Breakdown of Dobit ćeš ono što si zaslužio.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
htjeti
to want (intent, will)
dobiti
to get / to win
ono što
that which
Questions & Answers about Dobit ćeš ono što si zaslužio.
Why do we need ono što here to mean "what" instead of just using što?
In English, "what" can stand alone to mean "the thing that". In Croatian, it is standard to use a two-part structure for this: a demonstrative pronoun in the main clause (ono, meaning "that") and a relative pronoun to start the dependent clause (što, meaning "which"). Together, ono što literally translates to "that which".
Why is the neuter form ono used here instead of onaj or ona?
We use the neuter singular ono because the sentence refers to an abstract, unspecified concept ("the thing" you deserved). If you were talking about a person who deserved something, you would use the masculine onaj tko (he who) or the feminine ona koja (she who).
Is it strictly required to include ono, or could I just say Dobit ćeš što si zaslužio?
You will absolutely hear native speakers drop ono in everyday, informal speech, simply saying Dobit ćeš što si zaslužio. However, keeping ono što is the standard, grammatically complete way to link the clauses, making it the best choice for your written Croatian.
Why is the final "i" missing from the infinitive dobiti in Dobit ćeš?