Question 1

Why are bijela stolnjaka in the genitive singular case here?

Accepted Answer

Because of the number trideset četiri (thirty-four). Whenever a compound number ends in 2, 3, or 4 (like 22, 34, or 103), the noun and adjective that follow must be in the genitive singular. This is exactly the same rule you learned for the basic numbers 2, 3, and 4.

Question 2

The verb trebati (to need) takes an object in the accusative case. Why doesn't that change the noun to accusative?

Accepted Answer

The verb does apply the accusative case to the phrase, but the number trideset četiri looks exactly the same in the accusative as it does in the nominative. The number acts as the 'boss' of the words that follow it, so bijela stolnjaka stays in the genitive singular, regardless of the verb.

Question 3

Why is the adjective bijela and not bijelog?

Accepted Answer

Since the masculine noun stolnjak is in the genitive singular, the adjective must match it. For masculine and neuter adjectives following numbers ending in 2, 3, or 4, standard Croatian requires the indefinite genitive singular ending (-a), which gives us bijela. You might hear native speakers use the definite ending (bijelog) in casual everyday speech, but bijela is the strict standard.

Question 4

If the number was 35 instead of 34, how would this sentence change?

Accepted Answer

Numbers ending in 5 or higher require the genitive plural instead of the genitive singular. The genitive plural of stolnjak is coincidentally also spelled stolnjaka (though pronounced with a longer final 'a' in speech), but the adjective would change to clearly show the plural: Trebamo trideset pet bijelih stolnjaka.

Trebamo trideset četiri bijela stolnjaka.

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