Pasta za zube stoji pokraj umivaonika, a fen je u ladici ispod ogledala.

Literally, pasta za zube means paste for teeth. This is the normal Croatian way to say toothpaste.

Croatian often uses a noun + za + another noun to show purpose:

• četkica za zube = toothbrush
• krema za ruke = hand cream
• šampon za kosu = shampoo for hair

So pasta za zube is completely natural, even though English uses the single word toothpaste.

Because after za in this kind of meaning, Croatian uses the accusative case.

The base form is:

• zub = tooth
• zubi = teeth, nominative plural

But after za, it changes to accusative plural:

• zube

So:

• pasta za zube = paste for teeth

This is something you will see very often in Croatian.

Yes. Stoji literally means stands, from the verb stajati.

But in everyday Croatian, it is also often used to mean that an object is standing / is placed / is located somewhere.

So in this sentence:

• Pasta za zube stoji pokraj umivaonika
  means something like:
• The toothpaste is standing next to the sink
• or more naturally in English: The toothpaste is next to the sink

Croatian often uses verbs like this for position:

• stoji = is standing
• leži = is lying
• visi = is hanging

Both are natural, but they give slightly different feels.

• stoji pokraj umivaonika suggests the toothpaste is placed there, physically standing there
• je u ladici just says where the hair dryer is

So:

• Pasta za zube stoji... sounds a bit more visual
• fen je u ladici... is a simple location statement

You could also say:

• Pasta za zube je pokraj umivaonika and it would still be correct, just a little less vivid.

Pokraj means next to, beside, or by.

It is very close in meaning to pored, and in many situations they are interchangeable:

• pokraj umivaonika
• pored umivaonika

Both mean next to the sink.

Pokraj can sometimes sound a little more formal or literary than pored, but in normal speech both are common.

Because pokraj requires the genitive case.

The basic form is:

• umivaonik = sink, washbasin

After pokraj, it becomes:

• umivaonika

So:

• pokraj umivaonika = next to the sink

This is a very common pattern:

• pokraj kuće = next to the house
• pokraj stola = next to the table

In Croatian, a often links two parts by showing a contrast or a switch of topic, even when both parts are positive statements.

Here:

• Pasta za zube stoji pokraj umivaonika, a fen je u ladici...

This feels like:

• The toothpaste is next to the sink, while the hair dryer is in the drawer...

If you used i, it would sound more like simple addition:

• The toothpaste is next to the sink, and the hair dryer is in the drawer

So a is very natural here because it moves from one item to another.

Because after u meaning in, when it shows location, Croatian uses the locative case.

The basic form is:

• ladica = drawer

In the locative singular, it becomes:

• ladici

So:

• u ladici = in the drawer

Compare:

• u sobi = in the room
• u kuhinji = in the kitchen
• u ladici = in the drawer

Because ispod = under / below, and it normally takes the genitive case.

The base form is:

• ogledalo = mirror

After ispod, it becomes:

• ogledala

So:

• ispod ogledala = below the mirror

This is another very common preposition + genitive pattern:

• ispod stola = under the table
• iznad vrata = above the door
• blizu škole = near the school

Yes, fen is very common in everyday Croatian.

You may also hear:

• sušilo za kosu = hair dryer

But in normal speech, many people simply say:

• fen

So both are possible, but fen is short, common, and very natural.

Croatian does not have articles.

So Croatian does not use words equivalent to a and the in the same way English does.

That means:

• umivaonik can mean a sink or the sink
• ladica can mean a drawer or the drawer
• ogledalo can mean a mirror or the mirror

The exact meaning depends on context. In this sentence, English naturally uses the because the bathroom objects are understood as specific.

Yes. Croatian word order is more flexible than English word order.

The original sentence is very natural:

• Pasta za zube stoji pokraj umivaonika, a fen je u ladici ispod ogledala.

But you could also hear variations such as:

• Pokraj umivaonika stoji pasta za zube, a fen je u ladici ispod ogledala.
• Fen je u ladici ispod ogledala, a pasta za zube stoji pokraj umivaonika.

Changing the order usually changes the focus or emphasis, not the basic meaning.

A simple pronunciation guide:

• pasta za zube ≈ PAH-sta za ZOO-be
• stoji ≈ STOY-ee
• pokraj ≈ POH-kry
• umivaonika ≈ oo-mee-vah-OH-nee-ka
• fen ≈ fen
• ladici ≈ LAH-dee-tsee
• ispod ≈ EES-pod
• ogledala ≈ oh-gleh-DAH-la

A few useful pronunciation points:

• j is pronounced like English y
• c is pronounced like ts
• č and ć are different Croatian sounds, though many learners hear them as similar at first