A2 Particles 1 min read سهل

Short Forms of 'Htjeti' (Ću, ćeš, će...)

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use these short forms (ću, ćeš, će...) to create the future tense in Croatian.

  • Use 'ću' for 'I will' (Ja ću raditi).
  • Use 'ćeš' for 'You will' (Ti ćeš raditi).
  • Use 'će' for he/she/it/they will (On će raditi).
Subject + Short Form + Verb (Infinitive)

Future Tense Auxiliary (Short Forms)

Person Short Form (Affirmative) Negative Question
Ja
ću
neću
hoću li
Ti
ćeš
nećeš
hoćeš li
On/Ona/Ono
će
neće
hoće li
Mi
ćemo
nećemo
hoćemo li
Vi
ćete
nećete
hoćete li
Oni/One/Ona
će
neće
hoće li

Meanings

These are the enclitic (short) forms of the verb 'htjeti' (to want), used primarily to form the future tense in Croatian.

1

Future Tense

Indicating an action that will happen in the future.

“Ja ću ići u školu.”

“Mi ćemo jesti kasnije.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Short Forms of 'Htjeti' (Ću, ćeš, će...)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + Short Form + Infinitive
Ja ću raditi
Negative
Ne + Short Form + Infinitive
Neću raditi
Question
Hoću li + Infinitive
Hoću li raditi?
Short Answer
Hoću / Neću
Hoćeš li? - Hoću.
Reflexive
Subject + Short Form + se + Infinitive
Ja ću se igrati
Inverted
Infinitive + Short Form (Poetic)
Raditi ću

طيف الرسمية

رسمي
Doći ću.

Doći ću. (Meeting a friend)

محايد
Ja ću doći.

Ja ću doći. (Meeting a friend)

غير رسمي
Doći ću.

Doći ću. (Meeting a friend)

عامية
Dolazim (using present for future).

Dolazim (using present for future). (Meeting a friend)

The Future Tense Map

Future Tense

Affirmative

  • Ja ću I will

Negative

  • Neću I won't

Question

  • Hoću li Will I

Short vs Long Forms

Short (Future)
ću will
Long (Want)
hoću I want

How to ask a question

1

Is it a question?

YES
Use 'Hoću li' + Infinitive
NO
Use Subject + 'ću' + Infinitive

Future Tense Components

⚡

Particles

  • • ću
  • • ćeš
  • • će
  • • ćemo
  • • ćete
سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

أمثلة حسب المستوى

1

Ja ću raditi.

I will work.

2

Ti ćeš učiti.

You will study.

3

On će spavati.

He will sleep.

4

Mi ćemo ići.

We will go.

1

Neću ići u školu.

I will not go to school.

2

Hoćeš li raditi?

Will you work?

3

Danas ću biti kod kuće.

Today I will be at home.

4

Oni će doći sutra.

They will come tomorrow.

1

Sutra ću, ako budem imao vremena, posjetiti baku.

Tomorrow, if I have time, I will visit grandma.

2

Neću ti to reći.

I won't tell you that.

3

Hoćemo li mi to završiti na vrijeme?

Will we finish that on time?

4

On će se vratiti.

He will return.

1

Zasigurno ću se potruditi da dođem.

I will certainly try to come.

2

Nećeš vjerovati što se dogodilo.

You won't believe what happened.

3

Hoće li oni biti spremni?

Will they be ready?

4

Mi ćemo se pobrinuti za to.

We will take care of that.

1

Budeš li me pitao, reći ću ti istinu.

If you ask me, I will tell you the truth.

2

Nećeš li mi pomoći?

Won't you help me?

3

Oni će, bez obzira na sve, uspjeti.

They will, regardless of everything, succeed.

4

Ja ću se, naravno, složiti s vama.

I will, of course, agree with you.

1

Neću li ja biti taj koji odlučuje?

Won't I be the one who decides?

2

On će se, kako je i obećao, pojaviti na vrijeme.

He will, as he promised, appear on time.

3

Mi ćemo se, nadam se, uskoro vidjeti.

We will, I hope, see each other soon.

4

Hoćete li vi to doista učiniti?

Will you really do that?

سهل الخلط

Short Forms of 'Htjeti' (Ću, ćeš, će...) مقابل Htjeti (to want) vs. Future Auxiliary

Both use the same base, but one is a verb and one is a particle.

Short Forms of 'Htjeti' (Ću, ćeš, će...) مقابل Future Tense vs. Present Tense

Present tense is sometimes used for future in casual speech.

Short Forms of 'Htjeti' (Ću, ćeš, će...) مقابل Enclitic placement

Learners put it at the start.

أخطاء شائعة

✗

Ću ići.

✓

Ja ću ići.

Enclitics cannot start a sentence.
✗

Ja ću radim.

✓

Ja ću raditi.

Must use infinitive.
✗

On ćeš ići.

✓

On će ići.

Wrong person conjugation.
✗

Ja ću ne raditi.

✓

Neću raditi.

Negative merges with the particle.
✗

Hoću li ja raditi?

✓

Hoću li raditi?

Subject is optional/redundant.
✗

Sutra raditi ću.

✓

Sutra ću raditi.

Enclitic must be in second position.
✗

Neću li raditi?

✓

Zar neću raditi?

Question structure needs care.
✗

Ja ću, sutra, raditi.

✓

Sutra ću raditi.

Placement affects flow.
✗

Hoće li on će raditi?

✓

Hoće li on raditi?

Double auxiliary error.
✗

Ja ću se vratiti sutra.

✓

Vratit ću se sutra.

Enclitic chain rules.
✗

Raditi ću.

✓

Radit ću.

Infinitive drops final 'i' before 'ću'.
✗

Neću li ja to uraditi?

