A1 Expression Informal

Kada se vidimo?

When do we meet?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

The essential Croatian way to ask 'When are we meeting?' or 'When will I see you again?'

  • Means: 'When do we see each other?' used for scheduling social meetups.
  • Used in: Texting friends, ending a phone call, or planning a coffee date.
  • Don't confuse: Forget the 'se'; without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete.
📅 + 👀 + ☕ = Kada se vidimo?

Explanation at your level:

This is a very simple way to ask a friend 'When are we meeting?'. You use 'Kada' for when, 'se' for each other, and 'vidimo' for we see. It is used for making plans for coffee or lunch.
At this level, you should notice the reflexive pronoun 'se'. It shows the action is reciprocal. You can use this phrase with friends and family. It's often followed by 'na kavi' (for coffee).
This expression is a staple of social life. Note that the present tense 'vidimo' is used here to refer to the near future, which is common in spoken Croatian. It's less formal than asking for a 'sastanak' (meeting).
The phrase demonstrates the use of clitics in the second position. Even if you add adverbs, 'se' stays near the start. It's a key part of 'phatic communication'—language used to maintain social relationships rather than just convey information.
Linguistically, 'vidjeti se' is a reciprocal reflexive. This phrase bypasses the need for the future tense, utilizing the present of perfective/imperfective verbs to imply an imminent or planned event, a common feature in South Slavic pragmatics.
Mastery involves understanding the subtle shift between 'Kada se vidimo?' and 'Kada se nalazimo?'. The former emphasizes the relational aspect of seeing one another, while the latter focuses on the spatial-temporal coordination of the encounter. It reflects the deeply ingrained sociability of the Croatian linguistic worldview.

Meaning

Asking for a meeting time

🌍

Cultural Background

The 'invitation to coffee' is the foundation of social life. Asking 'Kada se vidimo?' is often the first step in a long-standing friendship ritual. Time is more fluid here. 'Kada se vidimo?' might be answered with 'Vidimo se oko pet' (See you around five), which usually means later than five. People are generally more punctual. 'Kada se vidimo?' usually leads to a specific time and a specific cafe (often on the 'Špica'). Even in business, building a personal relationship is key. 'Kada se vidimo?' can be used after a successful meeting to signal a desire for a long-term partnership.

🎯

The 'Kad' Shortcut

Native speakers almost always say 'Kad' instead of 'Kada' in casual conversation. It sounds more natural.

⚠️

Don't Forget the 'Se'

Leaving out 'se' is the most common beginner mistake. It changes the meaning entirely.

Meaning

Asking for a meeting time

🎯

The 'Kad' Shortcut

Native speakers almost always say 'Kad' instead of 'Kada' in casual conversation. It sounds more natural.

⚠️

Don't Forget the 'Se'

Leaving out 'se' is the most common beginner mistake. It changes the meaning entirely.

💬

The Coffee Context

If you ask this, be prepared to actually go for coffee. It's rarely just a 'hello'.

Test Yourself

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun.

Kada ___ vidimo?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: se

The pronoun 'se' is required to make the verb 'vidjeti' reciprocal (to see each other).

Which sentence is the most natural way to ask a friend to meet for coffee?

Choose the best option:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kada se vidimo na kavi?

'Kada se vidimo na kavi?' is the idiomatic standard.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Baš mi nedostaješ! B: I ti meni. _________?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kada se vidimo

The speaker is asking when 'we' (the two of them) will meet.

Match the phrase to the context.

Context: You are leaving a party and want to see your friend again soon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kada se vidimo opet?

'Opet' means 'again', which is perfect for a reunion.

🎉 Score: /4

Visual Learning Aids

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Only if you have a very friendly, informal relationship. Otherwise, use 'Kada Vam odgovara sastanak?'.

There is no difference in meaning. 'Kad' is just a shorter, more common spoken form.

Yes, it is the first-person plural of 'vidjeti' (to see).

In Croatian, small words called clitics (like 'se') must be in the second position of the sentence.

You can answer with a time: 'Može u šest?' (Can we do six?) or 'Sutra u podne' (Tomorrow at noon).

Yes, it is identical and equally common in Serbian and Bosnian.

Yes, but that means 'When are YOU (plural) meeting?'.

Both are correct. 'Kada se vidimo' is more common for near-future plans.

Just change 'Kada' to 'Gdje' (Where): 'Gdje se vidimo?'.

It is friendly and polite among equals, but might be too casual for a formal setting.

