Potrebno

Potrebno is a word used in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Montenegrin, and Slovenian. It expresses necessity or a required condition and is often used in impersonal constructions to state what must be done.

Etymology and forms: Potrebno derives from the noun potreba meaning “need” and from the related adjective potreban (masculine), potrebna (feminine), and potrebno (neuter). The root is linked to the verb trebati, meaning “to need.” The neuter form potrebno is the most common predicative form, for example in phrases like Potrebno je..., and it can modify neuter nouns, as in potrebno vrijeme (“the necessary time”).

Usage and nuance: In impersonal sentences, potrebno appears with the verb je to express necessity: Potrebno je provesti reviziju. It is often considered more formal or objective than the synonymous treba. While treba can denote obligation or recommendation in everyday speech, potrebno carries a sense of indispensable necessity, and is frequently found in instructions, regulations, and formal writing. It can also function attributively with neuter nouns: potrebno vrijeme, potrebno ulaganje.

Examples: Potrebno je izvršiti ažuriranje sistema. Ovo je potrebno uraditi odmah. Potrebno je da se preduzmu mjere. In Slovenian, a similar use exists and it can appear as Potrebno je narediti spremembe, or as an adverbial form in some contexts.

See also: potreba, trebati, potreban. These related terms cover the noun “need,” the verb “to need,” and the adjective forms of necessity in these languages.