Expressing Permission (Smijeti)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'smijeti' to ask if you're allowed to do something or to tell someone what's forbidden.
- Conjugate 'smijeti' based on the subject: smijem, smiješ, smije... (Example: Smijem li?)
- Follow 'smijeti' with an infinitive verb without 'da'. (Example: Smiješ ući.)
- Negative 'ne smijem' means 'I am not allowed' or 'I must not'. (Example: Ne smiješ pušiti.)
Present Tense of 'Smijeti'
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
|
1st Person
|
ja smijem
|
mi smijemo
|
|
2nd Person
|
ti smiješ
|
vi smijete
|
|
3rd Person
|
on/ona/ono smije
|
oni/one/ona smiju
|
Past Tense (L-Participle)
| Gender | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
|
Masculine
|
smio
|
smjeli
|
|
Feminine
|
smjela
|
smjele
|
|
Neuter
|
smjelo
|
smjela
|
Meanings
The verb 'smijeti' expresses that an action is permitted by an authority, a rule, or social convention.
Seeking Permission
Asking if an action is acceptable or allowed in a specific context.
“Smijem li vas nešto pitati?”
“Smijemo li parkirati ovdje?”
Prohibition
Using the negative form to indicate that something is strictly forbidden or not allowed.
“Ovdje se ne smije fotografirati.”
“Djeca ne smiju gledati ovaj film.”
Granting Permission
Telling someone they have the right or authority to proceed.
“Smiješ uzeti moju olovku.”
“Sada smijete ići kući.”
Impersonal Permission
Referring to general rules or laws using the reflexive 'se'.
“U bolnici se ne smije vikati.”
“Smije li se ovdje pušiti?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Subject + smijeti + Infinitive
|
Smijem ići.
|
|
Negative
|
Subject + ne + smijeti + Infinitive
|
Ne smijem ići.
|
|
Question (li)
|
Smijeti + li + Subject + Infinitive
|
Smiješ li ići?
|
|
Question (da li)
|
Da li + Subject + smijeti + Infinitive
|
Da li smiješ ići?
|
|
Impersonal
|
Smije se + Infinitive
|
Smije se pušiti.
|
|
Negative Impersonal
|
Ne smije se + Infinitive
|
Ne smije se pušiti.
|
|
Past Tense
|
Subject + biti (pres) + smio/la + Infinitive
|
Nisam smio ići.
|
|
Conditional
|
Subject + biti (cond) + smio/la + Infinitive
|
Ne bih smio ići.
|
Spectre de formalité
Smije li se ovdje pušiti? (Asking about smoking)
Smijem li ovdje zapaliti? (Asking about smoking)
Mogu li ovdje pušiti? (Asking about smoking)
Smijem li jednu zapaliti? (Asking about smoking)
The World of Smijeti
Rules
- Zakon Law
- Pravila Rules
Social
- Pristojnost Politeness
- Pitanje Question
Negative
- Zabrana Prohibition
- Opasnost Danger
Smijeti vs. Moći
Can I do it?
Is it a rule or law?
Is it about physical skill?
Common Contexts
Public
- • Muzej
- • Bolnica
- • Park
Private
- • Kuća
- • Zabava
- • Obitelj
Official
- • Posao
- • Granica
- • Zakon
Exemples par niveau
Smijem li ući?
May I come in?
Smiješ uzeti jabuku.
You may take an apple.
Smijem li pitati?
May I ask?
Ne smiješ to raditi.
You must not do that.
Smijemo li ovdje parkirati?
Are we allowed to park here?
Djeca ne smiju piti kavu.
Children are not allowed to drink coffee.
Smijete li koristiti mobitel?
Are you (plural) allowed to use a cell phone?
Ona ne smije izaći van.
She is not allowed to go out.
U ovom muzeju se ne smije fotografirati.
In this museum, one is not allowed to take photos.
Nisam smio reći istinu.
I wasn't allowed to tell the truth.
Smijem li vas zamoliti za uslugu?
May I ask you for a favor?
Ne bi smio tako razgovarati s majkom.
You shouldn't (aren't supposed to) talk to your mother like that.
Prema zakonu, nitko ne smije biti diskriminiran.
According to the law, no one may be discriminated against.
Smije li se pretpostaviti da je on kriv?
May it be assumed that he is guilty?
Niste smjeli otkriti našu tajnu.
You shouldn't have (were not allowed to) reveal our secret.
Smijem li primijetiti da kasnite?
May I notice (point out) that you are late?
Ustavom je propisano što se smije, a što ne.
The Constitution prescribes what is allowed and what is not.
Nije se smjelo dopustiti takvo ponašanje.
Such behavior should not have been permitted.
Smijem li biti toliko slobodan i ponuditi rješenje?
May I be so bold as to offer a solution?
Zar se više ništa ne smije reći u ovom društvu?
Is one no longer allowed to say anything in this society?
Ono što se nekad smatralo dopuštenim, danas se više ne smije ni pomisliti.
What was once considered permissible, today must not even be thought of.
Smije li se uopće propitivati autoritet vladara?
Is it even permitted to question the authority of the ruler?
Njegova se riječ nije smjela pogaziti.
His word was not to be trampled upon (broken).
Smijem li se usuditi i reći da griješite?
May I dare to say that you are mistaken?
Facile à confondre
Learners use 'moći' for permission because English uses 'can' for both.
Learners confuse 'must not' with 'don't have to'.
Both can relate to what is 'good' or 'allowed' to do.
