002 Je l' tako?

Dakle, želiš biti kao pravi Hrvat, jel’da? #002

Je l’ tako?

​Je l' tako?  (an abbreviation of Je li tako?) meaning: 'Is that right?' or 'Is that the case?' And often implying, more assertively: 'That's right, isn't it!?'

​For example:

Domina: Frane, Zagreb je dalje od Splita nego Mostar, je l' tako?

Viktor: Sunce će izaći sutra oko 7 sati, je l' tako?
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Mate: Tramvaj broj dvanaest ide prema trgu, je l' tako?

In fact, je l' tako? is an alternative phrase to both je l' da? and zar ne? .. je l' tako?

However, to my way of thinking (but my Croatian teacher or friends might correct me), je l' tako? is often not used as a purely open question, asked out of curiosity.

Rather, it is often more affirmative, meaning "That's right, isn't it?" or "I'm right, aren't I?"

​

Here is a conversation that I heard one morning between two old men in Gospić - surely the coldest town in all of Croatia. Stipe's first use of je l' tako? hardly needs a question mark after it.
​

Ivan (on the left): Ne znam koji je najbolji put do Ljubljane.

Stipe: Od Gospića, prvo se mora ići do Zagreba, je l' tako?

Ivan: Naravno, tako je, ali ne znam kamo ići daleko od Zagreba.

Stipe: Samo onda idete putem autoceste E70.

Ivan: Hvala!

Stipe: Ideš biciklom, je l' tako?

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​Image by Zoran Stupar from Pixabay

One more (final) example ....

Branka: Branke, moram to raditi ovako nego onako, je l' tako?
Branko: Ma kako ne!      [How else! How would that not be so!]

Branko might have been a little more gentle, and replied, Tako je.

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One more (final, final) example ....

Tomislav:  Marija, moram to raditi ovako nego onako, je l' tako?
Marija:      Ma ne! Ne!
Tomislav: Onda kako?
Marija:     Ovako. Prvo moraš držiti desnom rukom, i onda .......

​A useful tip ......
Just finish every statement that you make with this seeking of affirmation: Je l' tako?

Or, as some people say: Je l' tak?

If you are learning Croatian, you might as well get right into the idiom, beyond the formal language. Je l' tako?


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