Distance in Croatian
In Croatian, demonstrative pronouns depend on how close an object is to the speaker and the listener. While ovaj (this) is used for objects near the speaker, there are two different words for "that":
- taj: for objects near the listener.
- onaj: for objects far away from both of you (that over there).
Like adjectives, these pronouns match the noun's gender, number, and case. For masculine inanimate nouns, the nominative and accusative forms are simply taj and onaj.
| Give me that hat. | Daj mi taj šešir. |
| I want that hat in the shop window. | Želim onaj šešir u izlogu. |
Feminine Forms
Feminine nouns use different endings depending on their role in the sentence:
- Nominative (subject): ta and ona (ends in -a)
- Accusative (direct object): tu and onu (ends in -u)
| Take that tie and my coat. | Uzmi tu kravatu i moj kaput. |
| He is choosing that red tie over there. | On bira onu crvenu kravatu. |
| That lamp over there in the shop window is expensive. | Ona svjetiljka u izlogu je skupa. |
Plurals
Words like naočale (glasses) are feminine plural. For both the nominative and accusative cases, the pronouns take the ending -e:
- te: those (near you)
- one: those (over there)
| Why are you choosing those glasses? | Zašto biraš te naočale? |
| Those glasses over there on the table are mine. | One naočale na stolu su moje. |
Making Comparisons
These pronouns are perfect for distinguishing between objects. When referring to the further object, you might hear tamo (there) added for emphasis.
| Do you want that pillow or that one over there? | Želiš li taj jastuk ili onaj tamo? |
| That hat is expensive, but that one in the shop window is cheap. | Taj šešir je skup, ali onaj u izlogu je jeftin. |
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