Adverbs of Degree (Vrlo, Jako, Malo)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'vrlo' and 'jako' to intensify adjectives, but only 'jako' or 'malo' can modify verbs directly.
- Use 'vrlo' (formal) or 'jako' (neutral) before adjectives: 'vrlo sretan' (very happy).
- Use 'jako' or 'puno' with verbs: 'jako spavam' (I sleep a lot).
- Use 'malo' for 'a little' with both: 'malo umoran' or 'malo radim'.
Adverbs of Degree: Usage with Parts of Speech
| Adverb | With Adjectives | With Verbs | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Vrlo
|
Yes (vrlo brz)
|
No
|
Formal
|
|
Jako
|
Yes (jako brz)
|
Yes (jako trči)
|
Neutral/Informal
|
|
Malo
|
Yes (malo brz)
|
Yes (malo trči)
|
Neutral
|
|
Puno
|
Rarely
|
Yes (puno trči)
|
Informal
|
|
Dosta
|
Yes (dosta brz)
|
Yes (dosta trči)
|
Neutral
|
|
Prilično
|
Yes (prilično brz)
|
Yes (prilično trči)
|
Neutral/Formal
|
Meanings
Adverbs of degree modify adjectives, other adverbs, or verbs to express the intensity or extent of a quality or action.
High Intensity (Adjectives)
Expressing a high degree of a quality using 'vrlo' or 'jako'.
“Ona je vrlo pametna.”
“Ručak je jako ukusan.”
High Intensity (Actions)
Expressing that an action is performed intensely or frequently using 'jako'.
“Jako te volim.”
“Danas jako pada kiša.”
Low Intensity
Expressing a small degree of a quality or action using 'malo'.
“Malo sam umoran.”
“Govorim malo hrvatski.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (Adj)
|
Adverb + Adjective
|
On je vrlo pametan.
|
|
Affirmative (Verb)
|
Verb + Adverb
|
On spava malo.
|
|
Emphatic (Verb)
|
Adverb + Verb
|
On malo spava.
|
|
Negative (Adj)
|
Nije + Adverb + Adjective
|
Nije jako skupo.
|
|
Negative (Verb)
|
Ne + Verb + Adverb
|
Ne radim puno.
|
|
Question
|
Je li + Adjective + Adverb?
|
Je li kava vrlo vruća?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Da, jako.
|
Da, jako (je).
|
|
Negative Answer
|
Ne, nimalo.
|
Ne, nimalo (nije).
|
طيف الرسمية
Vrlo sam umoran. (Expressing fatigue)
Jako sam umoran. (Expressing fatigue)
Baš sam umoran. (Expressing fatigue)
Mrtav sam umoran. (Expressing fatigue)
The Intensity Scale
High (++)
- Vrlo Very (Formal)
- Jako Very/Strongly
Medium (+)
- Dosta Quite/Enough
- Prilično Fairly
Low (-)
- Malo A little
Vrlo vs. Jako
Which Adverb Should I Use?
Are you modifying a verb?
Is it a formal context?
Common Pairings
Weather
- • Jako vruće
- • Malo oblačno
- • Vrlo vjetrovito
Feelings
- • Jako sretan
- • Malo tužan
- • Vrlo uzbuđen
Food
- • Jako ukusno
- • Malo slano
- • Vrlo slatko
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Kava je vrlo vruća.
The coffee is very hot.
Ona je jako lijepa.
She is very beautiful.
Danas je malo hladno.
Today it is a little cold.
Hvala vam vrlo mnogo.
Thank you very much.
Jako volim ovaj film.
I really love this movie.
On malo govori hrvatski.
He speaks a little Croatian.
Stan je vrlo moderan.
The apartment is very modern.
Boli me malo glava.
My head hurts a little.
Ispit je bio prilično težak.
The exam was quite difficult.
Dosta mi je ovog vremena.
I've had enough of this weather.
On se jako brzo vozi.
He drives very fast.
Bili smo vrlo iznenađeni viješću.
We were very surprised by the news.
Ova odluka je iznimno važna.
This decision is exceptionally important.
On je posve zaboravio na sastanak.
He completely forgot about the meeting.
Situacija je postala vrlo složena.
The situation has become very complex.
Jako se trudim naučiti gramatiku.
I am trying very hard to learn grammar.
Njegov nastup bio je nadasve impresivan.
His performance was above all impressive.
Projekt je tek neznatno promijenjen.
The project was only slightly changed.
Ona je silno željela uspjeti.
She intensely desired to succeed.
To je posvemašnja besmislica.
That is utter nonsense.
Njegova je retorika bila prožeta suptilnim, ali vrlo upečatljivim nijansama.
His rhetoric was permeated with subtle but very striking nuances.
Malo-pomalo, istina je izbila na vidjelo.
Little by little, the truth came to light.
Veoma se radujemo vašem skorom dolasku.
We look forward very much to your soon arrival.
On je nimalo pokoleban kritikama.
He is not in the least shaken by the criticisms.
سهل الخلط
Learners confuse the adverb 'malo' (a little) with the adjective 'mali' (small).
Both can mean 'a lot', but 'jako' is about intensity and 'puno' is about quantity.
They mean the same thing, but 'veoma' is less common in modern Croatian.
