Learn Croatian: Zna li poslodavac za taj natječaj? - Does the employer know about that job vacancy?

Zna li poslodavac za taj natječaj?

Does the employer know about that job vacancy?

Breakdown of Zna li poslodavac za taj natječaj?

question particle

znati

to know

for / at (a table) (+ instrumental)

taj

that (masculine)

Questions & Answers about Zna li poslodavac za taj natječaj?

Why does li come right after Zna, and what if there were other clitics?

The word li is a question particle and a clitic (a short word with no stress). Clitics generally must go in the second position of a sentence. When there are multiple clitics clustering together in that second position, li always takes the absolute first spot in that group. Here it is the only clitic, so it simply takes the second spot in the sentence right after the verb Zna.

Why is the preposition za used here instead of o (about)?

While o is often used to mean 'about', the verb znati (to know) pairs with the preposition za when it means 'to be aware of' or 'to know of the existence of' something. So znati za is the standard way to say 'to know about' a vacancy or event.

What case is taj natječaj, and why hasn't its ending changed?

It is in the accusative case because it follows the preposition za. It hasn't changed its ending because natječaj (vacancy or competition) is an inanimate masculine noun (a thing, not a living being). For inanimate masculine nouns, the accusative form is exactly the same as the nominative (dictionary) form.

How is the word poslodavac (employer) formed?

It is a compound word made from posao (job or work) and davac (giver). So a poslodavac is literally a 'job giver', which perfectly translates to employer.