A2 Time Expressions 1 min read سهل

Prepositions with Genitive for Time (tijekom, za vrijeme)

وضع علامة كمكتسب
تدرّب عليها

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'tijekom' or 'za vrijeme' followed by the Genitive case to describe how long an action lasts.

  • Use 'tijekom' for formal duration: Tijekom ljeta (During the summer).
  • Use 'za vrijeme' for general duration: Za vrijeme ručka (During lunch).
  • Always put the noun in the Genitive case after these prepositions.
Preposition (tijekom/za vrijeme) + Noun (Genitive Case)

Genitive Case Formation (Time Nouns)

Noun (Nominative) Noun (Genitive) Example with 'Tijekom'
Dan (Day)
Dana
Tijekom dana
Godina (Year)
Godine
Tijekom godine
Tjedan (Week)
Tjedna
Tijekom tjedna
Sastanak (Meeting)
Sastanka
Tijekom sastanka
Pauza (Break)
Pauze
Tijekom pauze
Ljeto (Summer)
Ljeta
Tijekom ljeta

Meanings

These prepositions indicate that an action occurs within the span of a specific time period.

1

Duration

Indicating an event happening throughout a period.

“Tijekom noći pada kiša.”

“Za vrijeme filma smo jeli kokice.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Prepositions with Genitive for Time (tijekom, za vrijeme)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Tijekom + Genitive
Tijekom ljeta putujem.
Negative
Nisam + Verb + tijekom + Genitive
Nisam radio tijekom vikenda.
Question
Što + Verb + za vrijeme + Genitive?
Što si radio za vrijeme pauze?
Plural
Tijekom + Genitive Plural
Tijekom praznika sam kod kuće.
Formal
Tijekom + Genitive
Tijekom sastanka šutimo.
Informal
Za vrijeme + Genitive
Za vrijeme filma jedemo.

طيف الرسمية

رسمي
Tijekom sastanka

Tijekom sastanka (Work)

محايد
Za vrijeme sastanka

Za vrijeme sastanka (Work)

غير رسمي
Dok je trajao sastanak

Dok je trajao sastanak (Work)

عامية
Na sastanku

Na sastanku (Work)

Time Prepositions Map

Duration

Time Units

  • Dana of the day
  • Godine of the year

Events

  • Sastanka of the meeting
  • Pauze of the break

Tijekom vs Za vrijeme

Tijekom
Tijekom ljeta During summer
Za vrijeme
Za vrijeme ručka During lunch

How to choose

1

Is it formal?

YES
Use Tijekom
NO
Use Za vrijeme

Common Time Nouns

⏰

Time

  • • Dan
  • • Tjedan
  • • Godina
  • • Ljeto
سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

أمثلة حسب المستوى

1

Tijekom dana radim.

I work during the day.

2

Za vrijeme ručka jedem.

I eat during lunch.

3

Tijekom noći spavam.

I sleep during the night.

4

Za vrijeme škole učim.

I study during school.

1

Što radiš tijekom vikenda?

What are you doing during the weekend?

2

Nisam bio tu za vrijeme sastanka.

I wasn't here during the meeting.

3

Tijekom ljeta idem na more.

I go to the sea during the summer.

4

Za vrijeme odmora čitam knjige.

I read books during the break.

1

Tijekom proteklih godina puno sam naučio.

I have learned a lot during the past years.

2

Za vrijeme predavanja mobiteli moraju biti isključeni.

During the lecture, mobile phones must be turned off.

3

Tijekom cijelog procesa bio je vrlo smiren.

He was very calm during the whole process.

4

Za vrijeme rata obitelj je napustila grad.

During the war, the family left the city.

1

Tijekom izrade projekta pojavili su se problemi.

Problems arose during the project creation.

2

Za vrijeme boravka u Zagrebu posjetili smo muzej.

During our stay in Zagreb, we visited a museum.

3

Tijekom rasprave nitko nije govorio.

No one spoke during the discussion.

4

Za vrijeme oluje nismo mogli izaći.

We couldn't go out during the storm.

1

Tijekom stoljeća ovaj grad se mijenjao.

The city has changed over the centuries.

2

Za vrijeme trajanja ugovora ne smijete odustati.

You must not quit during the contract duration.

3

Tijekom izlaganja koristio je puno primjera.

He used many examples during the presentation.

4

Za vrijeme vladavine kralja Petra grad je napredovao.

