Kad stignemo na odredište, javit ću ti se da znaš da je sve prošlo dobro.

to be

Breakdown of Kad stignemo na odredište, javit ću ti se da znaš da je sve prošlo dobro.

• ti: you (informal singular)
• kad: when
• htjeti: will (future auxiliary)

Questions & Answers about Kad stignemo na odredište, javit ću ti se da znaš da je sve prošlo dobro.

Why is there a comma after odredište?

Because Kad stignemo na odredište is a subordinate time clause: When we arrive at the destination. In Croatian, when this kind of clause comes before the main clause, it is normally separated by a comma.

So the structure is:

• Kad stignemo na odredište, = subordinate clause
• javit ću ti se... = main clause

Why is stignemo a present-tense form if the meaning is future, when we arrive?

This is very common in Croatian. After time words like kad (when), Croatian often uses the present tense to refer to a future event.

So:

• Kad stignemo... = When we arrive...
• not When we are arriving...

Also, stići is a perfective verb, so its present form often points to a completed future action in this kind of sentence.

Compare:

• Kad dođem, nazvat ću te. = When I arrive, I’ll call you.

What is the difference between kad and kada?