Question 1

Why do we use the word po here instead of translating "each" at the end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

In Croatian, to say that a certain number of items goes to each person, you place the preposition po directly before the number. You cannot just put a word for "each" at the end of the sentence like in English. Here, po jedan ključ functions like "apiece one key".

Question 2

What case is jedan ključ in? Since it follows the preposition po, shouldn't it be Locative?

Accepted Answer

It is actually in the Accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb dobiti (to get). When po is used in this "distributive" way to mean "each", it does not force the noun into the Locative case like it normally would. Instead, the number and noun take the case they naturally need in the sentence.

Question 3

Why does the Accusative phrase jedan ključ look exactly like its Nominative dictionary form?

Accepted Answer

Because ključ (key) is a masculine inanimate noun. For masculine nouns that are objects rather than living beings, the Accusative singular form is identical to the Nominative. If the roommates had each received a dog (pas, which is alive), the phrase would be po jednog psa.

Question 4

Since cimeri means "roommates", would the verb change if the roommates were all female?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The word cimeri is masculine plural, used for an all-male or mixed-gender group. If all the roommates were female, the noun would be cimerice, and the past tense participle would need the feminine plural ending: cimerice su dobile.

Cimeri su dobili po jedan ključ.

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