Internalizirati

Internalizirati is a transitive verb used in Croatian (and in other Serbo-Croatian varieties) to mean to internalize. It refers to the process of incorporating external ideas, values, norms, or beliefs into one’s own thinking and behavior, so that they guide actions automatically rather than through deliberate effort. The term is common in psychology, sociology, education, ethics, and organizational contexts.

Etymology and form: Internalizirati is a loanword derived from the English internalize, adapted with the Croatian suffix -irati. The noun form is internalizacija; the past participle is internaliziran (masculine), with feminine internalizirana and neuter internalizirano. As a regular -irati verb, it follows standard conjugation patterns for that verb class.

Usage notes: The expression is typically used with direct objects such as vrijednosti (values), norme (norms), pravila (rules), or uvjerenja (beliefs). It can appear in discussions of socialization, moral development, organizational culture, or educational reform. While “internalizirati se” does occur in some contexts, the active form with a direct object is far more common.

Examples:

- Djeca internaliziraju društvene norme kroz odrastanje.

- Organizacije nastoje internalizirati etičke standarde u kulturu rada.

See also: internalizacija (the noun, internalization). The term is part of contemporary vocabulary in social sciences and applied disciplines, reflecting the shift from external instruction to internal belief and behavior alignment.