Breakdown of Dobra djeca se igraju na novom igralištu.
nov
new
dobar
good
na
on, at / to, onto (with motion) / about (thinking about)
igrati se
to play
djeca
children
igralište
playground
Questions & Answers about Dobra djeca se igraju na novom igralištu.
Why does djeca take the adjective dobra (feminine singular) but the verb igraju (plural)?
This is the unique rule for collective nouns like djeca (children), braća (brothers), and gospoda (gentlemen). They grammatically look like feminine singular words, so any adjectives describing them must be in the feminine singular form (dobra). However, because they refer to multiple people, the verb must be in the plural form (igraju).
Is djeca the standard plural form of dijete (child)?
Yes, it functions as the plural in everyday use, but grammatically it is a collective noun meaning a group of children. Because it is a collective noun rather than a standard plural, it forces the mixed agreement rules mentioned above.
Why do we use the locative case novom igralištu after the preposition na?
The preposition na takes the locative case when it describes a static location, answering the question 'where is this happening?'. Since the children are already playing at the playground, we use the locative. If they were walking towards the playground (motion), na would take the accusative case instead.
Why is the reflexive pronoun se used with the verb here?
In Croatian, the verb for general playing, like kids at a park, is the reflexive verb igrati se. If you drop the se, the standard verb igrati requires a direct object, meaning you would have to specify exactly what they are playing, such as a sport, a game, or an instrument.
Learn Dobra djeca se igraju na novom igralištu and more in Croatian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free