Breakdown of Ovaj dječak trči brže od oca.
ovaj
this (m) / ova (f), ovo (n)
otac
father
dječak
boy
brzo
quickly
trčati
to run
od
than (in comparison)
Questions & Answers about Ovaj dječak trči brže od oca.
Is brže an adjective or an adverb here?
It is an adverb because it describes the verb trči (runs). It is the comparative form of brzo (fast or quickly). To form the comparative of most adverbs, you use the ending -e or -ije, which makes it look exactly like the neuter singular form of the comparative adjective.
How do you say "than" when comparing things in Croatian?
You use the preposition od, which often means "from". When making a comparison, od translates to "than" and it must always be followed by the Genitive case.
Why is the word for father oca instead of otac?
Because the preposition od requires the Genitive case. The dictionary form is otac, but it has a "fleeting a". When you add the Genitive ending -a, the "a" in the middle of the word drops out, making it oca instead of "otaca".
Why is it ovaj dječak instead of ovo dječak?
Dječak (boy) is a masculine noun, so the word for "this" must also be masculine, which is ovaj. You would use ovo for neuter nouns, such as ovo selo (this village).
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