A1 Prepositions 1 min read Leicht

Prepositions with Accusative (Location & Direction)

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use the Accusative case after prepositions like 'u' (into) or 'na' (onto) when describing movement toward a destination.

  • Use 'u' + Accusative for entering enclosed spaces: Idem u školu (I am going to school).
  • Use 'na' + Accusative for open surfaces or events: Idem na koncert (I am going to a concert).
  • Most feminine nouns ending in -a change to -u in the Accusative case.
Subject + Verb + [u/na] + Destination (Accusative)

Accusative Case Endings (Singular)

Gender Nominative Accusative Example
Masculine (Inanimate)
grad
grad
Idem u grad
Feminine
škola
školu
Idem u školu
Neuter
more
more
Idem na more
Masculine (Animate)
prijatelj
prijatelja
Vidim prijatelja
Feminine (Consonant)
stvar
stvar
Idem u stvar (rare)
Neuter (Ending -e)
polje
polje
Idem na polje

Meanings

This rule defines the grammatical case used when a verb expresses motion toward a specific location.

1

Physical Motion

Movement into or onto a location.

“Idem u kino.”

“Putujem na more.”

2

Abstract Destination

Moving toward an event or state.

“Idem na posao.”

“Idem na sastanak.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Prepositions with Accusative (Location & Direction)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subj + Verb + u/na + Acc
Idem u školu.
Negative
Subj + ne + Verb + u/na + Acc
Ne idem u školu.
Question
Verb + li + Subj + u/na + Acc
Ideš li u školu?
Short Answer
Da/Ne + Verb
Da, idem.
Plural
Subj + Verb + u/na + Acc(pl)
Idem u gradove.
Adjective
Subj + Verb + u/na + Adj(Acc) + Noun(Acc)
Idem u novu školu.

Formalitätsspektrum

Formell
Idem u trgovinu.

Idem u trgovinu. (Daily life)

Neutral
Idem u dućan.

Idem u dućan. (Daily life)

Informell
Idem u dućkas.

Idem u dućkas. (Daily life)

Umgangssprache
Palim u dućan.

Palim u dućan. (Daily life)

Directional Prepositions

Motion

Enclosed

  • u into

Open/Event

  • na onto/at

Locative vs Accusative

Locative (Static)
u školi at school
Accusative (Motion)
u školu to school

Choosing the Case

1

Is there movement?

YES
Use Accusative
NO
Use Locative

Common Destinations

🏠

Buildings

  • • škola
  • • kino
  • • banka
🎉

Events

  • • koncert
  • • sastanak
  • • zabava

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

Idem u školu.

I am going to school.

2

Idem na posao.

I am going to work.

3

Idem u kino.

I am going to the cinema.

4

Putujem na more.

I am traveling to the seaside.

1

Trčim u park.

I am running to the park.

2

Idem na koncert.

I am going to a concert.

3

Dolazim u Zagreb.

I am arriving in Zagreb.

4

Idem na fakultet.

I am going to university.

1

Sutra idem u novu knjižnicu.

Tomorrow I am going to the new library.

2

Idemo na važan sastanak.

We are going to an important meeting.

3

Moram ići u banku.

I have to go to the bank.

4

Vraćam se na staro mjesto.

I am returning to the old place.

1

Uputio se u nepoznatu avanturu.

He headed into an unknown adventure.

2

Idemo na veliku proslavu.

We are going to a big celebration.

3

Ušao je u dvoranu.

He entered the hall.

4

Stigao je na odredište.

He arrived at the destination.

1

Uronio je u duboku analizu problema.

He dived into a deep analysis of the problem.

2

Krenuli su na dug put.

They set off on a long journey.

3

Ušao je u raspravu.

He entered into a discussion.

4

Pozvani smo na svečanu večeru.

We are invited to a formal dinner.

1

Ušao je u povijest.

He went down in history.

2

Krenuo je na put bez povratka.

He set off on a journey of no return.

3

Ušao je u trag istini.

He got on the trail of the truth.

4

Pozvao me na ples.

He invited me to dance.

Leicht verwechselbar

Prepositions with Accusative (Location & Direction) vs. Locative vs Accusative

Both use 'u' and 'na'.

Prepositions with Accusative (Location & Direction) vs. Genitive of Direction

Some learners use Genitive for destination.

Prepositions with Accusative (Location & Direction) vs. Dative Case

Dative is for people/indirect objects.

Häufige Fehler

✗

Idem u školi.

✓

Idem u školu.

Using Locative instead of Accusative.
✗

Idem na školu.

✓

Idem u školu.

Wrong preposition for a building.
✗

Idem u posao.

✓

Idem na posao.

Wrong preposition for work.
✗

Idem na kino.

✓

Idem u kino.

Wrong preposition for cinema.
✗

Idem u koncert.

✓

Idem na koncert.

Events require 'na'.
✗

Putujem u more.

✓

Putujem na more.

Seaside is 'na'.
✗

Idem u sastanak.

✓

Idem na sastanak.

Meetings require 'na'.
✗

Idem u nogomet.

✓

Idem na nogomet.

Sports events require 'na'.
✗

Idem na banku.

✓

Idem u banku.

Banks are buildings.
✗

Idem u zabavu.

✓

Idem na zabavu.

Parties are events.
✗

Ušao sam u raspravu.

✓

Ušao sam u raspravu.

This is actually correct, but often confused with 'na'.
✗

Krenuo sam na putovanje.

✓

Krenuo sam na putovanje.

