Learn Croatian: Djed sa štapom hoda polako. - The grandfather with a walking stick walks slowly.

We use sa instead of s because the following word (štapom) starts with the letter š. In Croatian, if a word starts with s, š, z, or ž (and sometimes c, č, or ć), you must use sa to make it easier to pronounce. Trying to say "s štapom" would sound like a hiss and be very difficult to say clearly!

How do we get štapom from the dictionary word štap?

The word štap (stick) is a regular masculine noun. Because it follows the preposition sa (with), it needs to be in the instrumental case. For most masculine nouns ending in a consonant, you form the instrumental case by adding the ending -om. This is the standard way to describe someone "with" a physical object or attribute.

Does štap only mean a walking stick, or any stick?

Štap is a general word that can mean any stick, rod, or pole (for example, a fishing rod is a štap za pecanje). However, from the context of an older person (djed) walking, it is automatically understood to mean a walking stick or cane.

Could we put polako before the verb, like "Djed sa štapom polako hoda"?