Breakdown of Koristim jedna kliješta umjesto škara.
škare
scissors
umjesto
instead of
koristiti
to use
jedna
some / one pair (n)
kliješta
pliers
Questions & Answers about Koristim jedna kliješta umjesto škara.
Why do we use jedna here when we are only talking about one tool?
The word kliješta (pliers) is a plural-only noun, much like pants or scissors in English. Because it is grammatically plural, we have to use a plural form of the number one to say one pair of.
Is jedna the feminine singular form here?
No, it is neuter plural. Kliješta is a neuter plural noun. The neuter plural form of jedan happens to be jedna, which looks identical to the feminine singular form, but grammar-wise it matches the plural neuter noun perfectly.
What case is jedna kliješta in this sentence?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb koristim (I use). For neuter plural words like kliješta, the accusative form is exactly the same as the nominative form.
Why does the word for scissors change to škara here?
The dictionary form is škare, which is another plural-only noun (feminine plural). It changes to škara because it follows the preposition umjesto (instead of), which always requires the genitive case. The genitive plural of škare is škara.
Learn Koristim jedna kliješta umjesto škara 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