Okupljanje

Okupljanje is a noun in Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian representing the act of gathering or assembling people, groups, or things. It derives from the verb okupljati (to gather, bring together) with the prefix u- and suffix -anje marking a noun of action. The term is commonly used to describe a social event or process in which a crowd forms or is organized, such as a protest, festival, meeting, or religious service. It can also refer to the assembly of objects or resources when used in a broader context, though in technical writing other terms (such as prikupljanje or skupljanje) may be preferred for materials or data.

In contemporary usage, okupljanje often conveys the idea of collective presence or congregation, and the tone is generally neutral. The surrounding context determines whether the sense is positive (a peaceful gathering), neutral (an organized event), or negative (a crowd forming for disruptive purposes). The noun is widely understood across speakers of Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian and is sometimes used in media and official communications to describe crowds and gatherings without assigning judgment.

Related forms include okupljati (to gather), okupljao/okupljala (past participles), and synonyms such as skup (meeting, assembly) or zbor (gathering, rally). See also događaj (event) and masa (crowd).