Locative for Point in Time (e.g., u petak)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the Locative case with the preposition 'u' to talk about months, years, and specific internal time periods.
- Use 'u' + Locative for months: 'u siječnju' (in January).
- Use 'u' + Locative for years: 'u ovoj godini' (in this year).
- Contrast: Use 'u' + Accusative for days: 'u petak' (on Friday).
Locative Endings for Time Expressions
| Gender | Noun Type | Ending | Example (Nominative) | Example (Locative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Masculine
|
Months (standard)
|
-u
|
siječanj
|
u siječnju
|
|
Masculine
|
Months (-ak)
|
-ku
|
ožujak
|
u ožujku
|
|
Masculine
|
Adjectival month
|
-om(e)
|
studeni
|
u studenome
|
|
Feminine
|
Year
|
-i
|
godina
|
u godini
|
|
Neuter
|
Century
|
-u
|
stoljeće
|
u stoljeću
|
|
Plural
|
Months/Years
|
-ima
|
mjeseci / godine
|
u mjesecima / godinama
|
Meanings
The Locative case is used with the preposition 'u' to indicate a point in time that is viewed as a container, specifically months, years, centuries, and specific moments.
Months
Expressing that an event happens within a specific month.
“Rođen sam u travnju.”
“Idemo na more u kolovozu.”
Years and Centuries
Locating an event within a specific year or century.
“U ovoj godini želim naučiti hrvatski.”
“To se dogodilo u prošlom stoljeću.”
Specific Moments
Pointing to a precise internal moment in time.
“U tom trenutku sam sve shvatio.”
“U ovom času ne znam odgovor.”
Reference Table
| Time Unit | Case | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Day (e.g. Monday)
|
Accusative
|
u
|
u ponedjeljak
|
|
Month (e.g. May)
|
Locative
|
u
|
u svibnju
|
|
Year
|
Locative
|
u
|
u ovoj godini
|
|
Century
|
Locative
|
u
|
u 21. stoljeću
|
|
Moment
|
Locative
|
u
|
u tom trenutku
|
|
Specific Time (12:00)
|
Accusative
|
u
|
u podne
|
|
Season (Spring)
|
Accusative
|
u
|
u proljeće
|
|
Season (Winter)
|
Locative
|
u
|
u zimi (rare) / zimi
|
Espectro de formalidad
Završit ću radove u mjesecu siječnju. (Work deadline)
Završit ću posao u siječnju. (Work deadline)
Gotov sam u siječnju. (Work deadline)
Riješim to u prvom mjesecu. (Work deadline)
The 'U' Time Split
Accusative (Point/Day)
- u ponedjeljak on Monday
- u podne at noon
Locative (Container/Month)
- u siječnju in January
- u ovoj godini in this year
Days vs. Months
Which case should I use?
Is it a day of the week?
Is it a month or a year?
Locative Time Words
Months
- • siječnju
- • travnju
- • kolovozu
Periods
- • godini
- • stoljeću
- • trenutku
Ejemplos por nivel
U siječnju je hladno.
In January it is cold.
Rođendan mi je u svibnju.
My birthday is in May.
Idemo u školu u rujnu.
We go to school in September.
U kojoj godini živiš?
In which year do you live?
Vidimo se u idućem mjesecu.
See you in the next month.
U ovoj godini puno radim.
In this year I am working a lot.
On je rođen u prošlom stoljeću.
He was born in the last century.
U kojem mjesecu je tvoj odmor?
In which month is your vacation?
U tom trenutku nisam znao što reći.
At that moment I didn't know what to say.
Sastanak je u idućem tjednu.
The meeting is in the next week.
U svakom mjesecu štedim novac.
In every month I save money.
U ožujku se priroda budi.
In March, nature wakes up.
U protekloj godini ostvarili smo rast.
In the past year, we achieved growth.
U studenome su dani vrlo kratki.
In November, the days are very short.
U kojem se stoljeću to dogodilo?
In which century did that happen?
U ovom času ne možemo ništa promijeniti.
At this moment, we cannot change anything.
U ranom djetinjstvu živio je na selu.
In early childhood, he lived in the village.
U kritičnom trenutku pokazao je hrabrost.
At a critical moment, he showed courage.
U nadolazećim mjesecima očekujemo promjene.
In the coming months, we expect changes.
U samom začetku projekta bilo je problema.
At the very beginning of the project, there were problems.
U osvit novog tisućljeća, svijet se promijenio.
At the dawn of the new millennium, the world changed.
U jeku turističke sezone, grad je prepun.
In the peak of the tourist season, the city is full.
U dogledno vrijeme ne planiramo selidbu.
In the foreseeable future, we don't plan on moving.
U poodmakloj dobi počeo je slikati.
In advanced age, he began to paint.
Fácil de confundir
Learners use the same case for days and months because both use 'u'.
You can say 'ovog mjeseca' (Genitive) or 'u ovom mjesecu' (Locative).
Learners use 'na' for months because of English 'on'.
Errores comunes
u siječanj
u siječnju
u godina
u godini
u ožujaku
u ožujku
na siječnju
u siječnju
u prošla godini
u prošloj godini
u studeni
u studenome
u ovaj mjesec
u ovom mjesecu
u subotu (when meaning month)
u siječnju
u zadnji trenutak
u zadnjem trenutku
u 2023 godina
u 2023. godini
u djetinjstvo
u djetinjstvu
Patrones de oraciones
Rođen sam u ___.