Correct, but learners often use 'u'.
✗

Ušao sam na trag.

✓

Ušao sam u trag.

Idiomatic usage.

Satzmuster

Idem u ___.

Idem na ___.

Putujem u ___.

Moram ići u ___ jer ___.

Real World Usage

Texting a friend constant

Idem u kafić, dođi!

Job interview common

Idem na razgovor za posao.

Travel booking common

Idem u Split.

Food delivery common

Idem po hranu.

Social media very common

Idem na more! 🌊

University common

Idem na predavanje.

💡

Check the verb

If the verb implies motion (ići, trčati, putovati), use the Accusative.
⚠️

Don't use Locative

Locative is for static location. Never use it for movement.
🎯

Feminine nouns

Always check if your noun ends in -a. If it does, it will change to -u.
💬

Listen to natives

Pay attention to whether they use 'u' or 'na' for specific places.

Smart Tips

Think: Is it a building? Use 'u'. Is it an event? Use 'na'.

Idem u koncert. → Idem na koncert.

Always check if it ends in -a. If it does, change it to -u.

Idem u škola. → Idem u školu.

Cities are almost always 'u'.

Idem na Zagreb. → Idem u Zagreb.

Work is always 'na posao'.

Idem u posao. → Idem na posao.

Aussprache

školu [shko-loo]

Vowel length

The final -u in Accusative is short.

u-školu

Preposition linking

Prepositions 'u' and 'na' are often pronounced as part of the next word.

Statement

Idem u školu. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Question

Ideš li u školu? ↗

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'U' as an 'U-turn' into a building, and 'NA' as 'N-ext' to an event.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a student running toward a school building (U-turn shape) and then jumping onto a stage for a concert (NA).

Rhyme

When you go to a place that's new, change the -a to a -u!

Story

Ana is going to school. She walks into the building (u školu). Then she goes to a concert (na koncert). She is very happy.

Word Web

ićiputovatitrčatiunaškolaposaomore

Herausforderung

Write 5 sentences about where you are going today using 'Idem u/na'.

Kulturelle Hinweise

Croatians are very specific about 'u' vs 'na'. Using 'na' for a building can sound like you are going to the roof!

In coastal regions, 'na' is used more frequently for islands and coastal towns.

Urban slang often uses 'na' for specific city spots.

The Accusative case is a Proto-Indo-European inheritance, marking the direct object or the goal of motion.

Gesprächseinstiege

“

Kamo ideš?

“

Ideš li na koncert?

“

Kamo putuješ ovog ljeta?

“

Zašto ideš u banku?

Tagebuch-Impulse

Describe your daily route to work or school.
Plan a perfect weekend trip.
Write about a time you got lost.
Discuss the importance of public spaces in your city.

Häufige Fehler

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Incorrect

Richtig

Test Yourself

Fill in the correct form.

Idem u ___ (škola).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: školu
Feminine -a changes to -u.
Choose the correct preposition. Multiple Choice

Idem ___ koncert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: na
Events use 'na'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Idem u poslu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Idem na posao
Work is 'na posao'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

u / Idem / školu

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Idem u školu
Standard word order.
Match the destination. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1. u, 2. na
Buildings vs Events.
Fill in the correct form.

Putujem u ___ (Zagreb).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Zagreb
Masculine inanimate stays same.
Is this correct? Multiple Choice

Idem u kino.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Da
Correct usage.
Change to motion. Sentence Transformation

Ja sam u školi. (Change to motion)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Idem u školu
Static to motion.

Score: /8

Ubungsaufgaben

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form.

Idem u ___ (škola).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: školu
Feminine -a changes to -u.
Choose the correct preposition. Multiple Choice

Idem ___ koncert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: na
Events use 'na'.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Idem u poslu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Idem na posao
Work is 'na posao'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

u / Idem / školu

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Idem u školu
Standard word order.
Match the destination. Match Pairs

Match: 1. Kino, 2. Koncert

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1. u, 2. na
Buildings vs Events.
Fill in the correct form.

Putujem u ___ (Zagreb).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Zagreb
Masculine inanimate stays same.
Is this correct? Multiple Choice

Idem u kino.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Da
Correct usage.
Change to motion. Sentence Transformation

Ja sam u školi. (Change to motion)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Idem u školu
Static to motion.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

It is the rule for feminine nouns in the Accusative case.

Use 'na' for events, open surfaces, and some specific locations.

No, that is Locative. Use 'Idem u grad'.

No, mostly feminine nouns ending in -a.

No, you will sound unnatural.

Plural forms are different; focus on singular first.

No, Locative is for static location.

It often depends on whether it's an enclosed space or an event.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

German high

Akkusativ

German has more complex prepositional rules.

Spanish low

Preposición 'a'

Croatian has more specific prepositional categories.

French low

Préposition 'à'

Croatian uses case endings; French does not.

Japanese moderate

Particle 'e' (へ)

Japanese particles are post-positional.

Arabic moderate

Mansoub case

Arabic grammar is Semitic, not Slavic.

Chinese low

Verb + 'dao' (到)

Chinese is isolating; Croatian is inflectional.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Prepositions with Genitive (Origin & Separation)

Related Grammar Rules

B2

Prepositions Governing Dative and Locative (e.g., pri, k)
A1

Prepositions with Genitive (Origin & Separation)
A2

Using Locative to Express 'About' or 'On'
A2

Expressing 'By Means of' (Čime?)
B1

Prepositions Expressing Concession (unatoč, usprkos)
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