When talking about the weather, we use hladno (it's cold) as an impersonal expression, which is an adverb.
However, when describing a noun, like a cold drink or a cold person, we use the adjective hladan, hladna, hladno, depending on the gender and number of the noun.
For example, a cold beer would be hladno pivo, using the neuter form, and a cold day would be hladan dan, using the masculine form.
If you're feeling cold, you'd say hladno mi je (it is cold to me), not ja sam hladan (I am cold), which would imply you have a cold personality.
When talking about the weather, hladno is an adverb meaning 'cold', as in Danas je hladno. (It's cold today.)
When describing a noun, use the adjective hladan (masculine), hladna (feminine), or hladno (neuter). For example, hladan zrak (cold air), hladna voda (cold water), or hladno pivo (cold beer).
Remember, adjectives in Croatian change their endings to agree with the noun's gender and case.
Examples by Level
Iako je vani bilo hladno, nismo osjetili studen jer smo bili dobro obučeni.
Although it was cold outside, we didn't feel the chill because we were well-dressed.
Here 'hladno' is used as an adverb describing the state of the weather.
Nakon dugog hodanja po snijegu, čaj je bio savršeno topao za moje hladne ruke.
After a long walk in the snow, the tea was perfectly warm for my cold hands.
'Hladne' is the plural accusative form of the adjective 'hladan', agreeing with 'ruke' (hands).
Sjećam se tog hladnog zimskog jutra kada smo se probudili uz snijeg do koljena.
I remember that cold winter morning when we woke up to knee-deep snow.
'Hladnog' is the genitive masculine singular form of the adjective, agreeing with 'jutra' (morning).
Uvijek držim boce vode u hladnjaku da mi piće bude hladno i osvježavajuće.
I always keep water bottles in the fridge so my drink is cold and refreshing.
'Hladno' is the neuter singular form of the adjective, agreeing with 'piće' (drink).
Ne volim hladne kupke; više preferiram tople tuševe.
I don't like cold baths; I prefer warm showers.
'Hladne' is the plural accusative form of the adjective, agreeing with 'kupke' (baths).
Usprkos hladnom vremenu, odlučili smo otići na izlet u planine.
Despite the cold weather, we decided to go on a trip to the mountains.
'Hladnom' is the dative/locative masculine singular form of the adjective, agreeing with 'vremenu' (weather).
Ako vam je hladno, slobodno uzmite deku s kauča.
If you are cold, feel free to take a blanket from the couch.
Here, 'hladno' is used impersonally to describe a state of being cold, similar to 'It is cold to you'.
Ova soba je uvijek hladnija od ostalih, čak i ljeti.
This room is always colder than the others, even in summer.
'Hladnija' is the comparative form of the adjective 'hladan'.
Often Confused With
This is the direct opposite of 'hladan', meaning 'warm'.
This means 'hot', a stronger degree of warmth than 'toplo'.
This means 'lukewarm' or 'tepid', indicating something that is neither hot nor cold, but subtly warm.
Easily Confused
While 'hladan' describes something as cold, 'studen' often refers to a more intense, biting cold, often associated with winter or a strong chill.
'Hladan' is a general adjective for cold. 'Studen' implies a more severe, often unpleasant, coldness.
Vani je danas baš studen zrak. (The air outside is really biting cold today.)
'Ledeni' means 'icy' or 'made of ice,' and while ice is cold, 'ledeni' describes the state or composition rather than just the temperature.
'Hladan' is about temperature. 'Ledeni' is about being like ice or extremely cold due to ice.
Pio je ledeni čaj. (He was drinking iced tea.)
'Svjež' means 'fresh' or 'cool.' Something can be 'svjež' (cool) without being 'hladan' (cold).
'Svjež' implies a pleasant, refreshing coolness. 'Hladan' is simply cold, which can be pleasant or unpleasant.
Zrak je bio svjež i čist. (The air was fresh and clean.)
'Promrzao' describes someone or something that is thoroughly chilled or frozen, often to the point of being numb or stiff.
'Hladan' is a state of being cold. 'Promrzao' is the result of being very cold for a period of time.
Bio sam promrzao od čekanja na autobus. (I was frozen from waiting for the bus.)
This phrase means 'I'm getting goosebumps' or 'I'm shivering,' which are physical reactions to being cold, but it's not an adjective for cold itself.
'Hladan' describes an object or environment. 'Ježim se' describes a personal sensation or reaction.
Ježim se kad je tako hladno. (I get goosebumps when it's so cold.)
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Weather (time of year or current conditions)
- Hladno je vrijeme.
- Jutro je hladno.
- Bit će hladno sutra.
Food and Drink (temperature of items)
- Voda je hladna.
- Želim hladno pivo.
- Je li kava hladna?
Describing objects (their temperature)
- Ovaj stol je hladan.
- Prozor je hladan na dodir.
- Pod je vrlo hladan.
People (feeling cold, or emotional state)
- Hladno mi je.
- Nije joj hladno.
- On je hladan tip.
Abstract (a 'cold' welcome or atmosphere)
- Bio je hladan prijem.
- Atmosfera je bila hladna.
- To je hladna istina.