أخطاء شائعة
On vrlo trči.
On jako trči.
Ona je mali sretna.
Ona je malo sretna.
Jako on je umoran.
On je jako umoran.
Vrlo hvala.
Puno hvala.
On je vrlo najbrži.
On je uvjerljivo najbrži.
Pijem malo od vode.
Pijem malo vode.
Jako mi se spava.
Jako mi se spava.
On je prilično više visok.
On je prilično viši.
To je vrlo idealno.
To je idealno.
On radi jako.
On radi naporno.
Veoma trčim.
Jako trčim.
أنماط الجُمل
Danas sam ___ (adverb) ___ (adjective).
Ovaj film je ___ (adverb) ___ (adjective).
Ja ___ (verb) ___ (adverb).
Mislim da je ___ (noun) ___ (adverb) ___ (adjective).
Real World Usage
Bilo je jako dobro sinoć!
Molim vas, malo mlijeka.
Vrlo sam motiviran za ovaj posao.
Boli me malo ovdje.
Ova slika je vrlo lijepa!
To je jako blizu.
The Adjective Test
No 'Vrlo' with Verbs
Use 'Jako' for everything
The 'Malo' Softener
Smart Tips
Avoid 'vrlo'. Use 'jako' or 'puno'.
Use 'jako' for heat and cold to sound more natural.
Use 'malo' to soften a negative adjective.
Swap 'jako' for 'vrlo' or 'veoma'.
النطق
Vrlo
Short falling accent on the first syllable.
Jako
Long falling accent on the 'a'.
Malo
Short falling accent on the 'a'.
Emphasis
On je JAKO brz.
Stress the adverb to show extreme degree.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
V is for Very and Vrlo (both formal and for adjectives). J is for Jako and Joy (emotional and for everything).
ربط بصري
Imagine a volume slider on a stereo. 'Malo' is at 2, 'Dosta' is at 5, and 'Jako' is at 10. 'Vrlo' is the same as 10 but in a fancy gold frame.
Rhyme
Vrlo for the book, Jako for the look, Malo for a little bit, that is how they fit!
Story
A professor (Vrlo) only talks about 'very smart' students. A rockstar (Jako) 'really loves' his fans. A mouse (Malo) only eats 'a little' cheese.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Look around your room and describe 5 objects using an adverb of degree (e.g., 'Ovaj stol je vrlo star').
ملاحظات ثقافية
In coastal regions, 'puno' is often used where 'jako' or 'vrlo' would be used in Zagreb.
Speakers may use 'fest' (from German 'fest') as an intensifier.
In formal news broadcasts, 'veoma' is occasionally used, though it is often perceived as a Serbianism by some, despite being part of the Croatian linguistic heritage.
Most Croatian adverbs of degree are derived from adjectives. 'Jako' comes from 'jak' (strong). 'Malo' comes from 'mal' (small).
بدايات محادثة
Jesi li danas jako umoran/umorna?
Što jako voliš raditi vikendom?
Je li tvoj grad vrlo velik ili malo manji?
Misliš li da je hrvatski jezik prilično težak?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
Ova kava je ___ vruća.
Find and fix the mistake:
On vrlo trči svaki dan.
Choose the correct intensity.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I really love pizza.
Answer starts with: Jak...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Kako si? B: ___ sam umoran, ali dobro sam.
You can use 'vrlo' to modify the verb 'raditi'.
Score: /8
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercisesOva kava je ___ vruća.
Find and fix the mistake:
On vrlo trči svaki dan.
Choose the correct intensity.
je / danas / hladno / jako
I really love pizza.
1. Vrlo, 2. Malo, 3. Dosta
A: Kako si? B: ___ sam umoran, ali dobro sam.
You can use 'vrlo' to modify the verb 'raditi'.
Score: /8
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
Yes, `veoma` is a synonym for `vrlo`. It is perfectly correct but slightly less common in modern spoken Croatian than `jako`.
`Malo` means 'a little' (quantity/degree), while `pomalo` means 'gradually' or 'bit by bit'.
Yes, `puno` is often used as a synonym for `jako` with verbs (e.g., `puno radim`), but it primarily means 'a lot' (quantity).
Usually before the adjective (`vrlo sretan`) or after the verb (`radim malo`).
No, you cannot say 'jako pas'. You would say 'veliki pas' (big dog) or 'jako velik pas' (very big dog).
Yes, `vrlo` is the preferred choice for academic writing, news, and formal speeches.
Use the word `previše`. For example, `previše vruće` (too hot).
Use `nimalo`. For example, `Nisam nimalo gladan` (I am not at all hungry).
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
muy / mucho
Croatian 'jako' is more versatile than 'muy'.
très / beaucoup
French requires 'de' after 'beaucoup' for nouns, while Croatian 'malo' uses the genitive case.
sehr / viel
German 'sehr' can modify verbs, while Croatian 'vrlo' cannot.
totemo / sukoshi
Japanese intensifiers often change based on politeness levels, which Croatian doesn't do.
jiddan / qaliilan
Word order is reversed compared to Croatian.
hěn / yīdiǎn
Croatian adverbs are for emphasis; Chinese 'hěn' is often a grammatical placeholder.
