Konobaru, ugledna gospoda čekaju račun!
Waiter, the distinguished gentlemen are waiting for the bill!
Breakdown of Konobaru, ugledna gospoda čekaju račun!
račun
bill
čekati
to wait for
konobar
waiter
ugledan
distinguished
gospoda
gentlemen (collective)
Questions & Answers about Konobaru, ugledna gospoda čekaju račun!
Why is gospoda translated as plural "gentlemen" if it ends in "-a" like a singular noun?
Gospoda is a collective noun meaning a group of gentlemen. Even though it refers to multiple men, grammatically it declines just like a feminine singular noun (such as žena). This is a special category of nouns that also includes djeca (children) and braća (brothers).
If gospoda means multiple men, why is the adjective ugledna (distinguished) in the feminine singular form?
Adjectives modifying collective nouns like gospoda, braća, or djeca must match the grammatical shape of the word, not its natural meaning. Since gospoda behaves like a feminine singular noun in its endings, the adjective must also take the feminine singular form (ugledna).
Wait, the adjective ugledna is singular, but the verb čekaju (are waiting) is plural. Is that correct?
Yes, this is the trickiest part of collective nouns! While adjectives describing gospoda take the feminine singular form, the verb must take the 3rd person plural form because it refers to multiple people. So you have a singular-looking subject and adjective (ugledna gospoda) paired with a plural verb (čekaju).
Why does the sentence start with Konobaru instead of Konobar?
Konobaru is the vocative case, which you use when directly addressing or calling out to someone. For most masculine nouns ending in a consonant, you add -u or -e to form the vocative.
The English translation says "waiting FOR the bill", but there is no word for "for" in the Croatian sentence. Why?
In Croatian, the verb čekati (to wait) takes a direct object in the accusative case. You simply "wait the bill" (čekaju račun). You do not need a preposition like "for" (za) with this verb.
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