Breakdown of Neće imati novca u starosti.
imati
to have
novac
money
u
in, into
neću
I will not (nećeš, neće...)
starost
old age (f) / age (of an object)
Questions & Answers about Neće imati novca u starosti.
Why does the word for old age, starost, change to starosti here?
The preposition u (in) requires the locative case here because it describes a state or location in time. The noun starost is feminine, but it belongs to the i-declension group (feminine nouns that end in a consonant). For these specific nouns, the locative singular always takes the ending -i.
How can I tell that a noun like starost is feminine when most consonant-ending nouns are masculine?
A great rule of thumb is that almost all Croatian nouns ending in the suffix -ost are abstract feminine nouns. Words like starost (old age), mladost (youth), and radost (joy) are all feminine and follow this i-declension pattern.
Why is it novca instead of the dictionary form novac?
The verb imati (to have) frequently uses the partitive genitive when referring to an uncountable amount of something, like money, time, or water. novca is the genitive singular form, so it translates closer to "some money" or "any money". Also, notice how the "fleeting a" disappears when it changes case: novac becomes novca.
The translation says "They will not", but couldn't neće also mean "He will not" or "She will not"?
Yes, exactly! The word neće is the negative form of the auxiliary verb htjeti (to want/will) for both the third-person singular (he/she/it) and the third-person plural (they). Since Croatian frequently drops subject pronouns like oni (they) or on (he), you have to rely on the surrounding context of the conversation to know who is being talked about.
Why are the words ordered Neće imati instead of attaching the verb like in positive future tense?
In positive statements, the infinitive usually drops its final -i and attaches to the helper verb if the helper verb comes second (like imat će). However, in negative future tense sentences, the negative helper verb neće must come first. Whenever the helper verb comes before the infinitive, the infinitive stays in its full form and remains a completely separate word: Neće imati.
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