Breakdown of Sutra ću skuhati rižu s povrćem za večeru.
Questions & Answers about Sutra ću skuhati rižu s povrćem za večeru.
What does ću mean here?
Ću is the 1st person singular form of the auxiliary used to make the future tense.
So:
- ću = I will
- skuhati = to cook / to cook completely
Together, ću skuhati means I will cook.
The full future-tense set is:
- ću = I will
- ćeš = you will
- će = he/she/it will
- ćemo = we will
- ćete = you (plural/formal) will
- će = they will
Why is it ću skuhati and not one single verb like English I will cook?
Croatian usually forms the future with two parts:
- a form of the auxiliary htjeti in its short form
- the infinitive of the main verb
So:
- ću skuhati = I will cook
- literally, something like will cook
This is normal Croatian structure. English uses a subject plus will plus a bare verb; Croatian uses a clitic auxiliary plus the infinitive.
Also, Croatian often places short words like ću in the second position of the sentence, which is why Sutra ću skuhati... sounds natural.
Why is the verb skuhati and not kuhati?
This is a very common Croatian question because it involves aspect.
- kuhati = imperfective: to cook, to be cooking, to cook in general
- skuhati = perfective: to cook something completely, to finish cooking it
In this sentence, the speaker means a completed future action: tomorrow they will cook the rice and have it ready. That is why skuhati fits very well.
Compare:
- Sutra ću kuhati. = Tomorrow I’ll be cooking. / Tomorrow I’ll cook.
(focus on the activity) - Sutra ću skuhati rižu. = Tomorrow I’ll cook the rice.
(focus on the completed result)
Why is riža written as rižu?
Because it is the direct object of the verb, so it goes into the accusative case.
Base form:
- riža = rice
Accusative singular:
- rižu
So:
- skuhati rižu = to cook rice
This is a standard pattern for many feminine nouns ending in -a:
- voda → vodu
- juha → juhu
- večera → večeru
- riža → rižu
Why is it s povrćem? What case is povrćem?
After the preposition s meaning with, Croatian normally uses the instrumental case.
So:
- povrće = vegetables / vegetable matter
- s povrćem = with vegetables
Here, povrćem is the instrumental singular form.
This is a very useful pattern:
- s prijateljem = with a friend
- s obitelji = with family
- s mesom = with meat
- s povrćem = with vegetables
What is the difference between s and sa?
They both mean with. Sa is mainly used for easier pronunciation before certain sound combinations.
Examples:
- s povrćem = with vegetables
- sa sirom = with cheese
- sa mnom = with me
In your sentence, s povrćem is the normal form.
Why is it za večeru and not some other form?
The preposition za often takes the accusative case. In this sentence, za večeru means for dinner.
Base form:
- večera = dinner
Accusative singular:
- večeru
So:
- za večeru = for dinner
This expression tells you the purpose or occasion of the food.
Compare:
- za doručak = for breakfast
- za ručak = for lunch
- za večeru = for dinner
What exactly does sutra do in the sentence?
Sutra means tomorrow. It gives the time of the action.
Croatian often places time expressions near the beginning of the sentence, so:
- Sutra ću skuhati... = Tomorrow I will cook...
That word order is very natural.
Can the word order change?
Yes. Croatian word order is fairly flexible, although some versions sound more natural than others depending on emphasis.
Your sentence:
- Sutra ću skuhati rižu s povrćem za večeru.
Possible alternatives:
- Rižu s povrćem ću skuhati sutra za večeru.
- Za večeru ću sutra skuhati rižu s povrćem.
- Sutra ću za večeru skuhati rižu s povrćem.
The meaning stays very similar, but the focus shifts slightly.
One important rule: short forms like ću are clitics, so they usually come in or near the second position in the sentence.
Why is there no word for I in the sentence?
Because Croatian often omits subject pronouns when they are not needed.
The form ću already tells you the subject is I. So ja is unnecessary unless you want emphasis.
Compare:
- Sutra ću skuhati rižu. = Tomorrow I’ll cook rice.
- Ja ću skuhati rižu. = I will cook rice.
(more emphasis on I)
This is very normal in Croatian.
Does Croatian have articles like a or the? Why is there no article before rižu or večeru?
No—Croatian does not have articles like English a/an and the.
So Croatian simply says:
- rižu = rice / the rice
- večeru = dinner / the dinner
The exact meaning depends on context. English learners often look for an article, but Croatian just does not use one.
How should I understand riža s povrćem? Is it rice with vegetables as one dish?
Yes, that is the most natural reading.
- riža s povrćem = rice with vegetables
It sounds like one combined dish or rice served together with vegetables. In context, it would normally mean a meal based on rice and vegetables.
How do you pronounce ću, rižu, and povrćem?
A few useful pronunciation notes:
- ć is a soft sound, somewhat like a very soft ch/t sound
- ž sounds like the s in measure
- č and ć are different sounds in Croatian, though many learners need time to hear the difference clearly
Rough guides:
- ću ≈ soft tyoo / chyoo
- rižu ≈ REE-zhu
- povrćem ≈ POVR-tyem
Also, Croatian spelling is very regular, so once you learn the letters, pronunciation becomes much easier than in English.
Is this a normal, natural sentence in Croatian?
Yes, it sounds perfectly natural.
Sutra ću skuhati rižu s povrćem za večeru. is a straightforward everyday sentence with:
- a time word: sutra
- future tense: ću skuhati
- direct object in accusative: rižu
- s
- instrumental: s povrćem
- za
- accusative: za večeru
So it is a very useful model sentence for learning several important Croatian patterns at once.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning CroatianMaster Croatian — from Sutra ću skuhati rižu s povrćem za večeru 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