o + Locative

About a Topic

Level 2

O with the locative can introduce what someone speaks, thinks, reads or learns about. Razgovaramo o knjizi means we are talking about the book.

How It Works

Čitam o Hrvatskoj. names the topic of reading. Compare Čitam knjigu., where knjigu is the direct object being read. These are different complement structures.

Modifiers also take locative forms: o novoj knjizi, o dobrom prijatelju. A pronoun after o must be a full form such as meni or njemu, not a short clitic.

O has other lexical constructions, but the topic meaning is a clear starting point. Check the verb’s actual complement rather than assuming every English about expression can use the same Croatian frame.

Examples (4)

  1. Razgovaramo o knjizi.

    We are talking about the book.

    Knjizi is locative after o.

  2. Čitam o Hrvatskoj.

    I am reading about Croatia.

    Hrvatskoj is the topic, not a direct object.

  3. Mislim o tebi.

    I am thinking about you.

    Tebi is a full locative pronoun.

  4. Govorimo o novom filmu.

    We are talking about a new film.

    Both modifier and noun take locative forms.

How It Connects

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

o + LocativeLevel 2About a Topic

Learn This First

The topic preposition o selects the locative endings already introduced.

Words in This Pattern