Breakdown of Automobili nisu unutra.
automobil
car
nisam
am not (nisi, nije, nismo, niste, nisu)
unutra
inside
Questions & Answers about Automobili nisu unutra.
How is nisu formed, and what does it mean here?
Nisu is the negative form of su (they are), meaning they are not. To make the verb to be negative in the present tense, Croatian usually attaches ni- to the beginning. Combining ni- and su simply creates nisu.
Why does the word for car end in -i here as automobili?
The base word automobil is a masculine noun. To make most masculine nouns plural, you add an -i to the end. Since the sentence is about multiple cars, it takes this plural form.
Does the word unutra change because the noun is plural?
No, unutra is an adverb meaning inside, which shows location. Unlike adjectives, adverbs in Croatian never change their endings to match the gender or number of the noun. It stays exactly the same whether you are talking about one car or many.
Can I change the word order to Nisu automobili unutra?
Yes, you can, because Croatian word order is flexible. The original sentence Automobili nisu unutra is the most neutral way to say this. Starting with Nisu places extra emphasis on the negative, as if you are correcting someone who wrongly thought the cars were inside.
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