Breakdown of Ako budemo imali vremena, možemo poslije sastanka otići na kavu.
biti
to be
kava
coffee
imati
to have
na
for
Questions & Answers about Ako budemo imali vremena, možemo poslije sastanka otići na kavu.
Why does the sentence use budemo imali? What tense is that?
Budemo imali is future II in Croatian.
It is formed with:
Croatian commonly uses future II in subordinate clauses introduced by words like ako (if) when the condition refers to the future.
So:
- Ako budemo imali vremena... = If we have time...
Even though English uses a present form after if, Croatian usually uses this future-oriented form.
Why not ako ćemo imati vremena?
Because after ako in a real future condition, standard Croatian normally prefers future II, not future I.
So:
- Ako budemo imali vremena... = the standard, natural choice
- Ako ćemo imati vremena... = generally not the normal structure here
A useful rule is:
- future condition clause → often ako + future II
- main clause → future, present, or modal expression depending on meaning
Could you also say ako imamo vremena?