Questions & Answers about Ona govori s odlučnošću.
Why does odlučnost belong to the feminine i-declension even though it ends in a consonant?
Most nouns ending in a consonant are masculine, but abstract nouns ending in -ost (like odlučnost, meaning determination) are always feminine. These make up a special group called the i-declension.
How do we get the ending -šću in odlučnošću?
Feminine i-declension nouns have two possible Instrumental singular endings: -i or -ju. When you add -ju to odlučnost, the final -st merges with the j in a process called jotation. In Croatian, the combination of st + j transforms into šć, resulting in odlučnošću.
Could I say s odlučnosti instead of s odlučnošću?
Yes! You can use the simpler Instrumental ending -i and say s odlučnosti. Both forms are grammatically correct and mean the exact same thing, though the version with jotation (odlučnošću) is very common and sounds natural to native speakers.
Why is it s odlučnošću instead of sa odlučnošću?
The preposition for 'with' is normally just s. You only add the extra a to make it sa when the following word starts with a hissing sound (s, š, z, or ž) to make it easier to pronounce. Since odlučnošću starts with the vowel o, the short form s is used.
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