EasyCroatian_r47.an

Easy Croaan (rev. 47b) / 64 The Door Opens: Fun with se² 376 / 600
the past tense, as if it were impersonal, so behavior is actually the same.
To summarize, there are two main uses of this construction:
1. when something happens "on its own";
2. when English uses passive as well (is seen, are expected).
Finally, there’s a rather surprising use of DL in such sentences. With many verbs, it’s
possible to say that you feel like doing something, or you have a need to do
something (even against your will!).
The following examples will illustrate it – of course, instead of mi² and Ani (DL of
Ana) you can use any pronoun or noun standing for a person (or animal) in the DL
case. The verbs are almost always imperfective, because such expressions are about
activities and states, and not accomplishments. The following common expressions
stand for unpleasant feelings:
Povraća° mi DL se. I feel like throwing up.
Vrti° mi DL se. I’m dizzy.
Ani DL se povraćalo. Ana felt like throwing up.
The second sentence uses the verb vrtjeti/vrtiti spin. (Bear in mind that the
sentences are again impersonal, as the past tense reminds you.) The following
expressions are more pleasant:
Pije° mi DL se. I feel like drinking.
piti | 1
Puši° mi DL se. I need to smoke.
1
Ne pleše° mi DL se. I don’t feel like dancing.
plesati | 1
Ani DL se spava°. Ana is sleepy.
Ne ide° mi DL se na posao A . I don’t feel like going to work.
1 | ići
If you express what you feel like drinking/eating, it becomes the subject, so the verb
must be adjusted accordingly:
Pije mi DL se čaj N . I feel like drinking tea.
Jedu mi DL se kolači N . I feel like eating cakes.
Compare the previous sentences in the past tense:
Pilo mi DL se. I felt like drinking.
Ani DL se spavalo. Ana was sleepy.
Nije mi DL se išlo na posao A . I didn’t feel like going to work.
Pio mi DL se čaj N . I felt like drinking tea.
Jeli su mi DL se kolači N . I felt like eating cakes.
This is yet another use of the DL case to express feelings.
So, you finally know how to sell your house and to express that you don’t feel like
dancing!
What about exceptions to use of se²? There are couple of common verbs that
1
1
piti | 1
jesti | 1
1
1 | ići past-n
1
1