Breakdown of Nije odustao od puta, iako je doputovao kasno noću.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
ne
no, not
kasno
late
od
from
Questions & Answers about Nije odustao od puta, iako je doputovao kasno noću.
How does the prefix od- create the meaning of odustao (gave up)?
The verb odustati comes from the prefix od- (meaning separation or moving away) and ustati (to stand up). Literally, it means to stand away from something. In Croatian, this is the standard way to express giving up, quitting, or backing out of a plan or idea.
We have odustao od puta. Do verbs with the prefix od- usually take the preposition od?
They frequently do! Croatian often pairs a prefixed verb with its matching preposition to reinforce the spatial relationship or movement. Here, odustati od perfectly captures the idea of mentally or physically separating yourself from the trip (put).
What does the prefix do- add to putovao in the word doputovao?
The base verb putovati is an imperfective verb that just describes the process of traveling. Adding the prefix do-, which indicates reaching a limit or destination, turns it into a perfective verb meaning to complete a journey. So doputovao means he successfully arrived by traveling.
Why is noću used here to mean at night?
The word noću is the instrumental case form of the noun noć (night), but here it functions as an adverb of time. Using the bare instrumental case without a preposition is a common way to express during a certain time, similar to saying by night in English.