molim / hvala

Polite Requests and Thanks

Level 1

Molim is a common polite request word, and hvala means thanks. A short pronoun can identify whom you are addressing or thanking.

How It Works

Kavu, molim. is a concise polite request. In Molim vas, ponovite., molim vas frames an instruction respectfully. The pronoun after molim is an object form, so it is vas or te, not the dative vam or ti.

Thanks use a different relationship: Hvala vam. or Hvala ti. The recipient is dative. You can add what the thanks are for with na, as in hvala na pomoći.

Molim can also respond to thanks or, with question intonation, ask someone to repeat what they said. Its English translation therefore depends on the conversational turn; it does not always mean please.

Examples (4)

  1. Kavu, molim.

    A coffee, please.

    Molim politely frames a short request.

  2. Molim vas, ponovite.

    Please repeat that.

    Vas addresses someone respectfully or several people.

  3. Hvala ti na pomoći.

    Thank you for your help.

    Ti is the dative person thanked.

  4. Hvala. — Molim.

    Thank you. — You are welcome.

    Molim responds to thanks here.

Words in This Pattern

moliti