal.

Why is pošaljite used here? What form is it?

Pošaljite is the imperative form of poslati (to send), so it means send as a command or request.

In this sentence, it is used because the speaker is telling someone to do something:

  • Pošaljite mi poveznicu. = Send me the link.

Also, poslati is a perfective verb, so pošaljite suggests a single completed action: send it once.

That is why pošaljite fits better here than šaljite, which would sound more like keep sending or send repeatedly.


Why does pošaljite look plural? Can it refer to just one person?

Yes. Pošaljite is the 2nd person plural imperative, but in Croatian that form is also used for formal singular.

So this can mean either:

  • Send me the link (to one person, politely/formally)
  • Send me the link (to more than one person)

If you were speaking to one person informally, you would say:

  • Pošalji mi poveznicu.

So the sentence could be formal singular or plural, depending on context.


What does mi mean here, and why is it so short?

Mi means to me.

It is the dative clitic form of ja (I). Croatian often uses these short unstressed forms in very common patterns:

  • daj mi = give me
  • reci mi = tell me
  • pošalji mi = send me

So in this sentence:

  • Pošaljite mi poveznicu = Send the link to me

Croatian usually prefers this short form in normal speech rather than the full stressed form meni, unless you want emphasis:

  • Pošaljite meni poveznicu, a ne njemu. = Send the link to me, not to him.

Why is it poveznicu and not poveznica?

Because poveznicu is the accusative singular form.

The noun poveznica is feminine, and in this sentence it is the direct object of pošaljite, so it has to be in the accusative:

  • nominative: poveznica
  • accusative: poveznicu

Compare:

  • Ovo je poveznica. = This is a link.
  • Pošaljite poveznicu. = Send the link.

So the -u ending is there because the sentence needs the object form.


Why is kad used instead of kada?

Kad and kada both mean when.

  • kad is the shorter, more common everyday form
  • kada is slightly fuller and can sound a bit more careful or formal, depending on context

In this sentence, kad is completely natural:

  • Pošaljite mi poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal.

You could also say:

  • Pošaljite mi poveznicu kada budete imali bolji signal.

Both are correct.


What exactly is budete imali? Why are there two words?

Budete imali is a future form used in subordinate clauses, often called future II in Croatian grammar.

It is made from:

  • budete = a form of biti (to be)
  • imali = the active participle of imati (to have)

Together:

  • budete imali = you will have

In English, after when, we usually say:

  • when you have better signal

But in Croatian, after words like kad, ako, čim, and similar conjunctions referring to the future, this future II form is very common and natural.

So:

  • kad budete imali bolji signal
    means
  • when you have / when you get a better signal

Why not say kad ćete imati bolji signal?

Because after kad referring to a future time, Croatian normally does not use the regular future form ćete imati.

Instead, it uses future II:

  • kad budete imali bolji signal = correct

The version with kad ćete imati sounds unnatural in standard Croatian for this meaning.

A useful rule is:

After kad, ako, čim, dok, etc., when talking about a future situation, Croatian often uses budem / budeš / bude / budemo / budete / budu + participle.

So:

  • Kad budete imali vremena, javite se. = When you have time, get in touch.
  • Ako budete mogli, dođite. = If you can, come.

Why is it imali and not something that agrees with gender?

Because budete is 2nd person plural (or formal singular), and with that form the participle is imali regardless of whether the person is male or female.

This is a point that often surprises learners.

In some Croatian verb forms, the participle changes for gender:

  • imao sam = I had (male speaker)
  • imala sam = I had (female speaker)

But with forms like budete imali, the participle is in the plural masculine/default form, because it goes with vi.

So whether you are speaking formally to one woman, one man, or several people, you still say:

  • budete imali

What does bolji signal mean grammatically?

Bolji is the comparative form of dobar (good), so:

  • dobar = good
  • bolji = better

Signal is a masculine noun, so the adjective must match it:

  • bolji signal = better signal

This could refer to phone reception, mobile data, internet signal, and so on, depending on context.

Compare:

  • dobar signal = a good signal
  • bolji signal = a better signal
  • slab signal = a weak signal

Why is the word order Pošaljite mi poveznicu, not Pošaljite poveznicu mi?

Because short unstressed words like mi usually go in a special position in the sentence, often called the second position or clitic position.

So Croatian prefers:

  • Pošaljite mi poveznicu.

not:

  • Pošaljite poveznicu mi.

The second version sounds unnatural.

These short forms behave this way very often:

  • Dajte mi to.
  • Recite mu istinu.
  • Pošaljite joj poruku.

So mi is not placed freely; it follows the normal clitic placement rules.


Could the sentence be phrased a little differently and still mean the same thing?

Yes, a few small variations are possible.

For example:

  • Pošaljite mi link kad budete imali bolji signal.
  • Pošaljite mi poveznicu kada budete imali bolji signal.
  • Kad budete imali bolji signal, pošaljite mi poveznicu.

All of these are natural.

The last version simply moves the time clause to the front:

  • Kad budete imali bolji signal, pošaljite mi poveznicu.

That changes the emphasis slightly, but not the core meaning.


Is this sentence a command or a polite request?

It can be either, depending on tone and context.

Grammatically, pošaljite is an imperative, so it is literally a command form. But in real Croatian, the imperative is very often used for normal polite requests too, especially with the formal vi form.

So this sentence can sound like:

  • a practical instruction
  • a polite request
  • a fairly neutral please send me the link when you can get better reception

If you want to make it even softer, Croatian might add words like:

  • molim = please
  • možete li = could you

For example:

  • Molim, pošaljite mi poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal.
  • Možete li mi poslati poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal?
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 Pošaljite mi poveznicu kad budete imali bolji signal to fluency

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

  • 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