Questions & Answers about Imate li ovdje stan?
How do we know this is the formal 'you' from the word 'Imate'?
Imate is the plural 'you' form of the verb imati (to have). In Croatian, we use the plural form to show respect when speaking formally to one person, such as a stranger or someone older. If you were asking a friend, you would use the informal singular form: Imaš li ovdje stan?
Why is the question word 'li' placed right after the verb?
To make a yes/no question, you can take the verb (Imate) and put the tiny question word li right after it. This is a very common and natural way to ask questions in Croatian. You could also use the phrase 'Da li' at the start (Da li imate ovdje stan?), but putting the verb first followed by li is often preferred.
The verb 'imati' usually makes the object change its ending. Why does 'stan' stay the same?
The verb imati forces the thing you have into the accusative case. However, stan (apartment) is a masculine noun that is not alive (inanimate). For inanimate masculine nouns, the accusative form looks exactly the same as the basic dictionary form. If you were asking about a dog (alive), pas would change its ending to psa.
Can I change the word order and say 'Imate li stan ovdje?'
Yes! Croatian word order is very flexible. Both Imate li ovdje stan? and Imate li stan ovdje? are perfectly correct. Changing the order just slightly shifts the emphasis in the sentence, but the core meaning stays exactly the same.