Learn Croatian: Ova plemenita loza sačuvala je stare korijene. - This noble lineage preserved the old roots.

In Croatian, loza literally means 'vine' (especially a grapevine). However, it is very commonly used figuratively to mean 'lineage', 'bloodline', or 'dynasty' (similar to how we talk about a 'family tree' in English).

Why is the ending on stare korijene '-e' instead of '-i'?

It is in the accusative case because it's the direct object of the verb (the thing being preserved). The noun korijen (root) is masculine. In the plural, its nominative (subject) form is korijeni, but the accusative plural ending for masculine nouns is -e, making it korijene. The adjective stare (old) matches this accusative plural form.

Why does the verb use sačuvala instead of just čuvala?

Čuvati is an imperfective verb meaning 'to keep', 'to guard', or 'to preserve' as an ongoing process. Sačuvati is its perfective counterpart, focusing on the successful completion of the action. Here, it emphasizes that the lineage actually managed to 'preserve' or 'save' the roots.

Could the little word je go somewhere else in this sentence?