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Questions & Answers about To je mlijeko.
How can I tell what gender mlijeko is?
Look at the ending! In Croatian, nouns that end in -o or -e in their basic dictionary form (the nominative case) are neuter. Since mlijeko ends in -o, it is a neuter noun.
Why do we use to for "that" instead of another word like taj or ta?
To is the neuter form of the pointing word "that." We use it here to match the neuter noun mlijeko. It is also used as a general, default pointing word when you are just identifying an object before you even know its gender.
How should I pronounce the ije part of mlijeko?
The ije is a very common sound combination in Croatian. It is pronounced together smoothly, sounding a bit like "ee-yeh" said quickly. The whole word sounds roughly like "mlee-YEH-ko."
Is je the standard word for "is"?
Yes! je is the short, everyday form of the verb "to be" (meaning "he is," "she is," or "it is"). You will see this short form in almost every basic Croatian sentence, because the long form (jest) is mostly only used for special emphasis.