po + Locative

Around and by: Po

Level 4

Po plus the locative means around, across or by.

How It Works

Po with the locative covers movement around or over a place.

  • Šetamo po Baščaršiji. We walk around Baščaršija.
  • Mačka hoda po stolu. The cat walks on the table.
  • Po danu radim, po noći učim. By day I work, at night I study.
  • Šetali smo po kiši. We walked in the rain.
PhraseCaseMeaning
po gradulocativearound town
po hljebaccusativeto fetch bread

The locative ending of masculine and neuter nouns is -u, and of feminine nouns -i: po gradu, po ulici.

With a place name, the locative also matches its gender: po Mostaru, po Tuzli.

Examples (4)

  1. Šetamo po Baščaršiji.

    We are walking around Baščaršija.

    Baščaršija becomes Baščaršiji.

  2. Mačka hoda po stolu.

    The cat is walking on the table.

    Po with a surface.

  3. Po danu radim, a po noći učim.

    By day I work, and at night I study.

    Po for a time in general.

  4. Idem po hljeb.

    I am going to fetch bread.

    With the accusative po means to fetch.

Common Mistakes

  • Learners keep the nominative after po.

    Šetamo po Baščaršija.
    Šetamo po Baščaršiji.

    Po needs the locative here: Baščaršiji.

  • Learners use the locative when they want to fetch something.

    Idem po hljebu.
    Idem po hljeb.

    Po plus the locative would mean going around bread. To fetch it, use the accusative.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

po + LocativeLevel 4Around and by: Po

Learn This First

Po takes the locative.

Words in This Pattern

polokativ