Breakdown of Ostat ću na planini za vikend.
na
on, at / to, onto (with motion) / about (thinking about)
za
for / at (a table) (+ instrumental)
vikend
weekend
ostati
to stay
Questions & Answers about Ostat ću na planini za vikend.
Why is it Ostat ću instead of Ostati ću?
When you put a future tense helper word like ću directly after a verb that ends in -ti, you drop the final -i. The dictionary form of the verb is ostati (to stay), but because it comes right before ću in this sentence, it shortens to ostat.
Could I say Ja ću ostati instead of Ostat ću?
Yes, you can! If you include the pronoun ja (I), the helper word ću takes the second spot in the sentence, and the main verb keeps its full form at the end: Ja ću ostati. However, Croatians usually drop the pronoun. When that happens, the main verb moves to the front and triggers the dropped -i rule.
Why does planina (mountain) change to planini here?
The preposition na (on) is showing a static location here, which requires the locative case. For feminine nouns that end in -a, like planina, the ending changes to -i in the locative case.
Why does vikend not change its ending after the preposition za?
The preposition za (for) requires the accusative case. Because vikend is a masculine noun that does not refer to a living thing, its accusative form is exactly the same as its basic dictionary form. So it stays vikend!