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Bal trajaše cijelu noć, bijaše raskošan.

Bal trajaše cijelu noć, bijaše raskošan.
The ball lasted all night; it was luxurious.
From Lesson 458:The imperfect tense (bijahu, mišljaše)·Croatian

Questions & Answers about Bal trajaše cijelu noć, bijaše raskošan.

How can I recognize that trajaše is the imperfect tense here?
The ending -aše is a classic sign of the 3rd person singular imperfect for many verbs. Here, it is added to the imperfective verb trajati (to last). In modern, everyday Croatian, you would almost always see the perfect tense instead: Bal je trajao.
Is bijaše also the imperfect tense?
Yes, bijaše is the 3rd person singular imperfect of the verb biti (to be). Biti has a highly irregular imperfect form that you will frequently encounter in Croatian literature, fairy tales, or historical texts. The modern conversational equivalent is simply bio je.
Why is cijelu noć in the accusative case?
The accusative case without a preposition is used to express duration, answering the question of how long an action lasted. Since the ball lasted for the entirety of the night, cijela noć takes the accusative form cijelu noć.
Can I use this exact sentence in spoken conversation today?
It would sound very strange and theatrical. Because it uses the imperfect tense (trajaše, bijaše), this sentence belongs in a novel or a historical story. In everyday speech, you should stick to the perfect tense: Bal je trajao cijelu noć, bio je raskošan.

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