djelovat

Djelovati is a Croatian verb meaning to act, to operate, or to function, and by extension to have an effect on something. It is used for humans, organizations, machines and processes to indicate that they perform actions, produce results, or cause changes.

Usage and meaning

In everyday language, djelovati describes general action or functioning: a person acts, a machine works, or a policy influences a system. The verb can express that something has an effect on another thing, as in medicines acting on the body or events affecting the economy. It can also denote intention or purpose in certain contexts, for example when someone acts in a certain role or capacity. The phrase djelovati na S is common, meaning to have an influence on or to affect S.

Etymology and related forms

Djelovati belongs to a broad Slavic family of verbs formed with the -ovati suffix, linked to nouns such as djelovanje (action, operation) and to the related adjective djelatan (effective, operative). The root djel- conveys action or doing, a semantic field shared with words for work, activity, and performance across related languages.

Conjugation and grammar

Standard Croatian forms include: present ja djelujem, ti djeluješ, on/ona/ono djeluje, mi djelujemo, vi djelujete, oni/one djeluju. Past tense forms: on je djelovao, ona je djelovala, ono je djelovalo; mi smo djelovali, vi ste djelovali, they djelovali. Future is formed with the auxiliary plus infinitive, e.g., ja ću djelovati. Imperative: djeluj!, djelujmo!, djelujte!. Present participle: djelujući.

Examples

Lijek djeluje na živčani sustav. The medicine acts on the nervous system.

Električni motor djeluje bez problema. The electric motor operates without issues.

Nova politika djeluje na gospodarstvo.

See also

djelovanje, djelatnost, djelatnik, djelovanje (action/operation).