Word
Stani na ovu stijenu i gledaj prema sjeverozapadu.
Meaning
Step onto this rock and look toward the northwest.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Stani na ovu stijenu i gledaj prema sjeverozapadu.
ovaj
this (m) / ova (f), ovo (n)
i
and (additive)
gledati
to watch
na
on, at / to, onto (with motion) / about (thinking about)
Questions & Answers about Stani na ovu stijenu i gledaj prema sjeverozapadu.
Why does the sentence use the perfective verb "stani" but the imperfective verb "gledaj"?
This perfectly captures the flow of the action. Stani (step, take a stand) is perfective because it is a single, completed motion onto the rock. Gledaj (look) is imperfective because once you are on the rock, you will continuously maintain the action of looking.
Doesn't the verb "stati" usually mean "to stop"?
It can mean "to stop", but stati is a very versatile perfective verb. When followed by the preposition na and an accusative object, it means "to step onto" or "to position yourself standing on" something. For the ongoing state of standing, you would use the imperfective verb stajati.
Why is "ovu stijenu" in the accusative case here rather than the locative case?
The preposition na takes the accusative case when expressing motion towards a destination. Since you are actively moving to step onto the rock, it triggers the accusative. If you were already standing there, static, you would use the locative case (na ovoj stijeni).
What case is "sjeverozapadu" and what triggers it?
It is in the dative case. The preposition prema (meaning "towards" in this context) always dictates that the following noun must be in the dative case.