The city progressed during King Petar's reign.

1

Tijekom procesa tranzicije društvo je bilo nestabilno.

Society was unstable during the transition process.

2

Za vrijeme održavanja manifestacije promet je bio zatvoren.

Traffic was closed during the event.

3

Tijekom cijeloga svog života on je pisao poeziju.

He wrote poetry throughout his entire life.

4

Za vrijeme izvođenja radova koristite obilaznicu.

Use the bypass during the construction works.

سهل الخلط

Prepositions with Genitive for Time (tijekom, za vrijeme) مقابل Tijekom vs U

Learners mix up duration (tijekom) and point in time (u).

Prepositions with Genitive for Time (tijekom, za vrijeme) مقابل Tijekom vs Kroz

Learners translate 'through' as 'kroz' for time.

Prepositions with Genitive for Time (tijekom, za vrijeme) مقابل Za vrijeme vs Vrijeme

Learners forget the preposition 'za'.

أخطاء شائعة

✗

Tijekom dan

✓

Tijekom dana

Missing Genitive case.
✗

Za vrijeme ručak

✓

Za vrijeme ručka

Missing Genitive case.
✗

Tijekom u ponedjeljak

✓

U ponedjeljak

Wrong preposition for specific time.
✗

Za vrijeme noć

✓

Za vrijeme noći

Missing Genitive case.
✗

Tijekom vikend

✓

Tijekom vikenda

Missing Genitive case.
✗

Za vrijeme sastanak

✓

Za vrijeme sastanka

Missing Genitive case.
✗

Tijekom ljeta

✓

Tijekom ljeta

This is correct, but learners often say 'Tijekom ljeto'.
✗

Tijekom praznici

✓

Tijekom praznika

Wrong plural case.
✗

Za vrijeme predavanja

✓

Za vrijeme predavanja

Correct, but learners often use 'u' instead.
✗

Tijekom cijeli dan

✓

Tijekom cijelog dana

Adjective must also be in Genitive.
✗

Tijekom trajanja ugovora

✓

Tijekom trajanja ugovora

Correct, but learners might use 'za vrijeme' in a very formal contract.
✗

Tijekom stoljeća

✓

Tijekom stoljeća

Correct, but learners might use 'kroz stoljeća'.
✗

Tijekom procesa

✓

Tijekom procesa

Correct, but learners might use 'za vrijeme'.
✗

Za vrijeme vladavine

✓

Za vrijeme vladavine

Correct, but learners might use 'tijekom'.

أنماط الجُمل

Tijekom ___ radim.

Za vrijeme ___ sam čitao.

Nisam bio tu tijekom ___.

Tijekom ___ se puno toga promijenilo.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Tijekom vikenda sam na moru! 🌊

Job Interview common

Tijekom studija radio sam kao asistent.

Texting constant

Nazovi me za vrijeme pauze.

Travel common

Što vidjeti tijekom boravka u Splitu?

Food Delivery occasional

Dostava tijekom ručka traje duže.

Academic Writing very common

Tijekom istraživanja uočene su promjene.

سجّل مجاناً لرؤية جميع الأمثلة
💡

Check the Case

Always double-check if your noun is in the Genitive case. It's the most common error.
⚠️

Don't use 'u'

Don't use 'u' for duration. 'U' is for points in time.
🎯

Formal vs Informal

Use 'tijekom' for writing and 'za vrijeme' for speaking.
💬

Regional variations

Be aware that some regions prefer 'preko' for time.

Smart Tips

Always choose 'tijekom' over 'za vrijeme'.

Za vrijeme sastanka smo odlučili... → Tijekom sastanka smo odlučili...

Use 'za vrijeme' to sound more like a native speaker.

Tijekom ručka sam razgovarao... → Za vrijeme ručka sam razgovarao...

Ensure the Genitive plural ending is correct.

Tijekom praznik... → Tijekom praznika...

Use 'tijekom' to emphasize the duration.

U ljeto sam bio na moru. → Tijekom ljeta sam bio na moru.

النطق

/tijěkom/

Tijekom

Pronounced tee-YEH-kom. Stress on the second syllable.

/zâ vrǐjeme/

Za vrijeme

Pronounced zah VREE-yeh-meh. Stress on the second syllable of vrijeme.

Statement

Tijekom dana radim. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Question

Što radiš tijekom dana? ↗

Rising intonation for questions.

