Comparatives in Croatian often have forms that need to be memorised because they do not always follow a single regular rule. Velik (big) becomes veći (bigger), used in ovaj stan je veći (This flat is bigger). Dobar (good) becomes bolji (better), as in ovo je bolje rješenje (This is a better solution). Loš (bad) becomes gori (worse), as in vrijeme je gore nego jučer (The weather is worse than yesterday). The superlative is built by adding the prefix naj- to the comparative, so najbolji means "the best" (ovo je najbolji restoran — This is the best restaurant). To compare two things, use nego (or od) after a comparative: viši je nego ja means "He is taller than me." The plain comparative words for quantity are više (more) and manje (less), as in trebam više vremena (I need more time) and danas radim manje (Today I work less).
Conjunctions connect clauses and express logical relationships. Jer or zato što introduces a reason: ne idem jer sam umoran (I am not going because I am tired). Ali is the everyday "but," as in htio bih doći, ali ne mogu (I would like to come, but I cannot). Ako introduces a condition (ako pada kiša, ostajemo doma — If it rains, we stay home). The temporal conjunction is kad or kada, used in nazovi me kad stigneš (Call me when you arrive). Da introduces a clause meaning "that," as in mislim da imaš pravo (I think that you are right). Iako means "although": iako je kasno, idem van (Although it is late, I am going out).
Reactions and feelings use short adjectives, adverbs, and idiomatic phrases. Naravno means "of course" (naravno da mogu pomoći), and možda means "maybe" (možda dođem kasnije). To agree or disagree, use slažem se or ne slažem se, as in slažem se s tobom (I agree with you) and ne slažem se s tom odlukom (I do not agree with that decision). Emotions are described with gendered adjectives: umoran or umorna (tired), sretan or sretna (happy), and ljut or ljuta (angry), used in umorna sam nakon posla (I am tired after work) and zašto si ljut? (Why are you angry?). Fear is expressed with the verb bojati se, as in bojim se letjeti (I am afraid of flying). Common adverbs for pace and timing are brzo (quickly), polako (slowly), rano (early), kasno (late), zajedno (together), and sam or sama (alone).
For preferences, voljeti means "to love" or "like deeply" — volim more means "I love the sea." The construction sviđati se describes finding something pleasing, with the person who likes appearing in the dative case: sviđa mi se ovaj grad means "I like this city," and the two can appear together as in volim je, ali ne sviđa mi se njezin stan (I love her, but I do not like her flat). A few stock phrases cover routine social interactions: apologise with oprostite (formal) or oprosti (informal), as in oprostite, kasnim (Sorry, I am late); ease the moment with nema problema (no problem) or nije važno (it does not matter); say goodbye with vidimo se kasnije (see you later); and add the warm čuvaj se (take care).