Questions & Answers about Riba je u vodi.
Why is it vodi instead of voda?
The preposition u (in) requires the locative case when you are talking about a static location (where something is). Because voda is a feminine noun ending in -a, its ending changes to -i in the locative case, making it vodi.
Would u vodi change if the fish was jumping into the water?
Yes! When the preposition u shows movement or destination (into), it requires the accusative case instead. If the fish were jumping into the water, you would say u vodu. Since the fish is already there, we use the locative u vodi.
Why is je placed right after Riba?
The word je (is) is an enclitic, which means it is a "weak" word without its own stress. In Croatian, enclitics almost always have to go in the second position of a sentence or clause. Since Riba is the first element, je naturally takes the second spot.
How do we know it means "The fish" and not "A fish"?
Croatian doesn't have articles like "a" or "the". You simply rely on context to know if the speaker means a specific fish or just any fish. Here, it translates best to "The fish" because we are likely pointing out the location of a specific fish.
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