Breakdown of Malo tko živi na ovom pustom i surovom otoku.
ovaj
this (m) / ova (f), ovo (n)
i
and (additive)
živjeti
to live
na
on, at / to, onto (with motion) / about (thinking about)
otok
island
malo tko
hardly anyone
pust
desolate
surov
harsh
Questions & Answers about Malo tko živi na ovom pustom i surovom otoku.
Why does malo tko take the singular verb živi if it means 'few people'?
Even though it refers to a few people in meaning, malo tko is grammatically based on the pronoun tko (who). Just like tko, it always takes a third-person singular verb.
Does the phrase malo tko change if it is the object of the sentence instead of the subject?
Yes, the tko part declines normally while malo stays the same. If the sentence was 'I see hardly anyone', you would use the accusative form: Vidim malo koga.
Why do the words ovom pustom i surovom end in -om?
They are masculine adjectives and pronouns in the locative case, modifying otoku (island). The preposition na requires the locative case here because it describes a static location (where someone lives).
The adjective pustom comes from pust. Does this just mean 'empty'?
It means empty, deserted, or desolate. You can easily remember this word if you know the noun pustinja (desert), which shares the same root for a barren, uninhabited place.
Learn Malo tko živi na ovom pustom i surovom otoku 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