Breakdown of Napokon ima stalan posao.
imati
to have
posao
job / work
stalan
permanent, constant (stalni posao = a permanent job)
Questions & Answers about Napokon ima stalan posao.
Why is the adjective stalan used here instead of stalni?
In Croatian, masculine adjectives have indefinite (non-specific, like using 'a' in English) and definite (specific, like using 'the') forms. Because the sentence refers to having 'a' permanent job rather than a specific one already discussed, it uses the indefinite form stalan.
Why do stalan and posao look exactly like their dictionary forms if they are the direct object?
As the direct object, this phrase is in the accusative case. However, for masculine nouns that are inanimate (things rather than people or animals), the accusative form is identical to the nominative (dictionary) form. Both the noun posao and its adjective stalan follow this rule here.
Can I use konačno instead of napokon in this sentence?
Yes, you can. Both napokon and konačno are adverbs that mean 'finally' or 'at last,' and they are practically interchangeable in everyday Croatian.
If the sentence were negative ('He doesn't have a permanent job'), would the case of stalan posao change?
In casual speech, it can remain in the accusative (nema stalan posao). However, negated verbs in Croatian traditionally take the genitive case. If you use the genitive, the phrase becomes nema stalnog posla. Notice how the 'a' in posao disappears because it is a 'fleeting a' that drops out when a suffix is added.
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