Some prepositions change meaning with the case. The logic: accusative = movement towards, locative / instrumental = position.
| preposition | with the accusative | with the other case |
|---|---|---|
| u, na | Idem u grad. — I'm going into town. | + L: Živim u gradu. — I live in town. |
| pod, pred, nad, među | Mačka je otišla pod sto. — The cat went under the table. | + I: Mačka je pod stolom. — The cat is under the table. |
| za | “for”, “in (time)”: za tebe, za dva dana — in two days | + I: “behind, at”: za stolom — at the table; Idi za mnom. — Follow me. |
| po | “to fetch”: Idem po hljeb. — I'm going to get bread. | + L: “around, according to”: po gradu, po kiši, po meni (in my opinion) |
| s(a) | — | + I “with”: sa sestrom; + G “off, from”: sa stola, s posla |
The three questions kuda? / gdje? / odakle?
| where to (A) | where (L or G) | where from (G) |
|---|---|---|
| u školu | u školi | iz škole |
| na posao | na poslu | s(a) posla |
| kod doktora (G) | kod doktora | od doktora |
Remember the pairs: u → iz, na → s(a), kod → od. With a person, always use kod + genitive: Idem kod mame. — I'm going to mum's.
sa / s: sa before s, z, š, ž and before mnom (sa sestrom, sa mnom); elsewhere s or sa depending on the region.
Time: u ponedjeljak (A, on Monday), u pet sati (A, at five), u julu / srpnju (L, in July), prije dva dana (G, two days ago), za dva dana (A, in two days), poslije / nakon ručka (G, after lunch), tokom / tijekom ljeta (G, during the summer), od jutra do mraka (G). Instrumental for habits: ponedjeljkom (on Mondays), noću (at night).
Translate the words from your reading, review them as flashcards and practise with gap-fill sentences.
wortlo.com →