Questions & Answers about Jezera su ovdje velika.
Why does the neuter word jezero become jezera here?
This is the plural form! Regular neuter nouns that end in -o or -e in the singular change that ending to an -a to become plural. So, jezero (lake) becomes jezera (lakes).
Doesn't the ending -a usually mean a noun is feminine singular? How can I tell this is plural?
You are right that most feminine singular words end in -a (like žena). However, the verb su (are) is the big clue here. Since su is plural, you know that jezera must be a plural noun, not a single feminine object.
Why does the adjective velika also end in -a?
Adjectives must match the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe. Because jezera is a neuter plural noun, the adjective velik (big) takes the neuter plural ending, which happens to also be -a.
Why is su placed right after jezera? Could I say Jezera ovdje su velika instead?
In Croatian, su is an unstressed word called an enclitic. Enclitics have a strict rule: they almost always want to be in the second position in a sentence. Because of this rule, su jumps right after the first word (jezera), making Jezera ovdje su velika sound unnatural.
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