Impersonal Verbs for Natural Phenomena (e.g., Svani, Smrkavati se)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Croatian, nature acts on its own! These verbs describe weather without needing a subject like 'it' or 'the sky'.
- No subject needed: Never use 'Ono' (it) for weather. Just say 'Grmi' (It thunders).
- Always 3rd person: Use singular forms only. In past tense, always use the neuter 'je' form.
- Reflexive 'se': Many weather changes use 'se', like 'Smrkava se' (It is getting dark).
Conjugation of Impersonal Verbs (Example: Grmjeti)
| Tense | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present
|
3rd Sing.
|
Grmi
|
It thunders
|
|
Past
|
3rd Sing. Neuter
|
Grmjelo je
|
It thundered
|
|
Future I
|
3rd Sing.
|
Grmjet će
|
It will thunder
|
|
Future II
|
3rd Sing.
|
Bude grmjelo
|
If it thunders (cond.)
|
|
Perfective (Past)
|
3rd Sing. Neuter
|
Zagrmjelo je
|
It gave a thunder clap
|
|
Conditional I
|
3rd Sing. Neuter
|
Grmjelo bi
|
It would thunder
|
Meanings
Verbs that describe natural, atmospheric, or meteorological phenomena where no logical agent or subject is performing the action.
Meteorological Events
Describing active weather events like thunder, lightning, or rain.
“Grmi i sijeva.”
“Cijeli dan kiši.”
Light and Time Transitions
Describing the transition between day and night (dawn, dusk).
“Sviće rano ljeti.”
“Smrkava se već u pet sati.”
Atmospheric States
Describing the general 'feel' or state of the environment.
“Razvedrilo se nakon oluje.”
“Zahladilo je preko noći.”
Figurative/Idiomatic Usage
Using weather verbs to describe personal realizations or sudden events.
“Svanulo mi je!”
“Smrklo mi se pred očima.”
Reference Table
| Type | Verb (Inf.) | Present | Past (Neuter) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Weather
|
Grmjeti
|
Grmi
|
Grmjelo je
|
To thunder
|
|
Weather
|
Sijevati
|
Sijeva
|
Sijevalo je
|
To flash (lightning)
|
|
Light
|
Svitati
|
Sviće
|
Svitalo je
|
To dawn (impf.)
|
|
Light
|
Svanuti
|
Svane
|
Svanulo je
|
To dawn (perf.)
|
|
Light
|
Smrkavati se
|
Smrkava se
|
Smrkavalo se
|
To get dark (impf.)
|
|
Light
|
Smrknuti se
|
Smrkne se
|
Smrklo se
|
To get dark (perf.)
|
|
Temp
|
Zahladiti
|
Zahladi
|
Zahladilo je
|
To get cold
|
|
Temp
|
Zatopliti
|
Zatopli
|
Zatoplilo je
|
To get warm
|
Espectro de formalidade
Nastupa sumrak. (Time of day)
Smrkava se. (Time of day)
Mrači se. (Time of day)
Pao je mrak. (Time of day)
Impersonal Verb Categories
Weather
- Grmi Thunder
- Sijeva Lightning
Time/Light
- Sviće Dawning
- Smrkava se Getting dark
Temperature
- Zahladilo je Got cold
- Zatoplilo je Got warm
English vs. Croatian Structure
How to form the Past Tense
Is it a weather verb?
Is there a subject?
What gender to use?
Common Impersonal Verbs
Stormy
- • Grmi
- • Sijeva
- • Grmjelo je
Daily Cycle
- • Sviće
- • Smrkava se
- • Svanulo je
Sky Changes
- • Naoblačilo se
- • Razvedrilo se
- • Smrklo se
Exemplos por nível
Grmi.
It is thundering.
Sijeva.
There is lightning.
Vani puše.
It's blowing outside (windy).
Pada snijeg.
Snow is falling.
Jučer je grmjelo.
It thundered yesterday.
Smrkava se.
It's getting dark.
Sutra će sniježiti.
It will snow tomorrow.
Ujutro rano sviće.
It dawns early in the morning.
Naglo se naoblačilo.
It suddenly got cloudy.
Cijelu noć je kišilo.
It rained all night.
Zahladilo je nakon kiše.
It got cold after the rain.
Uskoro će se razvedriti.
It will clear up soon.
Smrklo mi se pred očima.
Everything went black before my eyes (I got dizzy/angry).
Svanulo mu je kad je čuo vijest.
He finally understood/felt relief when he heard the news.
Zatoplilo je, pa se snijeg počeo topiti.
It warmed up, so the snow started melting.
Već se poodavno smrklo.
It has been dark for quite a while now.
Nad gradom se zlokobno smrklo.
It grew ominously dark over the city.
Svanulo je slobodi nakon dugih godina.
Freedom dawned after many years.
Prosvijetlilo mi se u vezi tog problema.
I had a sudden epiphany regarding that problem.
U planinama je već pošteno zahladilo.
It has already become quite cold in the mountains.
Tek što je svanulo, grad je oživio.
No sooner had it dawned than the city came to life.
Smrknulo se i u duši i na nebu.
It grew dark both in the soul and in the sky.
Naoblačilo se nad našom suradnjom.
Clouds have gathered over our cooperation (things are going poorly).
Kišilo je onom sitnom, dosadnom kišom.
It rained with that small, annoying rain.
Fácil de confundir
Learners don't know which one to use. 'Pada kiša' is more common in speech, while 'Kiši' is more concise.
'Mrači' can be personal (someone is making it dark), while 'Smrkava se' is always the natural process.
