Questions & Answers about Ovdje možemo svirati klavir.
Where is the word 'we' in this sentence?
The word for 'we' is mi, but it is left out here. In Croatian, you usually drop pronouns like 'I', 'you', or 'we' because the verb ending already tells you who is doing the action. The -mo ending on možemo clearly means 'we can'.
Why is the verb svirati in its full dictionary form?
This sentence uses the modal verb možemo (we can). Just like in English, when you use a modal word like 'can', the action verb that follows stays in its basic dictionary form, called the infinitive. In Croatian, infinitives usually end in -ti or -ći, which is why we use svirati instead of changing its ending.
Can I use svirati to say I play football or video games?
No, svirati is only used for playing musical instruments like klavir (piano) or gitara (guitar). If you want to talk about playing a sport or a game, you must use a different verb: igrati.
Since klavir (piano) is the direct object being played, why doesn't its ending change?
It is actually in the accusative case, which is the form used for direct objects. However, klavir is a masculine noun that is not alive (inanimate). In Croatian, inanimate masculine nouns look exactly the same in the accusative case as they do in their basic dictionary form.