✓

Neću li to uraditi?

Stylistic preference.
✗

On će biti će raditi.

✓

On će raditi.

Redundancy.
✗

Ću li raditi?

✓

Hoću li raditi?

Must use full form in questions.

أنماط الجُمل

Ja ću ___ (infinitive).

Hoćeš li ___ (infinitive)?

Neću ___ (infinitive) danas.

Mi ćemo se ___ (reflexive infinitive).

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Doći ću u 8.

Work Email very common

Poslat ću vam izvještaj.

Ordering Food common

Ja ću pizzu.

Travel common

Kupit ću kartu.

Social Media common

Objavit ću slike.

Job Interview very common

Potrudit ću se.

سجّل مجاناً لرؤية جميع الأمثلة
💡

Second Position Rule

Always check if your 'ću' is the second word in the sentence.
⚠️

Don't start with 'Ću'

It's a common mistake that sounds very unnatural.
🎯

Infinitive Drop

Remember to drop the final 'i' of the infinitive before 'ću' (e.g., radit ću).
💬

Regional Variation

Be aware that in some regions, people use 'budem' instead of 'ću'.

Smart Tips

Drop the final 'i' of the infinitive before 'ću'.

Raditi ću. → Radit ću.

Put the subject first, then the short form.

Ću ja raditi. → Ja ću raditi.

Always use 'hoću li' instead of 'ću li'.

Ću li raditi? → Hoću li raditi?

Merge 'ne' with the short form.

Ne ću raditi. → Neću raditi.

النطق

/tɕ/

The 'Ć' sound

The 'ć' is a soft 'ch' sound, like in 'church' but softer.

Statement

Ja ću raditi ↘

Falling intonation for statements.

Question

Hoću li raditi? ↗

Rising intonation for questions.

احفظها

وسيلة تذكّر

Remember the 'Ć' sound: Ću, ćeš, će, ćemo, ćete, će. It sounds like a train whistle starting up!

ربط بصري

Imagine a small train car (the particle) attaching to the main engine (the verb) to pull it into the future.

Rhyme

Ja ću, ti ćeš, on će, mi ćemo, vi ćete, oni će.

Story

I am standing at the station. I say 'Ja ću' (I will) get on the train. My friend asks 'Hoćeš li?' (Will you?). I say 'Neću' (I won't) because I am waiting for the bus.

Word Web

ćućešćećemoćetenećuhoću

تحدٍّ

Write 5 sentences about what you will do tomorrow using these forms.

ملاحظات ثقافية

In Dalmatia, they often use 'ću' as a suffix attached to the verb.

Standard Croatian is strictly followed in formal settings.

They often use 'budem' + participle for future actions.

Derived from the Old Church Slavonic 'hotěti'.

بدايات محادثة

“

Što ćeš raditi sutra?

“

Hoćeš li ići na more?

“

Što ćeš kuhati za večeru?

“

Hoćete li vi sudjelovati u projektu?

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

Napiši 5 stvari koje ćeš raditi sutra.
Što će tvoji prijatelji raditi za vikend?
Opiši svoje planove za sljedeću godinu.
Što misliš, kako će svijet izgledati za 50 godina?

أخطاء شائعة

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

Incorrect

صحيح

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct form.

Ja ___ raditi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ću
First person singular.
Select the correct sentence. اختيار متعدد

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću raditi.
Enclitic rule.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ja ću radim.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću raditi.
Must use infinitive.
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: Ja ću raditi.
Standard word order.
Translate to Croatian. الترجمة

I will eat.

Answer starts with: Ja ...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću jesti.
Correct future form.
Conjugate for 'Ti'. Conjugation Drill

Ja ću raditi -> Ti ___ raditi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ćeš
Second person singular.
Match the person to the form. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ćemo
First person plural.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Hoćeš li doći? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Hoću.
Full form for short answers.

Score: /8

تمارين تطبيقية

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form.

Ja ___ raditi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ću
First person singular.
Select the correct sentence. اختيار متعدد

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću raditi.
Enclitic rule.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ja ću radim.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću raditi.
Must use infinitive.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

raditi / ću / ja

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću raditi.
Standard word order.
Translate to Croatian. الترجمة

I will eat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ja ću jesti.
Correct future form.
Conjugate for 'Ti'. Conjugation Drill

Ja ću raditi -> Ti ___ raditi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ćeš
Second person singular.
Match the person to the form. Match Pairs

Mi -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ćemo
First person plural.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Hoćeš li doći? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Hoću.
Full form for short answers.

Score: /8

الأسئلة الشائعة (8)

No, 'ću' is an enclitic and must follow another word.

'Ću' is for the future tense, 'hoću' means 'I want'.

It's a phonetic rule to make the transition smoother.

Yes, but some dialects prefer 'budem' for future.

Use 'hoću li' + infinitive.

No, it must be followed by an infinitive verb.

No, you can drop the subject if the person is clear.

The auxiliary attaches to the first verb or the subject.

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

werden + infinitive

German 'werden' is not an enclitic.

French partial

aller + infinitive

French uses a full verb, not an enclitic.

Spanish partial

ir a + infinitive

Spanish is not an enclitic system.

Japanese low

verb + darou/tsumori

Japanese is agglutinative.

Arabic partial

sa- prefix

Arabic is a prefix, Croatian is a separate word.

Chinese low

yào/huì

Chinese has no conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Future Tense I (Futur Prvi): Formation with 'Htjeti'
Next
Using Futur I for Future Actions and Plans

Related Grammar Rules

A1

Short Forms of 'Biti' (Clitics)
A1

Question Particles (Li)
B2

Particles for Emphasis and Nuance (Baš, Eto, Valjda)
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