Breakdown of Ovaj dragulj je sjajniji nego što si tvrdio.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
ovaj
this (m) / ova (f), ovo (n)
nego
than
tvrditi
to claim
Questions & Answers about Ovaj dragulj je sjajniji nego što si tvrdio.
Why do we use nego što in this sentence instead of just nego or od?
We use nego što because we are comparing the subject to an entire clause or action (si tvrdio), rather than comparing two nouns. If you were just comparing two nouns, you would use od + genitive or nego + nominative (for example, sjajniji od zlata - shinier than gold).
Would it be correct to say nego da si tvrdio here?
How is the comparative sjajniji formed from the base adjective sjajan?
The adjective sjajan has a 'fleeting a' in its final syllable. When we add the standard comparative suffix -iji, that 'a' drops out, giving us sjajniji. It takes the masculine nominative singular form here to agree with the noun dragulj.
What does the form of tvrdio tell us about the person being spoken to?