Question 1

Why is the word order mi je instead of je mi? I thought the verb auxiliary usually comes first!

Accepted Answer

With most auxiliary enclitics (sam, si, smo, etc.), the verb does come before the pronoun. However, the third-person singular je is the big exception. It almost always drops to the very end of the enclitic cluster, which is why the dative pronoun mi comes first here.

Question 2

Why do dobar and odrezak look like they are in the nominative case here if they are the direct object?

Accepted Answer

They are actually in the accusative case! Because odrezak is a masculine inanimate noun (a thing, not a living person or animal), its accusative form is identical to its nominative form. That is why the adjective dobar doesn't change to its animate form (dobrog) either.

Question 3

What happens to the word odrezak if I want to use it in a different case, like the genitive?

Accepted Answer

It undergoes a couple of changes. The final a is a fleeting letter that drops out. When that happens, the voiced z ends up right next to the voiceless k and changes to an s to match it. So, the genitive form becomes odreska.

Question 4

Could I use prodavao here instead of prodao?

Accepted Answer

You could, but it would change the meaning. Prodao is the perfective form, meaning the sale was a single, completed event. Prodavao is the imperfective form and would mean our butcher was repeatedly selling me steaks over a period of time.

Naš mesar mi je prodao dobar odrezak.

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