Usmjeravamo

Usmjeravamo is the first person plural present tense form of the Croatian verb usmjeravati, which means to direct, steer, or orient something or someone toward a goal. As a present tense form, it expresses an ongoing action in the speaker’s present. The verb is imperfective, indicating an ongoing or repeated activity rather than a completed act.

Grammatical notes: Usmjeravamo comes from the imperfective verb stem usmjerava- with the standard present-tense suffix -mо (for the 1st person plural). The related perfective forms would express a completed directing action, while usmjeravanje and other derivatives refer to the act or process of directing or orienting.

Usage: The expression is used in both literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it can refer to directing a physical process, device, or movement. Figuratively, it describes guiding plans, policies, or efforts toward a goal. For example, Mi usmjeravamo napore prema sigurnijoj energiji, meaning “We are directing our efforts toward safer energy.” In organizational or policy contexts, the phrase often appears when describing strategic focus or resource alignment.

Related terms: The noun usmjeravanje denotes the act or process of directing or orienting. Related verbs include usmjeriti (to direct/aim, perfective) and usmjeravanje politike (policy steering). In discourse, usmjeravamo is commonly paired with nouns like napore, resurse, ili strategije to convey targeted guidance.

See also: usmjeravanje, usmjeriti, orijentacija.