The Croatian Genitive
The genitive is the case of origins, absences and amounts — from Ireland, without sugar, a glass of water. You've been using it since «Ja sam iz Hrvatske» in your very first introduction. Time to own it.
The Shapes
| Gender | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | -a | grad → grada, Zagreb → Zagreba |
| neuter | -a | selo → sela, more → mora |
| feminine | -e | kava → kave, Hrvatska → Hrvatske |
iz, kod, bez, do
Four little words that always demand the genitive:
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| iz | from / out of | Emma je iz Irske. — Emma is from Ireland. |
| kod | at someone's place | Vikend smo kod bake. — We're at grandma's this weekend. |
| bez | without | Kava bez šećera, molim. — Coffee without sugar, please. |
| do | up to / next to | Idemo do kolodvora. — Let's go as far as the station. |
nema — There Isn't
nema + genitive is the there-isn't machine — one of the most used constructions in the language:
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| Nema problema! | No problem! |
| Nema šećera. | We're out of sugar. |
| Nema mlijeka. | There's no milk. |
| Nema veze. | Never mind / it doesn't matter. |
Of: Possession and Quantity
English "of" is a Croatian ending. Amounts and belongings both run on the genitive:
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| čaša vode | a glass of water |
| kilo sira | a kilo of cheese |
| litra mlijeka | a liter of milk |
| stan moje sestre | my sister's flat — the flat of my sister |
Negation Keeps the Accusative
A relief for anyone who's touched Russian or Polish: ordinary negation does not flip the case.
Imam auto. → Nemam auto.
I have a car. → I don't have a car.
Note: The accusative stays. Only nema-style “there isn't” takes the genitive.
💬 The empty fridge
Imamo li mlijeka?
Do we have any milk?
Nema mlijeka. I nema kruha.
There's no milk. And no bread.
Bez kave ne idem nikamo.
Without coffee I'm not going anywhere.
Kave ima. Nema problema.
Coffee we have. No problem.