احفظها

وسيلة تذكّر

Tijekom is for the 'Time' (T-T), Za vrijeme is for the 'Zone' (Z-Z) of the event.

ربط بصري

Imagine a clock (Tijekom) for formal meetings and a lunch plate (Za vrijeme) for casual breaks.

Rhyme

Tijekom dana, puno plana, za vrijeme ručka, puna je ruka.

Story

Marko had a busy day. Tijekom sastanka (during the meeting) he was bored. Za vrijeme pauze (during the break) he ate a sandwich. Tijekom ljeta (during the summer) he will go to the beach.

Word Web

TijekomZa vrijemeGenitiveVrijemeTrajanjeRazdoblje

تحدٍّ

Write 3 sentences about your day using 'tijekom' and 'za vrijeme'.

ملاحظات ثقافية

In Croatia, 'tijekom' is very common in formal settings like news or university lectures.

In Dalmatia, people often use 'preko' for time duration instead of 'tijekom'.

Slavonians often use 'za vrijeme' in casual conversation.

The word 'tijekom' comes from the verb 'teći' (to flow), meaning 'in the flow of'.

بدايات محادثة

“

Što radiš tijekom vikenda?

“

Kako provodiš vrijeme tijekom ljeta?

“

Što si radio za vrijeme pauze?

“

Koje su tvoje obveze tijekom radnog tjedna?

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

Napiši o svom danu.
Napiši o svom odmoru.
Napiši o svom poslu.
Napiši o povijesnom događaju.

أخطاء شائعة

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with the correct Genitive form.

Tijekom ___ (dan) radim.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dana
Genitive of dan is dana.
Choose the correct preposition. اختيار متعدد

___ ručka sam jeo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tijekom
Tijekom is correct for duration.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Za vrijeme sastanak sam šutio.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Za vrijeme sastanka
Sastanak must be in Genitive.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tijekom dana radim
Correct word order.
Translate to Croatian. الترجمة

During the summer.

Answer starts with: Tij...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tijekom ljeta
Tijekom + Genitive.
Is this correct? True False Rule

Tijekom noći pada kiša.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Correct usage.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Što radiš? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tijekom dana radim
Correct duration expression.
Provide the Genitive form. Conjugation Drill

Godina -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Godine
Genitive of godina is godine.

Score: /8

تمارين تطبيقية

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with the correct Genitive form.

Tijekom ___ (dan) radim.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dana
Genitive of dan is dana.
Choose the correct preposition. اختيار متعدد

___ ručka sam jeo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tijekom
Tijekom is correct for duration.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Za vrijeme sastanak sam šutio.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Za vrijeme sastanka
Sastanak must be in Genitive.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

tijekom / radim / dana

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tijekom dana radim
Correct word order.
Translate to Croatian. الترجمة

During the summer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tijekom ljeta
Tijekom + Genitive.
Is this correct? True False Rule

Tijekom noći pada kiša.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Correct usage.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Što radiš? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tijekom dana radim
Correct duration expression.
Provide the Genitive form. Conjugation Drill

Godina -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Godine
Genitive of godina is godine.

Score: /8

الأسئلة الشائعة (8)

Yes, it is very versatile, but 'za vrijeme' sounds more natural in casual speech.

The Genitive plural ending is '-a' or '-i'. For example, 'tijekom praznika'.

Yes, it is a compound preposition.

Because 'tijekom' requires the Genitive case.

Yes, 'Tijekom ljeta ću putovati' (I will travel during the summer).

Yes, 'u', 'na', 'prije', 'poslije'.

Yes, it is preferred in writing.

Forgetting the case change of the noun.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

سجّل مجاناً للتدريب

In Other Languages

German high

während + Genitive

German case system is slightly different.

French moderate

pendant + Noun

No case changes in French.

Spanish moderate

durante + Noun

No case changes in Spanish.

Japanese partial

no aida

Japanese is agglutinative.

Arabic moderate

khilala

Arabic has a different root system.

Chinese low

qijian

Chinese has no case system.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Distinguishing Accusative vs. Locative with 'U' and 'Na'
Next
Prepositions for Purpose (radi, zbog)

Related Grammar Rules

B1

Prepositions for Time and Duration (tijekom, za vrijeme, nakon)
B1

Instrumental for Time (e.g., ljeti, noću)
A0

Basic Time Expressions (Sada, Danas)
A1

Telling Time (Koliko je sati?)
A1

Prepositions for Time (prije, poslije)
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