Breakdown of Imam samo tri sekunde za ovaj problem!
ovaj
this (m) / ova (f), ovo (n)
problem
problem
samo
only
imati
to have
Questions & Answers about Imam samo tri sekunde za ovaj problem!
Why does the word for second end in -e here (tri sekunde)?
In Croatian, the numbers two, three, and four (dva, tri, četiri) require the following noun to be in a special form called the genitive singular. The dictionary form is sekunda (feminine), and its genitive singular is sekunde.
How does this same number rule apply to minutes and hours?
You use the exact same rule! For minutes (minuta, feminine), 'two minutes' is dvije minute. For hours (sat, masculine), the special form for 2, 3, and 4 is sata. So, 'four hours' would be četiri sata.
What happens to the noun if I have five seconds instead of three?
The word changes completely! Numbers 5 and above (like 5, 6, 10, or 20) require the genitive plural form of the noun. For sekunda, that form is sekundi. So, 'five seconds' is pet sekundi. You will use this a lot when counting minutes on a clock.
Why doesn't ovaj problem change its ending after the preposition za?
The preposition za (for) requires the accusative case here. However, problem is a masculine inanimate noun (it is a concept, not a living being). In Croatian, masculine inanimate nouns and their adjectives look exactly the same in the accusative case as they do in their basic dictionary form.