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Pedeset jedna crvena salveta je na stolu.

Pedeset jedna crvena salveta je na stolu.
Fifty-one red napkins are on the table.
From Lesson 302:Agreement with compound numbers·Croatian

Questions & Answers about Pedeset jedna crvena salveta je na stolu.

Why is it crvena salveta (singular) instead of plural when there are fifty-one napkins?
In Croatian, compound numbers that end in 1 (like 21, 31, 51, but not 11) require the noun and its adjectives to be in the singular form. Because salveta is a feminine noun, the phrase uses the feminine singular nominative forms jedna, crvena, and salveta.
Why do we use the singular verb je instead of the plural su?
The verb agreement is driven by the last part of the compound number. Since the number ends in jedna (one), the grammar treats the subject as singular. Therefore, the verb takes the third-person singular form je, even though the English translation uses the plural 'are'.
How would the agreement change if there were fifty-two napkins?
For compound numbers ending in 2, 3, or 4 (like 52), Croatian uses the genitive singular for the noun and adjective. The phrase would change to Pedeset dvije crvene salvete. The verb would also change to the plural su, making the sentence Pedeset dvije crvene salvete su na stolu.
Why is the word for table stolu here instead of stol?
The preposition na (on) requires the locative case when describing a static location (where something is resting). The base noun is stol, and adding the -u ending makes it locative.

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