Breakdown of Braća plaču u pijesku jer nemaju lopaticu.
jer
because
nemati
to not have
u
in, into
plakati
to cry
braća
brothers (collective)
pijesak
sand
lopatica
small shovel
Questions & Answers about Braća plaču u pijesku jer nemaju lopaticu.
How does the verb plakati become plaču in the present tense?
This is an example of jotation, which you're focusing on in this lesson! For many verbs ending in -ati, the stem merges with a hidden j in the present tense. When the stem ends in k (like plak-), adding j changes the k to č. So, plak- + j + -u gives us plaču (they cry).
Why is the verb plaču plural when braća looks like a feminine singular noun?
Braća is a special collective noun for "brothers." Even though it ends in -a and changes cases like a feminine singular word, it logically refers to multiple people. Because of this, it takes a plural verb in the present tense (plaču, not plače).
Where did the "a" go in the word pijesku?
The dictionary form (nominative) for sand is pijesak. When we add the locative case ending -u to say "in the sand," the final a in the stem drops out (pijesak -> pijesk- -> pijesku). This is known as the "fleeting a," a very common pattern for masculine nouns ending in a consonant + ak.
What is the dictionary form of lopaticu?
The dictionary form is lopatica, and it is in the accusative case here because it is the direct object of nemaju (they don't have). Lopatica is a diminutive made from lopata (shovel) by adding the suffix -ica, which is frequently used to make feminine nouns smaller or cuter.
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