Bedeutung
To work very hard.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The horse is a symbol of Slavonia, the agricultural heartland. Working like a horse is seen as a noble, if exhausting, necessity of life. In the coastal regions, this phrase is often used ironically during the summer heat when the pace of life is supposed to be slow, but tourism demands the opposite. Similar versions exist in Serbian and Bosnian, reflecting a shared history of labor and animal husbandry. Young professionals use it to describe 'burnout' culture in tech and marketing agencies in Zagreb.
Use for empathy
When a friend tells you they are busy, say 'Znam, radiš kao konj!' to show you understand their struggle.
Not for animals
Don't use this to describe an actual horse working; it's strictly for humans now!
Bedeutung
To work very hard.
Use for empathy
When a friend tells you they are busy, say 'Znam, radiš kao konj!' to show you understand their struggle.
Not for animals
Don't use this to describe an actual horse working; it's strictly for humans now!
Combine with 'umoran'
The perfect combo is: 'Radio sam kao konj, sad sam umoran kao pas.' (I worked like a horse, now I'm tired as a dog.)
The 'Sezona' context
If you are in Croatia in July, you will hear this everywhere from waiters and cleaners.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
Moj brat je cijeli dan na polju, on radi kao ____.
The standard idiom for working hard is 'raditi kao konj'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I worked very hard'?
Kako se kaže 'I worked very hard' na hrvatskom?
'Kao konj' is the only valid animal comparison for hard work among the choices.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Zašto si tako umoran? B: Zato što sam cijeli tjedan ____.
Working like a horse explains why someone is tired.
Match the situation to the phrase.
Situacija: Ivan ima tri posla i nema slobodnog vremena.
Having three jobs and no free time is a perfect example of 'raditi kao konj'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Animal Idioms for Work
Synonyms for Hard Work
Informal
- • Raditi kao konj
- • Rintati
- • Crnčiti
Formal
- • Uložiti napor
- • Biti produktivan
- • Marljivo raditi
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMoj brat je cijeli dan na polju, on radi kao ____.
The standard idiom for working hard is 'raditi kao konj'.
Kako se kaže 'I worked very hard' na hrvatskom?
'Kao konj' is the only valid animal comparison for hard work among the choices.
A: Zašto si tako umoran? B: Zato što sam cijeli tjedan ____.
Working like a horse explains why someone is tired.
Situacija: Ivan ima tri posla i nema slobodnog vremena.
Having three jobs and no free time is a perfect example of 'raditi kao konj'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it is not offensive. It is a standard idiom. However, calling someone just 'konj' can be a mild insult meaning they are clumsy or a 'jerk'.
Yes! Students frequently use it during exam periods: 'Radim kao konj za ispit iz matematike.'
'Raditi kao konj' focuses on the effort and stamina, while 'crnčiti' implies a more miserable, low-status, or 'slave-like' labor.
No, the idiom is fixed. Even a woman will say 'Radila sam kao konj.' You don't change 'konj' to 'kobila' (mare).
It's understood, but 'kao konj' is the standard for work. 'Kao pas' is usually for being tired or living a hard life ('pasji život').
In casual office talk, yes. In a formal presentation, no.
Morat ću raditi kao konj.
Originally yes, but today it is used for any intense work, including mental or digital.
Yes, it is a universal Croatian idiom used from Zagreb to Dubrovnik.
Usually a 'lijenčina' (lazy person) isn't compared to an animal in a direct idiom, but 'lijen kao magarac' (lazy as a donkey) is sometimes heard, though donkeys are also seen as hard workers.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Ubijati se od posla
synonymTo kill oneself with work
Raditi kao mrav
similarTo work like an ant
Crnčiti
synonymTo slave away
Gledati kao bijelo tele
contrastTo look like a white calf
Puna kapa posla
builds onA full hat of work
