Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Croatian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ima li ovdje kruha?
Doesn't ima mean "he/she/it has"? Why is it translated as "Is there"?
What does the word li do in this sentence?
The word li is a question particle. By taking the verb ima, putting it at the start of the sentence, and adding li right next to it, you create a yes/no question.
The dictionary says bread is kruh. Why is it written as kruha here?
It is in the genitive case. When you use ima to say "there is" or "is there", the noun that follows often takes the genitive case to express "some" or an unspecified amount. So, kruha here essentially means "some bread".
Can I change the word order and say "Ima li kruha ovdje?"
Yes, Croatian word order is quite flexible. Ima li kruha ovdje? is perfectly correct. The strict rule here is just that the question particle li must come directly after the first word (Ima).