Breakdown of Zapisao sam svaku riječ koju je rekao.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
reći
to tell
svaki
every, each
koji
which
riječ
word
zapisati
to write down
Questions & Answers about Zapisao sam svaku riječ koju je rekao.
How does the prefix za- change the meaning of pisati in this sentence?
In this lesson's context of fixing or attaching, the prefix za- turns the general process of writing (pisati) into the specific, completed action of recording or fixing something onto paper. So, zapisati means to write down, note, or register something so it isn't forgotten.
Why does riječ stay the same in the accusative case, while svaku and koju get the -u ending?
Riječ is a feminine noun that ends in a consonant (known as an i-declension noun). For these nouns, the accusative singular is identical to the nominative. However, any adjectives or pronouns attached to it, like svaka and koja, must still take the regular feminine accusative ending, becoming svaku and koju.
Could I use što instead of koju here?
Yes, in everyday speech you might hear svaku riječ što je rekao. But in standard Croatian, when referring back to a specific noun like riječ, it is much better practice to use the inflected relative pronoun. Since riječ is the feminine object of what he said, we use the feminine accusative koju.
Both verbs here are perfective. Could we use the imperfective govorio instead of rekao?
You could, but it changes the nuance. Using the perfective rekao treats his statement as a single, completed package of words that you captured. If you used the imperfective govorio, it would mean you were writing things down while he was in the ongoing process of speaking (I wrote down every word he was saying).
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