Erreurs courantes
Mogu li ući?
Smijem li ući?
Ja ne smijem da idem.
Ne smijem ići.
Oni smijeju.
Oni smiju.
Smijem li jabuku?
Smijem li uzeti jabuku?
Ne smijem raditi to.
Ne smijem to raditi.
Smiješ li parkirati?
Smije li se parkirati?
Nisam smijem.
Nisam smio.
Ne smijem zakasniti.
Ne bih smio zakasniti.
Smijem li te pitati?
Smijem li vas pitati?
On ne smije doći.
On ne može doći.
Smije se reći...
Smije se pretpostaviti...
Nije se smjelo to dogoditi.
To se nije smjelo dogoditi.
Structures de phrases
Smijem li ___?
Ovdje se ne smije ___.
Nisam smio ___ kad sam bio mali.
Smijete li ___ na poslu?
Real World Usage
Smije li se ovo podijeliti?
Smijem doći kasnije?
Smijem li pitati o plaći?
Smije li se ovdje kampirati?
Smije li se ostaviti napojnica preko aplikacije?
Smijem li piti vodu prije pregleda?
The 'Li' Trick
Strong Prohibition
Impersonal 'Se'
Respecting Elders
Smart Tips
Use the conditional 'Biste li smjeli' or 'Smijem li vas zamoliti'.
Think 'Ne smije se' immediately. It helps associate the visual with the grammar.
Remember it rhymes with 'piju' (they drink) or 'znaju' (they know). It's 'smiju'!
Use 'Ne bi smio' to sound less bossy than 'Ne smiješ'.
Prononciation
The 'ije' sound
The 'ije' in 'smijeti' is a long reflex of yat. It should be pronounced clearly as two syllables in standard Croatian, though often shortened in speech.
Stress on 'smijem'
The stress is on the first syllable. In 'ne smijem', the stress often shifts to the 'ne'.
Rising question intonation
Smijem li ući? ↑
Polite inquiry
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
SMIjeti is for SMIle - you SMIle when you get permission!
Association visuelle
Imagine a green traffic light with the word 'SMIJEM' written on it, and a red light with 'NE SMIJEM'. The green light is a person nodding 'yes'.
Rhyme
Smijem ja, smiješ ti, smijemo se igrati svi!
Story
A little boy wants to eat a cookie. He asks his mom, 'Smijem li?'. She says, 'Smiješ, ali ne smiješ zaboraviti oprati ruke!'. He is happy because he has the green light.
Word Web
Défi
Go through your day and identify 3 things you are allowed to do and 3 things you are not allowed to do. Say them out loud in Croatian using 'Smijem' and 'Ne smijem'.
Notes culturelles
Croatians value politeness in formal settings. Using 'smijeti' instead of 'moći' when talking to elders or officials is highly appreciated.
In Dalmatia, you might hear 'smi' instead of 'smije' in very casual speech, but 'smijeti' remains the standard for permission.
In Zagreb, people might use 'smjeti' (shorter) in fast speech, but 'smijeti' is the written norm.
From Proto-Slavic *směti, which originally meant 'to dare' or 'to have courage'.
Amorces de conversation
Smijem li sjesti pored vas?
Što se ne smije raditi u tvojoj zemlji?
Smijemo li očekivati promjene u zakonu?
Smijem li vas zamoliti za malu pomoć oko prtljage?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
Oni ___ (smijeti) ući u dvoranu.
___ li otvoriti prozor? (May I...)
Find and fix the mistake:
Ti ne smiješ da pušiš ovdje.
Ne smijem ići van.
'Ne smijem' means 'I don't have to'.
A: Smijem li posuditi tvoju knjigu? B: Da, ___.
Sort the sentences.
Mi ___.
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesOni ___ (smijeti) ući u dvoranu.
___ li otvoriti prozor? (May I...)
Find and fix the mistake:
Ti ne smiješ da pušiš ovdje.
Ne smijem ići van.
'Ne smijem' means 'I don't have to'.
A: Smijem li posuditi tvoju knjigu? B: Da, ___.
Sort the sentences.
Mi ___.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
In casual speech, yes, but it's less precise. Using `smijeti` shows you understand the difference between ability and permission.
`Ne smijem` means you are forbidden. `Ne moram` means you have a choice and it's not required.
Only slightly in the 3rd person plural (`smiju`) and the past tense (`smio`). The rest follows the '-ijeti' pattern.
Use the conditional: `Ne bih smio` (masculine) or `Ne bih smjela` (feminine).
Yes, it is standard, though some dialects might shorten the 'ije' to 'e' or 'i'.
Rarely. In some contexts, it can mean 'should be', but it's much safer to stick to permission.
This is the impersonal form. It translates to 'it is allowed' or 'one may'.
It is formed with `biti` + `smio/smjela`. Example: `Nisam smio` (I wasn't allowed).
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Poder / Estar permitido
Spanish doesn't have a single dedicated modal verb just for permission like 'smijeti'.
Pouvoir / Avoir le droit
Croatian uses a single verb 'smijeti' where French often uses a phrase.
Dürfen
The conjugation patterns differ, but the logic is identical.
〜てもいい (~te mo ii)
Japanese is a construction; Croatian is a verb.
يسمح (yusmah) / يجوز (yajuz)
Arabic equivalents are often impersonal or passive, while 'smijeti' is a standard personal modal.
可以 (kěyǐ)
Croatian 'smijeti' cannot mean 'ability' or 'possibility'.
