Questions & Answers about On jede komad sira.
Why is it sira instead of sir?
sira is the genitive case of the masculine noun sir (cheese). In Croatian, when you talk about a part or quantity of something—like a "piece of" something—the noun that follows takes the genitive case. For masculine nouns, you usually add -a to the end.
komad (piece) is the object being eaten. Why doesn't its ending change?
komad is in the accusative case here because it's the direct object of the verb jede (is eating). However, for masculine nouns that represent inanimate objects (things, not living beings), the accusative form looks exactly the same as the nominative (dictionary) form. That's why it stays komad.
Can On jede also mean "He eats"?
Yes! Croatian doesn't have a separate continuous tense like English does. The present tense verb jede can mean "he eats" (as a habit) or "he is eating" (right now). You figure out which one it is from the rest of the conversation.
Can I drop the word On and just say Jede komad sira?
Absolutely. In Croatian, the verb ending usually gives away who is doing the action. The pronoun on (he) is often left out unless you really want to emphasize who is eating the cheese.
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