Related Phrases

🔗

Vidimo se!

builds on

See you!

🔗

Čujemo se!

similar

Talk to you soon! (Literally: We hear each other)

🔄

Kad se nalazimo?

synonym

When are we meeting up?

🔗

Jedva čekam da se vidimo.

builds on

I can't wait for us to see each other.

Where to Use It

☕

Planning coffee with a friend

Ana: Ej, jesi slobodan u petak?

Ivan: Jesam. Kada se vidimo?

Ana: Može u pet?

informal
📞

Ending a phone call

Mama: Čujemo se onda sutra.

Sin: Važi, mama. A kada se vidimo?

Mama: Dođi u nedjelju na ručak.

neutral
❤️

Dating/Early stages

Luka: Bilo mi je jako lijepo večeras.

Maja: I meni. Kada se vidimo opet?

informal
💼

Work colleagues (friendly)

Marko: Moramo proći kroz ovaj projekt.

Petra: Slažem se. Kada se vidimo u uredu?

neutral
🏠

Meeting a neighbor

Susjed: Dobar dan! Kako ste?

Vi: Dobro, hvala. Kada se vidimo na nekoj rakiji?

neutral
📱

Group chat planning

Ekipa: Ljudi, dugo se nismo družili.

Ti: Istina! Kada se vidimo svi skupa?

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Kada (When) + Se (Self/Each) + Vidimo (Video/See). Think: 'When is our next Video?'

Visual Association

Imagine two people holding coffee cups looking at a giant calendar in the middle of a sunny Croatian square.

Rhyme

Kad se vidimo, kavu pijemo! (When we see each other, we drink coffee!)

Story

You are walking in Split. You see a friend. You say 'Bok!'. You talk for a minute. Before you leave, you must ask 'Kada se vidimo?' to ensure the friendship continues over a cup of espresso.

Word Web

vidjetigledatisastanakkavavrijemesutradanasprijatelj

Challenge

Text a Croatian friend (or a language partner) right now and ask: 'Ej, kada se vidimo na kavi?'

In Other Languages

Spanish high

¿Cuándo nos vemos?

Spanish places the pronoun before the verb, just like Croatian.

French high

Quand est-ce qu'on se voit ?

French often uses the 'est-ce que' construction or inversion.

German high

Wann sehen wir uns?

German requires the subject 'wir' to be explicitly stated.

Japanese low

いつ会いましょうか？ (Itsu aimashō ka?)

Japanese focuses on the act of meeting rather than 'seeing each other'.

Arabic moderate

متى نلتقي؟ (Matā naltaqī?)

Arabic uses a specific derived verb form for reciprocity instead of a separate pronoun like 'se'.

Chinese low

我们什么时候见面？ (Wǒmen shénme shíhòu jiànmiàn?)

The concept of 'seeing faces' is the cultural equivalent of 'seeing each other'.

Korean moderate

언제 볼까요? (Eonje bolkkayo?)

Korean omits the 'each other' part as it is understood from context.

Portuguese high

Quando nos vemos?

Pronoun placement can vary between Brazilian and European Portuguese.

Easily Confused

Kada se vidimo? vs Kada se gledamo?

Learners think 'gledati' (to look) and 'vidjeti' (to see) are interchangeable.

Use 'vidimo' for social meetings. 'Gledamo' sounds like you are watching a movie together or staring at each other.

Kada se vidimo? vs Kada se nađemo?

Very similar to 'vidimo se', but 'nađemo' is perfective.

'Nađemo' is used for a specific, one-time meeting point. 'Vidimo' is more general for 'hanging out'.

FAQ (10)

Only if you have a very friendly, informal relationship. Otherwise, use 'Kada Vam odgovara sastanak?'.

There is no difference in meaning. 'Kad' is just a shorter, more common spoken form.

Yes, it is the first-person plural of 'vidjeti' (to see).

In Croatian, small words called clitics (like 'se') must be in the second position of the sentence.

You can answer with a time: 'Može u šest?' (Can we do six?) or 'Sutra u podne' (Tomorrow at noon).

Yes, it is identical and equally common in Serbian and Bosnian.

Yes, but that means 'When are YOU (plural) meeting?'.

Both are correct. 'Kada se vidimo' is more common for near-future plans.

Just change 'Kada' to 'Gdje' (Where): 'Gdje se vidimo?'.

It is friendly and polite among equals, but might be too casual for a formal setting.

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