Impersonal Constructions with 'Dati se' (It is possible)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'dati se' + infinitive to say something is possible or 'allows' itself to be done, like a door that won't open.
- Use 'dade se' or 'da se' for present possibility: 'To se dade popraviti' (That can be fixed).
- Negative 'ne da se' implies resistance: 'Vrata se ne daju otvoriti' (The door won't open).
- The object usually becomes the subject: 'Problem se dade riješiti' (The problem can be solved).
Conjugation of 'Dati se' in Impersonal Use
| Tense/Mood | Form (3rd Pers. Sing.) | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present (Standard)
|
dade se
|
To se dade popraviti.
|
That can be fixed.
|
|
Present (Colloquial)
|
da se
|
To se da srediti.
|
That can be arranged.
|
|
Past (Masculine)
|
dalo se
|
To se dalo vidjeti.
|
That could be seen.
|
|
Future
|
dat će se
|
To će se dati riješiti.
|
That will be solvable.
|
|
Conditional
|
dalo bi se
|
Dalo bi se raspravljati.
|
It would be possible to discuss.
|
|
Negative Present
|
ne da se / ne dade se
|
Vrata se ne daju.
|
The door won't open/give.
|
Meanings
A construction used to express that an action is possible, feasible, or that an object permits a certain action to be performed on it.
Feasibility
Expressing that a task is objectively possible to complete.
“Sve se to dade srediti.”
“Plan se dade promijeniti u hodu.”
Resistance (Negative)
Used in the negative to show that something 'refuses' to work or be moved.
“Poklopac se ne da odvrnuti.”
“Mrlja se ne da oprati.”
Intellectual Conclusion
Suggesting that a certain conclusion can be drawn from facts.
“Iz ovoga se dade zaključiti da smo uspjeli.”
“Dalo bi se naslutiti što će se dogoditi.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + se + dade + Infinitive
|
Problem se dade riješiti.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + se + ne da + Infinitive
|
Vijak se ne da odvrnuti.
|
|
Question
|
Da li se + dade + Infinitive?
|
Da li se to dade popraviti?
|
|
Past
|
Subject + se + dalo + Infinitive
|
Sve se dalo predvidjeti.
|
|
Plural (Object focus)
|
Objects + se + daju + Infinitive
|
Vrata se ne daju otvoriti.
|
|
Conditional
|
Dalo bi se + Infinitive
|
Dalo bi se još puno reći.
|
|
Short Answer (+)
|
Da se.
|
Can it be done? - It can.
|
|
Short Answer (-)
|
Ne da se.
|
Is it working? - It's stuck.
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Navedeni se nedostatak dade otkloniti. (Repairing something)
To se dade popraviti. (Repairing something)
To se da srediti. (Repairing something)
Ma, da se to skemijati. (Repairing something)
The Nuances of 'Dati se'
Physical
- otvoriti to open
- popraviti to fix
Mental
- zaključiti to conclude
- naslutiti to sense
Social
- nagovoriti to persuade
- prevariti to fool
Moći vs. Dati se
Is it 'Dati se'?
Is it about ability?
Does the object 'allow' the action?
Common Verbs with Dati se
Fixing
- • popraviti
- • srediti
- • ukloniti
Thinking
- • zaključiti
- • naslutiti
- • primijetiti
Resistance
- • otvoriti
- • odvrnuti
- • pomaknuti
Beispiele nach Niveau
To se da.
That's doable / It can be done.
Ne da se!
It won't budge! / It's not giving in!
To se da popraviti.
That can be fixed.
On se ne da.
He's not giving up.
Ovaj se problem da riješiti.
This problem can be solved.
Vrata se ne daju otvoriti.
The door won't open.
To se dalo vidjeti.
That could be seen.
Kolač se da pojesti.
The cake is edible (it can be eaten).
Sve se to dade srediti do sutra.
All of that can be arranged by tomorrow.
Iz ovoga se dade zaključiti nešto važno.
Something important can be concluded from this.
On se ne da lako prevariti.
He isn't easily fooled.
Dalo bi se o tome pričati satima.
One could talk about that for hours.
Kvar se dade ukloniti bez većih troškova.
The malfunction can be removed without major costs.
Njegov se utjecaj dade osjetiti u cijeloj firmi.
His influence can be felt throughout the whole company.
Ova se teorija ne dade lako dokazati.
This theory cannot be easily proven.
Dalo se naslutiti da će doći do promjena.
It could be sensed that changes would occur.
U tekstu se dade iščitati autorovo nezadovoljstvo.
The author's dissatisfaction can be read between the lines in the text.
Pitanje se dade postaviti i na drugačiji način.
The question can also be posed in a different way.
Njegova se tvrdnja dade opovrgnuti čvrstim dokazima.
His claim can be refuted with solid evidence.
Dalo bi se prigovoriti takvom rješenju.
Objections could be raised against such a solution.
Ova se problematika dade svesti na nekoliko ključnih točaka.
This set of problems can be reduced to a few key points.
U njegovu se glasu dalo razabrati potisnuto ogorčenje.
Suppressed bitterness could be discerned in his voice.
Takva se interpretacija ne dade održati pod kritičkim povećalom.
Such an interpretation cannot be sustained under critical scrutiny.
Dalo bi se spekulirati o motivima takva čina.
One could speculate about the motives for such an act.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often use 'dati' (to give) without 'se', thinking it still means possibility.