U ___ godini želim ___.
U tom ___ osjetio sam ___.
To se dogodilo u ___ stoljeću.
Real World Usage
Vidimo se u subotu? Ne, bolje u nedjelju.
Diplomirao sam u lipnju 2020. godine.
Let je u kolovozu.
U ovom trenutku se osjećam blagoslovljeno.
U devetnaestom stoljeću život je bio težak.
Dostava se očekuje u idućih deset minuta.
The 'Month' Rule
Watch the 'A'
Adjective First
Numbers are safer
Smart Tips
Check if you are using 'u'. If yes, add that '-u' ending to the month!
Always include the word 'godini' at the end to make the Locative clear.
Stop! Don't use Locative. Use Accusative (ponedjeljak, utorak, srijedu...).
Treat it like an adjective (plavi, novi). It ends in -ome.
Pronunciación
Prepositional Linking
The preposition 'u' is pronounced as part of the following word. There is no pause.
Accent Shift
In some dialects, the accent may shift from the noun to the preposition 'u', but in standard Croatian, it remains on the noun.
Temporal Emphasis
U SÌJEČNJU (not February)
Rising intonation on the month to emphasize the specific time.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Months and Years are 'Locs' (Locks) because you are locked inside them. Days are 'Accs' (Acts) because you act on them.
Asociación visual
Imagine a giant calendar box for January. You are standing inside the box (Locative). Now imagine a single thin sheet of paper for Friday. You are pointing at it (Accusative).
Rhyme
Za mjesece i godine, Lokativ je spas, za dane i sate, Akuzativ je glas!
Story
Marko was born 'u godini' (Locative) 1990, 'u srpnju' (Locative). He started his job 'u ponedjeljak' (Accusative) because days are short points, but months are long stays.
Word Web
Desafío
Write down the month you were born and the current year using 'u' + Locative. Check the endings carefully!
Notas culturales
Standard Croatian uses Slavic names for months (siječanj, veljača). Using numbers (prvi mjesec, drugi mjesec) is common in informal speech.
In some coastal regions (Dalmatia), people might use Latin-derived names in very informal settings, though this is becoming rare.
In Croatian business culture, specifying the month and year in the Locative is essential for contracts and formal agreements.
The Locative case in Slavic languages stems from the Proto-Indo-European locative, which specifically denoted location in space and time.
Inicios de conversación
U kojem si mjesecu rođen/a?
Što planiraš raditi u idućoj godini?
Sjećaš li se što si radio/la u ovom trenutku prošle godine?
U kojem bi stoljeću volio/la živjeti da imaš vremeplov?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
___ je jako hladno.
U ovoj ___ putujem u Ameriku.
Find and fix the mistake:
Vidimo se u suboti.
Ovaj mjesec -> ___
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Kada je tvoj rođendan? B: Moj rođendan je ___.
A. u podne, B. u siječnju, C. u petak, D. u godini
The month 'studeni' takes the ending -u in the Locative.
Score: /8
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercises___ je jako hladno.
U ovoj ___ putujem u Ameriku.
Find and fix the mistake:
Vidimo se u suboti.
Ovaj mjesec -> ___
1. Ponedjeljak, 2. Svibanj, 3. 2024. godina
A: Kada je tvoj rođendan? B: Moj rođendan je ___.
A. u podne, B. u siječnju, C. u petak, D. u godini
The month 'studeni' takes the ending -u in the Locative.
Score: /8
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
In Croatian, days of the week are viewed as specific targets (Accusative), while months are viewed as periods you are inside of (Locative).
Yes, it's very common! You can say `u prvom mjesecu` instead of `u siječnju`. Just remember to put the number in the Locative form.
Usually, people will still understand you, but it sounds like a basic error. However, `u suboti` means 'in the city of Subotica', so it can be confusing!
Usually no. Seasons often use the Accusative (`u proljeće`) or a special adverbial form (`ljeti`, `zimi`).
Yes, for 'in [month]'. You might use 'tijekom' (during) + Genitive, but 'u' + Locative is the standard.
You use the Locative plural: `u devedesetima`.
If you say 'in 2023', you usually say `u dvije tisuće dvadeset trećoj (godini)`. The last number is an ordinal adjective in the Locative.
That's `u trenutku`. It follows the same Locative rule as months.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
in January / in 2023
English relies on prepositions (in/on), Croatian relies on case endings (Locative/Accusative).
im Januar / im Jahr
German 'im' is a contraction of 'in dem', whereas Croatian 'u' remains separate.
en enero / en el año
Spanish nouns are static; Croatian nouns decline.
en janvier / au moment
French uses different prepositions (en/à) where Croatian uses 'u' with different cases.
ichigatsu ni (一月に)
Japanese uses postpositions (particles) instead of prepositions and cases.
fi yanayir (في يناير)
Croatian case endings are mandatory and more complex than Arabic's three cases.
zài yī yuè (在一月)
Total lack of inflection in Chinese vs. heavy inflection in Croatian.
