Question 1

How does the verb dati work in the phrase ne daju da?

Accepted Answer

Normally, dati means to give. In this context, it acts as a permissive verb meaning to allow or to let. The phrase ne daju da literally translates to they do not give that, but it is the standard Croatian way of saying they do not let or they do not allow.

Question 2

Could we use an infinitive instead of a da clause here?

Accepted Answer

When using dati to mean let or allow, you generally use a da clause if the person being allowed to do the action is introduced as a new subject. Since the parents (roditelji) are doing the allowing, but someone else (itko) is doing the doubting, the da clause (da itko sumnja) is required here rather than an infinitive.

Question 3

Why is it itko (anyone) and not nitko (no one)? Doesn't Croatian use double negatives?

Accepted Answer

Croatian does require double negatives, but only when the negative words are in the exact same clause. Here, the negation is in the main clause (ne daju), but the pronoun is in a separate subordinate clause (da itko sumnja). Because the verb sumnja itself is not negated, you must use the positive pronoun itko.

Question 4

Why does the verb sumnja take the preposition u, and what case is autoritet?

Accepted Answer

In Croatian, you do not simply doubt something; you doubt into something. The verb sumnjati (to doubt) must be followed by the preposition u and the Accusative case. Because autoritet is a masculine inanimate noun, its Accusative form looks exactly like its Nominative dictionary form.

U ovom kućanstvu, strog odgoj znači da roditelji ne daju da itko sumnja u autoritet.

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