GRAMMAR: 004 Which preposition - "u" or "na"?

Among those readers who are learning Croatian, who else has asked the following question: Which preposition do we use – “u” or “na” to say that we are at, or going toward, a particular place? Is there any rationality about which one is correct to use?

Well, my teacher Mateja (SpeakCro Learning Centre) has given me some rational guidelines – based more-or-less on the fact that “u” means “in” or “at”, and “na” means “on”.

Here goes …..
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When is “u” used?

The preposition “u’ is used mainly in respect of closed spaces (zatvoreni ili ograničeni prostori). That generally includes enclosed buildings, towns and countries. Some examples:
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            Location (lokativ padež)     
            Ja sam u kafiću                              
            Ja sam u uredu                               
            Ja sam u pošti                                
            Ja sam u Zagrebu                          
            Ja sam u Imotskom                        
            Ja sam u Vodicama                       
            Ja sam u gradu Hvaru                   
            Ja sam u Egipatu                          
            Ja sam u Australiji                        
           Ja sam u Francuskoj          ​

Motion to (akuzative padež)
Idem u kafić
Idem u ured
​Idem u poštu
Idem u Zagreb
​Idem u Imotski
Idem u Vodice
​Idem u grad Hvar
​idem u Egipat
Idem u Australiju​
Idem u Francusku ​​

We also use the preposition “u” in respect of banka, bolnica, crkva, garaža, grad, hotel, kazalište, kuhinja, muzej, podrum, stan, škola, trgovina, Knin, Baška Voda, and Meksiko, for example. Straightforward?

But there are some that seem to contradict the guideline about enclosed spaces ....

           Ja sam u parku              
          Ja sam u centru             
          Ja sam u planini                        
          Ja sam u krevetu           
          Ja sam u ministarstvu    
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​Suck it up, sweetheart!
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Idem u park
​Idem u centar
​Idem u planinu
​Idem u krevet
Idem u ministarstvo

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When is “na” used?
There are several categories:
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​1. Open spaces (otvoreni prostori), including islands:

     Ja sam na plaži
     Ja sam na igralištu
     Ja sam na otoku
​     Ja sam na otoku Hvaru

Idem na plažu
Idem na igralište
Idem na otok
Idem na otok Hvar   (but idem u grad Hvar)  ​

And “na” is also used with ulica, sveučilište, tržnica, fakultet, aerodrom, kolodvor, Korčula, .... Yes, we could argue about whether some of these are truly open spaces, but this is just a guideline.
 
2. Events or occurrences (događaji)

     Ja sam na koncertu
     Ja sam na izložbi
     Ja sam na venčanju
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Idem na koncert
Idem na izložbu
Idem na venčanje

Similarly,  we use "na" with events such as posao, zabava, rođendan, film, ispit, večera, pogreb, šetnja, ples, sastanak, skijanje, intervju, pregled, trčanje, predstava, .....

3. Meals or drinks (really a subset of događaji)
    [The akuzativ case is really the only case applicable here]
            Idem na piče
            Idem na pivo
            Idem na ručak
            Idem na sladoled
            Idem na kavu i kolač

Although (isn’t there always an  ‘although’?) it does make sense to use the lokativ sometimes:
            Vidimo se na kavi
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And finally either “u” or “na” can sometimes be used with the same place

In these cases, when we can use either “u” ili “na”, the sentences have different meanings:...

           Ja sam u more               I am in the sea (getting wet)
           Ja sam na more             I am at the seaside
 
            Idem u selo                   I am going to the village
            Idem na selo                 I am going to the countryside
 
And I am sure that there are variations and subtleties beyond what I am aware of, expressed above.
Can you add to my thoughts?
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I acknowledge that the source of some parts of this post is Marinela Aleksovski, another fine Croatian teacher.​​
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