Both mean 'can', but 'moći' is about ability while 'dati se' is about the object's nature.
This is an idiom meaning 'to start doing something vigorously'.
Häufige Fehler
To dade popraviti.
To se dade popraviti.
Ja se dam popraviti.
To se dade popraviti.
Ne da otvoriti.
Ne da se otvoriti.
To se da popravim.
To se da popraviti.
Vrata se ne da otvoriti.
Vrata se ne daju otvoriti.
To se dalo popravim.
To se dalo popraviti.
On se dade naučiti.
To se dade naučiti.
Dalo se je vidjeti.
Dalo se vidjeti.
Iz toga se da zaključuje.
Iz toga se dade zaključiti.
Ne dade se ga nagovoriti.
Ne dade ga se nagovoriti.
Dalo bi se je raspravljati.
Dalo bi se raspravljati.
Problem se dade riješavajući.
Problem se dade rješavati.
Satzmuster
To se dade ___.
Iz toga se dade zaključiti da ___.
___ se ne da ___.
Dalo bi se ___ o tome.
Real World Usage
Aplikacija se ne da pokrenuti.
Tijesto se dade lako oblikovati.
Moje se vještine daju primijeniti u raznim poljima.
Karta se ne da očitati na terminalu.
To se dalo i očekivati od njega!
Ovaj se vijak ne da odvrnuti.
The 'Stubborn Object' Rule
Don't forget the 'SE'!
Formal vs. Informal
Resilience
Smart Tips
Replace 'može se' with 'dade se' when talking about whether a task is feasible.
Use 'ne da se' instead of 'ne može se' to personify the object's resistance.
Use 'Iz ovoga se dade zaključiti' to introduce your main point.
Just say 'Ne da se!' as a standalone exclamation.
Aussprache
Clitic Stress
The word 'se' is a clitic and has no stress. It leans on the preceding word.
Negative 'Ne'
In 'ne da se', the 'ne' and 'da' are often pronounced as one unit with the stress on 'ne'.
Frustration (Negative)
Ne da se! ↘
Falling intonation at the end shows annoyance.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of the object 'giving' (dati) you permission to act on it.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a stubborn door with a face saying 'I don't give myself to be opened!' (Ne dam se otvoriti!).
Rhyme
Kad se nešto dade, posao se dade!
Story
A mechanic is looking at an old car. He sighs and says, 'Ne da se.' Then he finds a new tool, tries again, and smiles: 'E, sad se dade!' The car finally 'gave' itself to the repair.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look at three objects around you. For each, say if it 'se dade' or 'se ne da' be moved, opened, or broken.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Using 'dati se' in the negative ('Ne dam se!') is a sign of resilience and 'dišpet' (stubborn defiance), a highly valued trait in Dalmatia.
In Zagreb, the shorter form 'da se' is much more common than the formal 'dade se'.
In Croatian business culture, using 'Dalo bi se...' is a polite way to say 'Maybe' or 'We can try', avoiding a direct 'No'.
Derived from the Proto-Slavic verb *dati (to give).
Gesprächseinstiege
Što misliš, dade li se ovaj stari mobitel još popraviti?
Dade li se u tvom gradu preživjeti s prosječnom plaćom?
Iz tvog iskustva, dade li se naučiti hrvatski u godinu dana?
Dalo bi se reći da je tehnologija promijenila sve, zar ne?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
To ___ dade popraviti.
Vrata se ne ___ otvoriti.
Find and fix the mistake:
Problem se dade rješava.
To se može popraviti.
A: Je li ispit bio težak? B: Ma ne, to se ___ naučiti za dva dana.
Pick the sentence where the object is 'stubborn'.
It could be sensed.
Answer starts with: Bot...
Which one would you use in a report?
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesTo ___ dade popraviti.
Vrata se ne ___ otvoriti.
Find and fix the mistake:
Problem se dade rješava.
To se može popraviti.
A: Je li ispit bio težak? B: Ma ne, to se ___ naučiti za dva dana.
Pick the sentence where the object is 'stubborn'.
It could be sensed.
Which one would you use in a report?
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Yes, but it usually means they are stubborn or won't be persuaded, like `On se ne da nagovoriti` (He won't be talked into it).
`Da se` is more common in speech, while `dade se` is the standard literary form used in writing.
It's very similar and often used as a more natural-sounding alternative to the formal passive voice.
Because it's an impersonal construction, we use the neuter singular form of the past participle.
Technically yes, it means 'I allow myself to be...', but it's much less common than the impersonal 3rd person use.
Mostly with transitive verbs (verbs that take an object), as those are the ones that 'allow' an action.
Yes! In a context where you are struggling with something, just saying `Ne da se!` is a perfect way to say 'It's stuck!'
Use the future tense: `Dat će se to riješiti` or `Moći će se to riješiti`.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
sich lassen + infinitive
German uses 'lassen' (let), Croatian uses 'dati' (give).
dejarse + infinitive
Spanish more often uses the 'se-passive' (se puede) for general possibility.
se laisser + infinitive
French often prefers 'on peut' or passive structures.
Potential form (〜える/〜られる)
Japanese is morphological (verb endings), Croatian is syntactic (separate verb + se).
yumkin (يمكن)
Arabic lacks the reflexive 'middle voice' nuance found in Croatian.
kěyǐ (可以) / de (得)
Chinese uses auxiliary verbs rather than reflexive constructions.
