Questions & Answers about Moramo brzo oprati rublje.
Why do we use oprati here instead of prati?
Both mean to wash, but oprati is the perfective verb, meaning it focuses on the completed result. Because we need to get the washing finished completely (and brzo, meaning quickly), we use the perfective form. If we were talking about the ongoing background process of washing, we would use the imperfective prati.
Why is the verb oprati in the infinitive?
The first verb, moramo (we must), is a modal verb. When you combine a modal verb with another action, the main action stays in the infinitive (dictionary) form, exactly like how we say we must wash in English.
What case is the word rublje in this sentence?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object being washed. The word rublje (laundry) is a neuter singular noun. For all neuter nouns in Croatian, the accusative form is identical to the nominative (dictionary) form, which is why it doesn't change its ending here.
Since laundry is made of many items, is rublje singular or plural?
It is grammatically a singular neuter noun. It is a collective noun, which means it describes a group of items as one single concept, very similar to words like clothing or furniture in English.