Negative Imperative (Nemoj + Infinitive)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'Nemoj' plus the infinitive to tell someone NOT to do something without worrying about complex verb endings.
- Use 'Nemoj' for one person you know well: 'Nemoj raditi' (Don't work).
- Use 'Nemojte' for groups or formal situations: 'Nemojte pušiti' (Don't smoke).
- Always follow 'Nemoj' with the full dictionary form (infinitive) of the verb.
The Three Forms of 'Nemoj'
| Subject | Nemoj Form | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ti (You sing.)
|
Nemoj
|
Infinitive
|
Nemoj plakati (Don't cry)
|
|
Vi (You plur./formal)
|
Nemojte
|
Infinitive
|
Nemojte plakati (Don't cry)
|
|
Mi (We/Let's)
|
Nemojmo
|
Infinitive
|
Nemojmo plakati (Let's not cry)
|
Meanings
The primary way to express a negative command or prohibition in Croatian, functioning similarly to the English 'don't'.
Direct Prohibition
Telling someone to stop an action or not to start it.
“Nemoj vikati!”
“Nemojte dirati izložbu.”
Gentle Advice/Warning
Suggesting that an action might have negative consequences.
“Nemoj piti previše kave.”
“Nemojte zaboraviti kišobran.”
Social Media/Marketing Calls to Action
Used in advertisements to create urgency or engagement.
“Nemojte propustiti ovu priliku!”
“Nemoj čekati, kupi odmah!”
Reference Table
| Type | Structure | Croatian Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Informal Singular
|
Nemoj + Inf.
|
Nemoj trčati.
|
Don't run.
|
|
Formal / Plural
|
Nemojte + Inf.
|
Nemojte trčati.
|
Don't run.
|
|
First Person Plural
|
Nemojmo + Inf.
|
Nemojmo trčati.
|
Let's not run.
|
|
Reflexive Verb
|
Nemoj + se + Inf.
|
Nemoj se micati.
|
Don't move.
|
|
With Object Pronoun
|
Nemoj + me + Inf.
|
Nemoj me gledati.
|
Don't look at me.
|
|
With Perfective Verb
|
Nemoj + Inf. (Perf)
|
Nemoj pasti.
|
Don't fall (warning).
|
|
With Imperfective Verb
|
Nemoj + Inf. (Imperf)
|
Nemoj lagati.
|
Don't lie (general).
|
Formalitätsspektrum
Nemojte zaboraviti na sastanak. (Work/Social)
Nemojte zaboraviti sastanak. (Work/Social)
Nemoj zaboravit' sastanak. (Work/Social)
Nemoj fulat sastanak. (Work/Social)
The Nemoj System
Forms
- Nemoj You (informal)
- Nemojte You (formal/plural)
- Nemojmo Let's not
Verb Partner
- Infinitive Dictionary form (-ti/-ći)
Direct vs. Nemoj Imperative
Choosing the Right Form
Are you talking to one friend?
Are you talking to a group or a boss?
Common Verbs with Nemoj
Warnings
- • Zaboraviti
- • Pasti
- • Zakasniti
Daily Actions
- • Brinuti se
- • Čekati
- • Gledati
Beispiele nach Niveau
Nemoj piti.
Don't drink.
Nemojte spavati.
Don't sleep (formal/plural).
Nemoj raditi.
Don't work.
Nemojmo ići.
Let's not go.
Nemoj zakasniti na vlak.
Don't be late for the train.
Nemojte pušiti ovdje.
Don't smoke here.
Nemoj se bojati psa.
Don't be afraid of the dog.
Nemojte zaboraviti ključeve.
Don't forget the keys.
Nemoj me prekidati dok govorim.
Don't interrupt me while I'm speaking.
Nemojte kupovati to auto, preskupo je.
Don't buy that car, it's too expensive.
Nemojmo trošiti novac na gluposti.
Let's not waste money on nonsense.
Nemoj mu reći našu tajnu.
Don't tell him our secret.
Nemojte se ustručavati kontaktirati nas.
Don't hesitate to contact us.
Nemojte dopustiti da vas to obeshrabri.
Don't let that discourage you.
Nemoj misliti da je to lako.
Don't think that it's easy.
Nemojte nikome otvarati vrata.
Don't open the door to anyone.
Nemojte olako shvaćati ove upozorenja.
Don't take these warnings lightly.
Nemojmo se zavaravati, situacija je teška.
Let's not delude ourselves; the situation is difficult.
Nemojte ni pomišljati na predaju.
Don't even think about surrendering.
Nemoj mi se tu izmotavati!
Don't give me those excuses!
Nemojte da vas zavede njegov prividni mir.
Do not let his apparent calm deceive you.
Nemojmo brzati s donošenjem zaključaka.
Let us not rush into drawing conclusions.
Nemojte se dati smesti sitnim provokacijama.
Don't allow yourself to be flustered by petty provocations.
Nemoj, molim te, opet o istoj temi.
Please, don't start on the same topic again.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners don't know when to use 'Ne radi' vs 'Nemoj raditi'.
Both express prohibition.
Confusing 'Don't' with 'You can't'.
