# Croatian: šta da radim



## Miliu

Dear foreros,

I've heard the sentence "šta da radim?" and I suppose that the meaning is "What do I do?" (do I go to the left? do I go to the right? and so on).

What would be the meaning of simply "šta radim?" (said better: why do we need that "da" before the verb?).

Thanks once again.


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## Anicetus

Yes, the meaning is "what should I do?"

Now, the thing is that _da_ has a very wide array of meanings. Other than as an affirmative particle and a conjunction for various kinds of clauses, _da_ also somewhat functions as a modal particle -- roughly speaking, it often expresses the subjunctive mood. _Što da radim?_ would be an example of the so-called deliberative subjunctive (although those names aren't normally used for BCMS) -- _da_ is used because the speaker asks for instructions, poses a question to which he expects an imperative answer. The sentence can be compared to its Classical Latin equivalent _quid agam?_ (present subjunctive is used to convey the same meaning; unfortunately, I'm not sure how to say it in a modern Romance language).

Dropping _da_ from the sentence would completely change its meaning -- _što radim?_ means simply "what am I doing?" or "what do I do?" (but *not* in the sense of "what should I do?", that's more of an idiom in English).


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## Vanja

Also:
(Pa) šta da radim! What can I do?! (= I can do nothing about it)

Ma šta to radim (za ime boga!) = What the hell am I doing!

("Šta radim?" is not an exclamation)


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## Miliu

Anicetus said:


> Yes, the meaning is "what should I do?"
> 
> Anicetus, after the question "šta da radim?", what kind/tense of verb should I use?
> I'd say, for instance: - šta da radim? Kupim ili ne kupim hleba? /Idem desno ili lijevo? (with imperfective verbs, but...)
> 
> Thanks.


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## Miliu

Vanja, in the past would work this construction too?

If I'm explaining a fact that went wrong, can I say " Pa šta da radio sam? To je bilo jednino rešenje da onda imao sam!"

Hvala


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## Duya

Miliu said:


> Anicetus, after the question "šta da radim?", what kind/tense of verb should I use?
> I'd say, for instance: - šta da radim? Kupim ili ne kupim hleba? /Idem desno ili lijevo? (with imperfective verbs, but...)
> Thanks.



You would continue with the "subjunctive" form:

_Šta da radim? *Da* kupim ili [*da*] ne kupim hleba? *Da* idem desno ili lijevo?_

_What am I *to* do? *To* buy or *not to* buy bread? *To* go left or right?_ or
_What *should *I do? *Should I* buy or not buy bread? *Should I* go left or right?_



Miliu said:


> Vanja, in the past would work this construction too?
> 
> If I'm explaining a fact that went wrong, can I say " Pa šta da radio sam? To je bilo jednino rešenje da onda imao sam!"



No, the "subjunctive" does not work in the past tense. You have to use a workaround with e.g. verb _trebati_ (should/need):

_Pa šta je *trebalo da* radim? To je bilo jedino rešenje koje sam onda imao!_ or
_Pa što sam *trebao* raditi? To je bilo jedino rješenje koje sam onda imao!_ or

The first version (impersonal _trebati_ + "subjunctive") would be preferred in Serbian, the second (personal _trebati_ + infinitive) in Croatian; I modified other words (_što, rješenje_) accordingly. Anicetus, do you agree?

P.S. Note that in _To je bilo jedino rešenje koje sam onda imao_ you use plain indicative: it's a statement of fact, not a speculation what should/should not have been done.


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## Vanja

Šta da radim? Kupim ili ne kupim hleba?  

*1. Da kupim hleb(a) ili ne? 
2. Duya's reply 
3. Kupiti ili ne kupiti hleb(a) ("Hamlet" variant )*

If you use present tense, constraction is *da + the present, conjugated *or you use *infinitive* of a verb. 

Idem *Da idem/Ići/ Poći... *desno ili lijevo? (with imperfective verbs, but...)* - both can*


The Present, "Subjunctive" or the Past tense, all are possible.

Šta sam to učinio/počinio/uradio? - What have I done?
Šta sam to radio (za ime boga)! - What have I been doing?

Correction:
Pa šta da radio sam? *Pa šta sam to radio? (Pay attention to the word order)*
To je bilo jednino rešenje da onda imao sam!" To je bilo jedino rešenje *koje sam onda imao*.


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## aprendiendo argento

"šta da radim?" = what shall I do?


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