Signification
Buying something without checking it.
Contexte culturel
In Croatian markets (pazari), it is culturally expected to touch and inspect produce before buying. Buying without checking is seen as a sign of being 'naivan' (naive). Across the Balkans, there is a general distrust of 'official' or 'packaged' goods compared to things you can see and verify yourself. This idiom is a staple of local wisdom. The rise of 'Njuškalo' (local eBay) has given this idiom a second life. It's frequently used in forum discussions about online scams. The idiom reflects a time when trade was unregulated and the burden of proof was entirely on the buyer.
Use it for 'Mystery Boxes'
If you see those 'Mystery Boxes' on Amazon, tell your Croatian friends: 'To je mačak u vreći!' They will be impressed by your idiomatic knowledge.
Check the Case
Always use 'mačka' (with an -a). If you say 'mačak', it sounds like you are literally buying a cat, not using the idiom.
Signification
Buying something without checking it.
Use it for 'Mystery Boxes'
If you see those 'Mystery Boxes' on Amazon, tell your Croatian friends: 'To je mačak u vreći!' They will be impressed by your idiomatic knowledge.
Check the Case
Always use 'mačka' (with an -a). If you say 'mačak', it sounds like you are literally buying a cat, not using the idiom.
Trust in Croatia
Croatians are very wary of scams. Using this phrase shows you understand the local mindset of caution.
Verb Variation
You can use 'dobiti' (to get) instead of 'kupiti' if you received something bad for free or as a gift.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct form of the idiom.
Marko ne želi ______ u vreći.
The noun 'mačak' must be in the accusative animate form, which is 'mačka'.
Match the situation to the correct response.
You are buying a used phone but the seller won't let you turn it on.
This is the standard idiom for a risky, unverified purchase.
Fill in the missing word.
Kupio sam mačka u ______. (bag)
The idiom specifically uses 'vreća' (sack/bag) in the locative case.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Ovaj stan je jako jeftin, ali ga ne možemo vidjeti do sutra.' B: 'Pazi, nemoj ______.'
The speaker is warning the other person not to make a risky purchase.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Literal vs. Figurative
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesMarko ne želi ______ u vreći.
The noun 'mačak' must be in the accusative animate form, which is 'mačka'.
You are buying a used phone but the seller won't let you turn it on.
This is the standard idiom for a risky, unverified purchase.
Kupio sam mačka u ______. (bag)
The idiom specifically uses 'vreća' (sack/bag) in the locative case.
A: 'Ovaj stan je jako jeftin, ali ga ne možemo vidjeti do sutra.' B: 'Pazi, nemoj ______.'
The speaker is warning the other person not to make a risky purchase.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's not rude, but it is informal. You can use it with friends, family, and in most business settings to express caution.
Yes! If you are hiring someone without an interview, you are 'buying a cat in a bag'.
Historically, cats were common, worthless, and roughly the same size as a piglet, making them the perfect 'fake' product.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but 'provjerena stvar' (a verified thing) is the conceptual opposite.
It is 'mačka'. 'Mačka' is the accusative of the masculine 'mačak'. 'Mačku' would be the accusative of the feminine 'mačka'.
No, that would not be understood as an idiom. It would just sound like you're talking about a dog in a bag.
Yes, the idiom is identical across all BCMS (Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian) languages.
Very common. You will hear it in news reports about consumer rights and in casual shopping conversations.
Yes, if you bought a ticket without seeing the trailer and the movie was terrible, it was a 'mačak u vreći'.
Not necessarily. It can just mean a risk that didn't pay off, even if the seller wasn't trying to trick you.
Expressions liées
Prodati rog pod svijeću
similarTo sell a horn as a candle
Kupiti na neviđeno
synonymTo buy without seeing
Obećavati brda i doline
builds onTo promise mountains and valleys
Mačak u vreći
specialized formA suspicious deal