Conversation Starters
"Je li vani hladno?"
"Volite li hladno piće?"
"Što radite kad vam je hladno?"
"Koju hranu volite jesti kad je hladno?"
"Jeste li ikada bili na vrlo hladnom mjestu?"
Journal Prompts
Opišite najhladnije mjesto na kojem ste ikada bili. Kako ste se osjećali?
Kako se nosite s hladnim vremenom? Imate li neke posebne rituale?
Napišite o situaciji kada ste se osjećali 'hladno' (emocionalno). Što se dogodilo?
Kakvu odjeću nosite kad je hladno? Opišite svoju omiljenu zimsku odjeću.
Koja je vaša omiljena hladna hrana ili piće? Zašto vam se sviđa?
Test Yourself 54 questions
The air outside is...
I am drinking cold...
Today is a cold...
Read this aloud:
Voda je hladna.
Focus: hladna
You said:
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Read this aloud:
On je hladan čovjek.
Focus: hladan
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Ne volim hladno vrijeme.
Focus: hladno
You said:
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Write a short sentence describing something cold in your house. (Use the word 'hladan' or 'hladna' or 'hladno').
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Voda je hladna. (The water is cold.)
Complete the sentence: 'Jutro je ___.' (The morning is ___.) Use a form of 'hladan'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Jutro je hladno. (The morning is cold.)
Translate this sentence into Croatian: 'The coffee is cold.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Kava je hladna.
What kind of weather does the speaker like?
Read this passage:
Danas je vrijeme hladno. Ja volim toplo vrijeme, ali danas je jako hladno. Moram nositi jaknu.
What kind of weather does the speaker like?
The speaker says 'Ja volim toplo vrijeme', which means 'I like warm weather'.
The speaker says 'Ja volim toplo vrijeme', which means 'I like warm weather'.
Where is the cold drink?
Read this passage:
U frižideru je hladno piće. Dijete voli hladno piće nakon igre.
Where is the cold drink?
'U frižideru' means 'In the fridge'.
'U frižideru' means 'In the fridge'.
What is the weather like in winter?
Read this passage:
Zima je hladna. Snijeg pada i sve je bijelo. Djeca se igraju vani, ali moraju nositi tople kape i rukavice.
What is the weather like in winter?
The passage states 'Zima je hladna', meaning 'Winter is cold'.
The passage states 'Zima je hladna', meaning 'Winter is cold'.
Jesen je. Vani je vrlo ___. (Autumn is. It's very ___ outside.)
The sentence describes autumn weather, which is often cold. 'Hladno' means cold.
Ne volim piti ___ kavu. (I don't like to drink ___ coffee.)
If someone doesn't like coffee, 'cold' is a common reason. 'Hladnu' is the feminine accusative form of 'hladan'.
Treba mi deka jer mi je jako ___. (I need a blanket because I am very ___.)
If you need a blanket, it's usually because you are cold. 'Hladno' is the neuter form, used to describe the feeling of coldness.
Voda u moru je još uvijek ___. (The water in the sea is still ___.)
Seawater can be cold. 'Hladna' is the feminine nominative form, agreeing with 'voda'.
Ujutro je zrak bio vrlo ___. (In the morning, the air was very ___.)
Morning air can often be cold. 'Hladan' is the masculine nominative form, agreeing with 'zrak'.
Kolači su bolji kad su ___. (Cakes are better when they are ___.)
Some cakes are preferred cold. 'Hladni' is the masculine plural nominative form, agreeing with 'kolači'.
What kind of wind is outside?
Why is the speaker cold?
What kind of coffee does the speaker dislike?
Read this aloud:
Voda je jako hladna.
Focus: Hladna (HLAD-nah)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Osjećam se hladno.
Focus: Osjećam (oh-SYE-cham)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Je li zrak hladan?
Focus: zrak (zrahk)
You said:
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The weather outside is cold and windy.
What kind of water does the speaker drink after exercising?
The speaker is feeling cold.
Read this aloud:
Volim kada je pivo hladno.
Focus: hladno
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Jutros je bilo hladno i maglovito.
Focus: maglovito
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Nisam navikao na tako hladnu zimu.
Focus: navikao
You said:
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Write a short paragraph describing a time you felt particularly cold, perhaps during a winter trip or an unexpected cold snap, and how you tried to warm up. Use the word 'hladan' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Prošle zime bio sam na planinarenju i vrijeme je postalo iznenada vrlo hladno. Nisam očekivao tako niske temperature. Ruke i noge su mi bile potpuno hladne. Morao sam brzo pronaći sklonište i popiti topli čaj da se zagrijem. Osjećaj je bio vrlo neugodan.
Imagine you are describing the weather in Croatia to a friend who has never visited. Focus on contrasting the 'hladan' weather in winter with the warmer seasons. Write at least three sentences.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
U Hrvatskoj zime mogu biti prilično hladne, posebno u unutrašnjosti gdje temperature često padaju ispod nule. More je tada također hladno. Međutim, ljeta su obično topla i sunčana, što je velika razlika u odnosu na hladne zimske mjesece.
