When learning a new language, one of the key skills is being able to express your preferences. Whether it’s ordering food at a restaurant, choosing an activity, or stating your likes and dislikes, knowing how to express preferences helps you communicate more effectively and naturally. In this article, we’ll dive into how to express preferences in Croatian, a South Slavic language spoken primarily in Croatia. By the end, you’ll have a solid foundation to express what you like, love, dislike, or prefer in various contexts.
Basic Vocabulary for Expressing Preferences
Before we delve into the grammar and sentence structures, it’s important to familiarize ourselves with the basic vocabulary. Here are some essential words and phrases you’ll need:
– Voljeti (to love)
– Sviđati se (to like)
– Ne voljeti (to dislike)
– Mrziti (to hate)
– Preferirati (to prefer)
– Više voljeti (to prefer)
Examples:
– Volim čokoladu. (I love chocolate.)
– Sviđa mi se ta pjesma. (I like that song.)
– Ne volim kišu. (I dislike rain.)
– Mrzim gužvu. (I hate crowds.)
– Preferiram čaj. (I prefer tea.)
– Više volim ljeto nego zimu. (I prefer summer over winter.)
Using “Voljeti” (To Love)
The verb voljeti is used to express love or strong liking for something or someone. It’s a regular verb, but it undergoes vowel changes in different conjugations. Here’s how to conjugate “voljeti”:
– Ja volim (I love)
– Ti voliš (You love)
– On/ona/ono voli (He/she/it loves)
– Mi volimo (We love)
– Vi volite (You love, plural/formal)
– Oni/one/ona vole (They love)
Examples in Sentences:
– Ja volim putovati. (I love traveling.)
– Ona voli kavu. (She loves coffee.)
– Mi volimo plivati. (We love swimming.)
Using “Sviđati se” (To Like)
The phrase sviđati se is used when you want to say you like something. It’s an impersonal verb, which means it doesn’t change according to the subject but rather according to the object. Here’s how to use it:
– Sviđa mi se (I like)
– Sviđa ti se (You like)
– Sviđa mu/joj se (He/she likes)
– Sviđa nam se (We like)
– Sviđa vam se (You like, plural/formal)
– Sviđa im se (They like)
Examples in Sentences:
– Sviđa mi se ta haljina. (I like that dress.)
– Sviđa ti se ovaj film? (Do you like this movie?)
– Sviđa nam se tvoj stan. (We like your apartment.)
Expressing Dislike: “Ne voljeti” and “Mrziti”
To express dislike, you can use ne voljeti (to dislike) or mrziti (to hate). “Ne voljeti” is the negative form of “voljeti,” and “mrziti” is a stronger term, indicating hatred.
Conjugation of “Mrziti”:
– Ja mrzim (I hate)
– Ti mrziš (You hate)
– On/ona/ono mrzi (He/she/it hates)
– Mi mrzimo (We hate)
– Vi mrzite (You hate, plural/formal)
– Oni/one/ona mrze (They hate)
Examples in Sentences:
– Ne volim glazbu. (I dislike music.)
– On ne voli hladnoću. (He dislikes the cold.)
– Mrzim rano ustajanje. (I hate waking up early.)
– Oni mrze zagađenje. (They hate pollution.)
Expressing Preferences: “Preferirati” and “Više voljeti”
To express preferences, Croatian uses the verbs preferirati and više voljeti. Both can be used interchangeably, but “više voljeti” is more common in everyday conversation.
Conjugation of “Preferirati”:
– Ja preferiram (I prefer)
– Ti preferiraš (You prefer)
– On/ona/ono preferira (He/she/it prefers)
– Mi preferiramo (We prefer)
– Vi preferirate (You prefer, plural/formal)
– Oni/one/ona preferiraju (They prefer)
Examples in Sentences:
– Preferiram vino umjesto piva. (I prefer wine instead of beer.)
– On preferira bicikliranje. (He prefers cycling.)
– Vi preferirate raditi od kuće. (You prefer working from home.)
Using “Više voljeti”:
– Više volim (I prefer)
– Više voliš (You prefer)
– Više voli (He/she/it prefers)
– Više volimo (We prefer)
– Više volite (You prefer, plural/formal)
– Više vole (They prefer)
Examples in Sentences:
– Više volim knjige nego filmove. (I prefer books over movies.)
– Ona više voli crnu kavu. (She prefers black coffee.)
– Više volimo planine nego more. (We prefer mountains over the sea.)
Combining Preferences in Sentences
Now that we’ve covered the basic vocabulary and conjugations, let’s look at how to combine these expressions in more complex sentences. This can help you sound more fluent and natural in conversation.
Examples:
– Iako volim jesti vani, više volim kuhati kod kuće. (Although I love eating out, I prefer cooking at home.)
– Sviđa mi se ovaj restoran, ali ne volim njihovu juhu. (I like this restaurant, but I dislike their soup.)
– Mrzim kišu, pa preferiram sunčane dane. (I hate rain, so I prefer sunny days.)
Questions to Ask About Preferences
To engage in conversations and learn about other people’s preferences, you’ll need to know how to ask questions. Here are some useful question formats:
– Što voliš? (What do you love?)
– Što ti se sviđa? (What do you like?)
– Što ne voliš? (What do you dislike?)
– Što mrziš? (What do you hate?)
– Što preferiraš? (What do you prefer?)
– Što više voliš? (What do you prefer?)
Examples in Conversations:
– Što voliš raditi vikendom? (What do you love to do on weekends?)
– Što ti se sviđa kod ovog grada? (What do you like about this city?)
– Što ne voliš jesti? (What do you dislike eating?)
– Što mrziš kod svog posla? (What do you hate about your job?)
– Što preferiraš piti, kavu ili čaj? (What do you prefer to drink, coffee or tea?)
– Što više voliš, ljeto ili zimu? (What do you prefer, summer or winter?)
Responding to Questions About Preferences
When responding to questions about your preferences, you can use the verbs and structures we’ve discussed. Here are some example responses:
– Volim putovati, posebno u Europu. (I love traveling, especially in Europe.)
– Sviđa mi se tvoja ideja. (I like your idea.)
– Ne volim rano ustajanje. (I dislike waking up early.)
– Mrzim čekanje u redu. (I hate waiting in line.)
– Preferiram gledati filmove kod kuće. (I prefer watching movies at home.)
– Više volim ljeto jer je toplo. (I prefer summer because it’s warm.)
Practice Makes Perfect
To master expressing preferences in Croatian, practice is key. Try incorporating these phrases into your daily conversations. Here are some practical tips to help you practice:
– **Language Exchange:** Partner with a native Croatian speaker for language exchange. Ask about their preferences and share yours.
– **Flashcards:** Create flashcards with different activities, foods, and places. Practice forming sentences about your preferences.
– **Role Play:** Engage in role-playing scenarios where you need to express your likes, dislikes, and preferences.
– **Writing Practice:** Write short paragraphs or journal entries about what you love, like, dislike, and prefer in various contexts.
Conclusion
Expressing preferences is a fundamental aspect of language learning that allows you to communicate more effectively and personally. By mastering the verbs voljeti, sviđati se, ne voljeti, mrziti, preferirati, and više voljeti, you’ll be well-equipped to share your likes, dislikes, and preferences in Croatian. Practice regularly, engage in conversations, and soon you’ll find yourself expressing your preferences naturally and confidently. Sretno! (Good luck!)
