Breakdown of Je li student točan?
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
student
student
li
question particle
točan
correct, punctual
Questions & Answers about Je li student točan?
Why do we need the word li in this sentence?
In English, you can ask a yes/no question just by moving the verb to the front. In Croatian, you take the verb (je) and add the tiny question particle li right after it to show it's a question.
I've seen točan translated as "correct" before. Why does it mean "punctual" here?
You have a good memory! Točan literally means "exact", "accurate", or "correct". When you use it to describe a clock or a piece of information, it means "correct". But when you describe a person as točan, it means they are "on time" or "punctual".
Since we are learning negative verbs, how would I say "The student is not punctual"?
You would replace the positive verb je (is) with its negative form nije (is not). The statement becomes Student nije točan.
How do I answer this question with a simple "No, he isn't"?
Does student mean any kind of student, like a child in elementary school?