You are writing a review for a new restaurant. Describe the ambiance, specifically mentioning if the temperature was 'hladan' and how it affected your experience. Suggest how they could improve it.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Posjetio sam novi restoran sinoć i iako je hrana bila izvrsna, ambijent je bio pomalo razočaravajući. Prostor je bio prilično hladan, što je otežavalo opuštanje i uživanje u obroku. Mislim da bi poboljšanje grijanja učinilo iskustvo mnogo ugodnijim za goste.
Što je uzrokovalo probleme u prometu?
Read this passage:
Prošla noć bila je izuzetno hladna, s temperaturom koja je pala ispod nule. Zbog toga su se stvorili problemi u prometu, a mnogi su automobili imali poteškoća s paljenjem. Ljudi su se umotavali u debele kapute i šalove kako bi se zaštitili od oštrog vjetra. Grad je bio neobično tih, jer su se rijetki usuđivali izlaziti van.
Što je uzrokovalo probleme u prometu?
Tekst jasno navodi da je 'zbog toga' (misleći na izuzetno hladnu noć) došlo do problema u prometu.
Tekst jasno navodi da je 'zbog toga' (misleći na izuzetno hladnu noć) došlo do problema u prometu.
Zašto je govornik odlučio obući topliji džemper?
Read this passage:
Jutros sam se probudio i osjetio hladan povjetarac kako ulazi kroz otvoren prozor. Iako je vani sunčano, zrak je još uvijek svjež. Odlučio sam obući topliji džemper prije nego što izađem. Očekujem da će se tijekom dana zagrijati, ali jutra su još uvijek prilično hladna za ovo doba godine.
Zašto je govornik odlučio obući topliji džemper?
Tekst kaže 'osjetio hladan povjetarac kako ulazi kroz otvoren prozor. Iako je vani sunčano, zrak je još uvijek svjež. Odlučio sam obući topliji džemper'.
Tekst kaže 'osjetio hladan povjetarac kako ulazi kroz otvoren prozor. Iako je vani sunčano, zrak je još uvijek svjež. Odlučio sam obući topliji džemper'.
Što je potrebno za uživanje u zimskim sportovima u planinskim predjelima?
Read this passage:
U planinskim predjelima Hrvatske zime su često vrlo hladne i snježne. To privlači mnogo ljubitelja zimskih sportova, ali zahtijeva i dobru pripremu. Potrebno je imati odgovarajuću opremu i biti svjestan promjenjivih vremenskih uvjeta. Čak i kad je sunčano, temperatura zraka može biti izrazito niska.
Što je potrebno za uživanje u zimskim sportovima u planinskim predjelima?
Tekst navodi: 'Potrebno je imati odgovarajuću opremu i biti svjestan promjenjivih vremenskih uvjeta.'
Tekst navodi: 'Potrebno je imati odgovarajuću opremu i biti svjestan promjenjivih vremenskih uvjeta.'
This sentence describes the weather condition in the morning, using 'hladno' to mean cold.
This sentence expresses a preference for cold tea during summer, showcasing the use of 'hladan' for beverages.
Here, 'hladan' is used metaphorically to describe a person's cold and unemotional response.
The weather was cold, but they decided to walk by the sea.
His cold reaction to the news surprised everyone present.
Cold air was coming through cracks in the window, making the room uncomfortably chilly.
Read this aloud:
Unatoč hladnom vjetru, planinari su nastavili svoj uspon prema vrhu.
Focus: Una-toč hla-dnom vje-tru, pla-ni-na-ri su nas-ta-vi-li svoj us-pon pre-ma vr-hu.
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Nije očekivao tako hladan prijem od ljudi koje je smatrao prijateljima.
Focus: Ni-je o-če-ki-vao ta-ko hla-dan pri-jem od lju-di ko-je je sma-trao pri-ja-telji-ma.
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Jutra su postajala sve hladnija, nagovještavajući dolazak zime.
Focus: Ju-tra su pos-ta-ja-la sve hlad-ni-ja, na-go-vje-šta-va-ju-ći do-la-zak zi-me.
You said:
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This idiom, 'hladan tuš' (a cold shower), signifies a harsh awakening or disappointment after high hopes. The sentence structure in Croatian generally follows Subject-Verb-Object, but with 'biti' (to be) as the auxiliary verb for past tense, the auxiliary comes before the main verb or noun phrase, and in this case 'bio je' functions as the 'was' part of the idiom. The rest of the phrase follows a logical order, indicating 'for all his hopes'.
The idiom 'održavati hladnu glavu' translates to 'to keep a cool head'. In Croatian, the infinitive 'održavati' (to keep) often starts a sentence when it's the subject of the action. 'Hladnu glavu' (cool head) is the direct object. 'U kriznim situacijama' (in crisis situations) is a prepositional phrase modifying the verb. 'Je ključno' (is crucial) acts as the predicate.
'Unatoč' (despite) is a preposition that takes the dative case, hence 'hladnoj dobrodošlici' (cold welcome). The comma separates the introductory phrase from the main clause. 'Odlučio je ostati' (he decided to stay) follows a standard Subject-Verb-Infinitive structure, where 'je' is the auxiliary for the past tense of 'odlučiti'.
/ 54 correct
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