Breakdown of Objektivnost je teška, dok je subjektivnost potpuno prirodna.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
težak
difficult / severe, serious
dok
while
potpun
complete, total
prirodan
natural
objektivnost
objectivity
subjektivnost
subjectivity
Questions & Answers about Objektivnost je teška, dok je subjektivnost potpuno prirodna.
How are the nouns objektivnost and subjektivnost formed from their adjectives?
They are created by taking the adjectives objektivan and subjektivan, dropping the fleeting a to get the stems objektivn- and subjektivn-, and adding the suffix -ost. This suffix is highly productive in Croatian for turning adjectives into abstract nouns, very much like "-ity" or "-ness" in English.
Why do we use the feminine adjectives teška and prirodna when their nouns end in a consonant?
Almost all abstract nouns ending in the suffix -ost (like objektivnost and subjektivnost) are feminine. Because they are feminine, any adjectives describing them must take the feminine ending -a. This is an important exception to the general rule that consonant-ending nouns in Croatian are masculine.
Why is the feminine form of težak spelled teška in this sentence?
When adding the feminine ending -a to the dictionary form težak, the fleeting a is dropped to make the stem težk-. Then, a sound change rule called voicing assimilation occurs: the voiced consonant ž changes to its voiceless pair š because it sits directly next to the voiceless consonant k, resulting in teška.
Could the conjunction dok mean anything else besides "while"?
In this sentence, dok is used to contrast two facts, meaning "while" or "whereas". However, it is a versatile conjunction that you will also see meaning "until" or "as long as" in other contexts, usually depending on the verb tenses used in the surrounding clauses.
Learn Objektivnost je teška, dok je subjektivnost potpuno prirodna and more in Croatian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free