Zajedno ćemo podignuti jedro prije polaska.

Yes. Ćemo podignuti is the future tense in Croatian.

A very common way to form the future is:

• htjeti in its short form + infinitive

So here:

• ćemo = we will
• podignuti = to raise / to hoist

Together, ćemo podignuti means we will raise / we will hoist.

This is the standard future structure:

• ja ću
• ti ćeš
• on/ona/ono će
• mi ćemo
• vi ćete
• oni/one/ona će

So this sentence literally has the structure:

• Together we-will hoist the sail before departure

Croatian often omits subject pronouns like mi when they are not needed, because the verb form already shows the subject.

Here, ćemo already tells you the subject is we.

So:

• Zajedno ćemo podignuti jedro... = perfectly natural
• Mi ćemo zajedno podignuti jedro... = also possible, but mi adds emphasis, like we will, as opposed to someone else

The sentence begins with zajedno simply because the speaker wants to foreground the idea of together.

This is because ćemo is a clitic in Croatian. Clitics are short unstressed words that usually appear in the second position of the clause.

In this sentence:

• Zajedno is in first position
• ćemo comes right after it

So:

• Zajedno ćemo podignuti jedro prije polaska.

This word order is very natural in Croatian.

You may also see:

• Podignut ćemo jedro prije polaska.
• Mi ćemo zajedno podignuti jedro prije polaska.

But in the original sentence, the placement of ćemo follows the normal clitic pattern.

Zajedno means together.

It is an adverb, and here it tells you how the action will be done:

• together
• jointly
• as a group

So it modifies the action of podignuti jedro.

In this sentence, it suggests that the people involved will hoist the sail with each other, not separately.

Here jedro is the direct object of podignuti, so it is in the accusative case.

However, for many neuter nouns in Croatian, the nominative and accusative singular look the same.

So:

• nominative: jedro = a sail
• accusative: jedro = a sail as the object

That is why the form does not change.

Compare the logic:

• Jedro je veliko. = The sail is big. → subject
• Podignuti ćemo jedro. = We will hoist the sail. → object

Same form, different function.

Podignuti literally means to raise, to lift, or to hoist, depending on context.

In a sailing context, podignuti jedro means:

• to raise the sail
• to hoist the sail

So although the basic meaning is related to lifting something upward, the most natural English translation here is usually hoist the sail.

Because the preposition prije requires the genitive case.

The noun is:

• polazak = departure, setting off

Its genitive singular form is:

• polaska

So:

• prije polaska = before departure / before setting off

This is a very common pattern in Croatian:

• prije ručka = before lunch
• prije puta = before the trip
• prije sastanka = before the meeting

So the case change is caused by the preposition prije.

Polaska is the genitive singular of polazak.

Basic form:

• polazak = departure, leaving, setting off

Genitive singular:

• polaska

This noun comes from the verb poći or is related to the idea of setting off / leaving.

In the sentence, prije polaska means:

• before departure
• before leaving
• in a sailing context, possibly before setting off

Yes, Croatian word order is fairly flexible, but different orders sound more or less natural depending on emphasis.

The original:

• Zajedno ćemo podignuti jedro prije polaska.

Other possible orders include:

• Podignuti ćemo jedro zajedno prije polaska.
• Prije polaska ćemo zajedno podignuti jedro.
• Mi ćemo zajedno podignuti jedro prije polaska.

However, not all versions feel equally neutral. The original sentence is smooth and natural, especially if the speaker wants to emphasize together.

So yes, the order can change, but word order in Croatian often reflects focus and emphasis, not just grammar.

Yes. Depending on style and context, Croatian can use other verbs such as:

• dići = to raise, lift
• dignuti = to raise, lift

So you might also hear:

• Zajedno ćemo dignuti jedro prije polaska.

But podignuti jedro sounds clear and natural, especially in a more standard or careful style.

In nautical language, the exact verb choice may vary, but podignuti jedro is completely understandable and idiomatic.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• before departure is a bit more formal and noun-based
• before leaving is often more natural in everyday English

Since polazak is a noun, the Croatian literally says before departure. But in natural English, you might choose either one.

In a sailing context, it could also suggest:

• before setting off
• before we leave

So the Croatian expression is compact, but the best English wording depends on the situation.