Question 1

How does the diminutive suffix -ić change the gender or declension of stol?

Accepted Answer

It doesn't change the gender! The base word stol (table) is masculine, and adding the diminutive suffix -ić creates stolić (little table), which remains masculine. It declines exactly like a regular masculine noun ending in a consonant.

Question 2

If I wanted to say "I see my little table", would the accusative be stolića or stolić?

Accepted Answer

It would be stolić (e.g., Vidim moj stolić). Even though it has the -ić suffix—which is often found in words for people like mladić (young man)—a stolić is still an inanimate object. Because it is inanimate, its accusative form (when used as a direct object) is exactly the same as its nominative form.

Question 3

Why are we using the dative case for tvom stolu?

Accepted Answer

The adjective sličan (similar) requires the noun that follows it to be in the dative case. Just like in English you say something is similar to something else, in Croatian, that relationship is expressed by putting the target object (tvom stolu) in the dative.

Question 4

I learned tvojem for the dative of tvoj. Is tvom the same thing?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Tvom is simply the short, contracted form of tvojem. Both are dative masculine singular forms of tvoj (your). You will hear both used interchangeably in everyday Croatian, but short forms like tvom and mom (instead of mojem) are very common in spoken language.

Moj stolić je sličan tvom stolu.

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