svanuti

1. (of daybreak) to dawn; to break
   Krenuli smo na put čim je svanulo. — We set off as soon as it was light.
   Svanuo je sunčan i topao dan. — A sunny, warm day dawned.
2. formal (of a new era) to dawn; to begin
   Za naš klub je svanulo novo doba. — A new era has dawned for our club.
3. colloq. (svanuti nekome, impersonal) to get better for sb; to feel relief
   Svanulo mi je kad sam otplatio dugove. — Things got better for me when I paid off my debts.

In the sense "to get light" it is usually impersonal: svanulo je; the imperfective is svitati.