u + Accusative / Locative

Into or in

Level 2

U školu means into or to school; u školi means in or at school. The case distinguishes the intended relationship.

How It Works

Compare Idem u školu. and Radim u školi. The first phrase gives a goal, and the second locates the activity. Feminine škola makes the distinction visible as školu versus školi.

Masculine and neuter nouns have their own forms: u grad/u gradu and u selo/u selu. Modifiers change with them: u novu školu but u novoj školi.

Do not choose accusative merely because the verb describes motion. Djeca trče u školi. can locate running inside the school. The question is whether the phrase gives the destination or the place where the activity occurs.

Examples (4)

  1. Idem u školu.

    I am going to school.

    Accusative školu marks the destination.

  2. Radim u školi.

    I work at a school.

    Locative školi marks the location.

  3. Djeca trče u školi.

    The children are running inside the school.

    Movement occurs within the locative location.

  4. Putujem u Zagreb.

    I am travelling to Zagreb.

    The destination uses accusative, whose form matches nominative Zagreb.

How It Connects

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

u + Accusative / LocativeLevel 2Into or in

Learn This First

Contrast accusative destination with locative location for the same spatial preposition.

Words in This Pattern