Breakdown of Cimeri su dobili po jedan ključ.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
ključ
key
jedan
one
dobiti
to get / to win
Questions & Answers about Cimeri su dobili po jedan ključ.
Why do we use the word po here instead of translating "each" at the end of the sentence?
What case is jedan ključ in? Since it follows the preposition po, shouldn't it be Locative?
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.
Why does the Accusative phrase jedan ključ look exactly like its Nominative dictionary form?
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.
Since cimeri means "roommates", would the verb change if the roommates were all female?