ije / je

Ije and Je Spellings

Level 1

Standard Croatian uses spellings such as mlijeko and mjesto. Related words can change ije to je or e.

How It Works

The three letters ije occur in mlijeko and vrijeme; je occurs in mjesto and pjesma. Standard spelling records the distinction even where conversational pronunciation makes it difficult to hear.

A related form may use a different sequence: vrijeme → vremena, lijep → ljepši. The change belongs to that word’s inflection or derivation. Do not replace every e with ije when moving from a neighbouring language to Croatian.

Use a Croatian dictionary for an unfamiliar form and keep the accents of individual speakers separate from spelling. Regional Ikavian and Ekavian forms exist in Croatian speech; this course models standard Ijekavian written forms.

Examples (3)

  1. Mlijeko je hladno.

    The milk is cold.

    Mlijeko has ije.

  2. Ovo je moje mjesto.

    This is my place.

    Mjesto has je.

  3. Nemam vremena.

    I do not have time.

    Vrijeme changes to genitive vremena in this expression.

How It Connects

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

ije / jeLevel 1Ije and Je Spellings

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.