Both mean 'it dawned/lit up', but 'prosvijetlilo' is often used for mental epiphanies.
Erros comuns
Ono grmi.
Grmi.
On sijeva.
Sijeva.
Ja grmim.
Grmi.
To je grmjelo.
Grmjelo je.
Grmio je.
Grmjelo je.
Svanula je.
Svanulo je.
Smrkava.
Smrkava se.
Naoblačilo je.
Naoblačilo se.
Počelo je grmjeti.
Počelo je grmjeti.
Kiši se.
Kiši.
Svanulo je sunce.
Ogrnulo je sunce / Sunce je svanulo.
Grmjelo su.
Grmjelo je.
Padrões de frases
Vani se ___.
Noćas je jako ___.
Čim je ___, krenuli smo na put.
Izgleda da će uskoro ___.
Real World Usage
Ej, grmi kod mene, neću doći.
Poslijepodne će se razvedriti.
Baš je zahladilo jutros, jedva sam se ustao.
U Gorskom kotaru je već sniježilo.
Pazi, u planinama se brzo smrkne.
Konačno je svanulo sunce! ☀️
The Neuter Rule
No 'Ono'!
Reflexive 'se'
Idiomatic Use
Smart Tips
Try using 'Kiši' instead of 'Pada kiša' to sound more like a B2-level speaker.
Double-check that your verb ends in -O. If it ends in -A or -IO, it's probably wrong.
Use 'Svanulo mi je!'. It's a great idiomatic way to say 'I get it now!'.
Think of it as 'the weather is doing it to itself'. It's a process of change.
Pronúncia
Rising Tone on 'Grmi'
The first syllable has a short rising accent.
Reflexive 'se' clitic
The 'se' is unstressed and leans on the preceding word.
Declarative Weather
Grmi. ↘
A simple statement of fact.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Remember 'The Ghost of Nature': Nature acts alone, so the verb stands alone (no 'Ono' allowed!).
Associação visual
Imagine a giant 'O' (for Neuter) falling from the sky every time it rains or thunders in the past tense. Grmjel-O, Svanul-O, Kišil-O.
Rhyme
Kad grmi i sijeva, nitko ne pjeva; subjekt se briše, priroda piše.
Story
A traveler arrives in Croatia. He looks at the sky and says 'Ono grmi'. The sky gets angry because it doesn't want to be called 'Ono'. The sky shouts 'Grmi!' and the traveler learns that in Croatia, the weather is its own boss.
Word Web
Desafio
Look out the window right now. Describe the weather using only one word (an impersonal verb). If it's dark, say 'Smrklo se'. If it's morning, say 'Sviće'.
Notas culturais
In coastal regions, people use 'Nevera' (storm) related verbs. They might say 'Nevera se sprema' instead of just 'Naoblačilo se'.
People often use 'Vani je sivo' (It's gray outside) alongside impersonal verbs to describe the frequent fog.
Weather is a primary topic for starting conversations with strangers. Using impersonal verbs correctly makes you sound like a local.
These constructions stem from Proto-Slavic impersonal forms where natural forces were seen as autonomous powers.
Iniciadores de conversa
Vani se baš naoblačilo, misliš li da će kišiti?
Jesi li čuo kako je noćas grmjelo?
Zimi se smrkava već u četiri, zar ne?
Što misliš, hoće li se razvedriti do vikenda?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
Jučer ___.
Vani se brzo ___ (smrkavati).
Find and fix the mistake:
Ono sijeva vani.
Grmjelo je.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Hoćemo li u šetnju? B: Ne, pogledaj nebo, već se ___.
Grmi, Sijeva, Spava, Sviće
Impersonal verbs can be plural.
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesJučer ___.
Vani se brzo ___ (smrkavati).
Find and fix the mistake:
Ono sijeva vani.
Grmjelo je.
1. Sviće, 2. Zahladilo je, 3. Naoblačilo se
A: Hoćemo li u šetnju? B: Ne, pogledaj nebo, već se ___.
Grmi, Sijeva, Spava, Sviće
Impersonal verbs can be plural.
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
In standard Croatian, no. You don't say 'Nebo grmi'. You just say `Grmi`. However, in poetry, you might see 'Grom grmi' (Thunder thunders), but it's redundant.
`Pada kiša` is the most common way to say 'it's raining'. `Kiši` is a purely impersonal verb that sounds a bit more literary or formal.
Because there is no masculine subject, the language defaults to the **neuter gender** (-o ending), which is the standard for all impersonal constructions in the past tense.
Yes, they are very similar. `Smrkava se` is slightly more common for the time of day, while `mrači se` can also mean the sky is getting dark before a storm.
Only metaphorically. `Smrknulo mu se` means someone got very angry or sad. `Svanulo mu je` means someone finally understood something.
Yes, when describing the sky getting cloudy, it is always `naoblačiti se`. Without 'se', it would mean 'to make something else cloudy'.
Just use the question particle 'li' or intonation: `Grmi li?` or `Grmi?`.
Yes: `Zahladilo je` (It got cold) and `Zatoplilo je` (It got warm).
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
It is raining / It thunders
Presence of the dummy subject 'It'.
Llueve / Truena
Spanish rarely uses reflexive 'se' for weather, while Croatian often does.
Il pleut / Il tonne
French requires 'Il', Croatian requires nothing.
Es regnet / Es donnert
German requires 'Es'.
Ame ga furu (雨が降る)
Japanese uses a noun (rain) as the subject.
Xià yǔ (下雨)
Chinese uses a verb + noun object.
Tumtir (تمطر)
Gender choice (Feminine in Arabic vs Neuter in Croatian).