Häufige Fehler
Ne raditi.
Nemoj raditi.
Nemoj radi.
Nemoj raditi.
Nemojte spava.
Nemojte spavati.
Ne nemoj raditi.
Nemoj raditi.
Nemoj bojati se.
Nemoj se bojati.
Nemojte zaboravi.
Nemojte zaboraviti.
Nemoj me zaboravi.
Nemoj me zaboraviti.
Nemoj kupiti kruh svaki dan.
Nemoj kupovati kruh svaki dan.
Nemojte da idete.
Nemojte ići.
Nemojmo ga vidjeti.
Nemojmo ga vidjeti.
Nemojte se ustručavati da pitate.
Nemojte se ustručavati pitati.
Satzmuster
Nemoj ___ (verb).
Nemojte ___ (verb) na ___ (place/thing).
Nemoj se ___ (verb).
Nemojmo ___ (verb) o ___ (topic).
Real World Usage
Nemojte zaboraviti zapratiti naš profil!
Nemoj kasnit, molim te.
Nemojte dirati eksponate.
Nemojte se ustručavati pitati o plaći.
Nemojte zaboraviti ocijeniti dostavljača.
Nemojte piti hladnu vodu.
The 'i' Drop
Reflexive 'Se'
Aspect Matters
Politeness
Smart Tips
Just use 'Nemoj' + Infinitive. It's a safe 'cheat code' that is always grammatically correct for negative commands.
Think of 'Nemoj se' as a single unit. Never separate them.
Add 'molim vas' at the end of a 'Nemojte' command.
Drop the final 'i' of the infinitive to sound more like a native speaker from Zagreb or Split.
Aussprache
The Falling Tone
The word 'Nemoj' usually has a falling accent on the first syllable.
Infinitive 'i' drop
In casual speech, the final 'i' of the infinitive is often dropped.
Command Intonation
Nemoj to raditi! ↘
A sharp drop at the end indicates a firm command.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Nemoj starts with 'Ne' (No) and ends with 'Moj' (My). Think: 'No, my friend, don't do that!'
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a giant red 'X' over a dictionary. The 'X' is the word 'Nemoj', and the dictionary represents the 'Infinitive' form you find inside it.
Rhyme
Nemoj, nemojte, nemojmo svi, Infinitive dodaj i miran si ti!
Story
A strict but kind Croatian grandmother is following you around. Every time you try to do something dangerous, she shouts 'Nemoj!' and points to the action. She doesn't need to conjugate; she just uses the base verb.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look around your room and find 3 things you shouldn't do (e.g., don't jump, don't sleep, don't eat). Say them aloud in Croatian using 'Nemoj'.
Kulturelle Hinweise
Croatians are often very direct. Using 'Nemoj' is common and not necessarily seen as rude, but adding 'molim te' (please) softens it significantly.
In coastal regions, you will almost always hear the shortened infinitive (without the 'i').
In the capital, 'nemoj' is often used with German-derived slang verbs.
Derived from the Old Church Slavonic 'ne mozi', the imperative of 'moći' (to be able).
Gesprächseinstiege
Što ne smijem raditi u tvom gradu?
Daj mi savjet za učenje hrvatskog.
Što roditelji govore djeci prije škole?
Kako se ponašati na razgovoru za posao?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
___ zaboraviti dokumente.
Nemoj ___ bojati.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ne raditi to!
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ trošiti vrijeme.
Nemoj ___ (pasti).
___
Score: /8
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercises___ zaboraviti dokumente.
Nemoj ___ bojati.
Find and fix the mistake:
Ne raditi to!
zaboraviti / me / nemoj / nazvati
Don't cry (informal)
___ trošiti vrijeme.
Nemoj ___ (pasti).
___
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
Yes! If someone is doing something you don't like, you can just shout `Nemoj!` It's like saying 'Don't!' or 'Stop it!'
Technically, it's a defective verb, meaning it only has imperative forms. You can't conjugate it in the past or future.
`Ne` is a general negative particle (not), while `Nemoj` is specifically for commands (don't).
This is a construction more common in Serbian. In standard Croatian, we prefer `Nemoj` + infinitive.
Yes, any verb in its infinitive form can follow `nemoj`.
Use `Nemoj biti`. For example, `Nemoj biti tužan` (Don't be sad).
These short pronouns always go immediately after the `nemoj` form: `Nemoj ga dirati` (Don't touch it).
No, it is also for one person if you are being polite or formal (like the 'V-form' in other languages).
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Don't + base verb
Croatian 'nemoj' changes for singular/plural/formal subjects.
No + Subjunctive
Spanish uses the subjunctive mood; Croatian uses the infinitive.
Imperativ + nicht
German puts the negation after the verb; Croatian puts 'nemoj' before.
Ne + Imperative + pas
French uses a double-part negation around a conjugated verb.
Verb-nai + de kudasai
Japanese is agglutinative (attaches to the verb); Croatian is analytic (separate words).
La + Jussive
Arabic requires a specific verb mood (Jussive).
Bié (别) + Verb
Chinese 'bié' does not change for plural or formal subjects.
