Breakdown of Pokvareni lift opet ne radi.
raditi
to work
lift
lift, elevator
pokvaren
broken, out of order
Questions & Answers about Pokvareni lift opet ne radi.
Why does the adjective end in -i (pokvareni) instead of just pokvaren?
The -i ending makes the adjective definite. Because we are talking about a specific lift we already know about (translated as 'the broken lift'), we use the definite form pokvareni. If we were talking about 'a broken lift' in general, we would use the indefinite form pokvaren.
I learned that the word for elevator is dizalo. Is lift a normal word to use?
Yes, lift is a very common loanword in everyday speech. While dizalo is the standard Croatian word you will see on official signs, building plans, or in formal writing, people use lift all the time in casual conversation.
Can raditi be used for machines, or does it only mean 'to work' at a job?
Just like in English, the verb raditi is used for both! It means 'to work' in the sense of a person doing their job, but it is also the standard verb to describe a machine or device functioning properly. When a machine is broken, you simply say it ne radi.
Would it be wrong to put opet at the end of the sentence?
It wouldn't be grammatically wrong to say Pokvareni lift ne radi opet, but putting opet right before the verb phrase ne radi sounds much more natural in Croatian. Placing it before the verb emphasizes the repetition of it breaking down.
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