Questions & Answers about Dijete jede jabuku.
Why does the word for apple end in -u (jabuku) instead of -a?
The base word for apple is jabuka, which is a feminine noun. In this sentence, the apple is the direct object (the thing being eaten). Croatian uses the accusative case for direct objects, and for feminine nouns ending in -a, that ending changes to -u.
Is dijete a masculine, feminine, or neuter noun?
Dijete (child) is a neuter noun. Neuter nouns in Croatian typically end in -o or -e in their dictionary form. Because the child is the subject doing the eating, it stays in its standard dictionary form here (the nominative case).
How do we know jede means "is eating" rather than just "eats"?
In Croatian, there is only one present tense. The verb jede can mean either "eats" or "is eating" depending on the context. Since we are describing what the child is doing right now, "is eating" is the most natural English translation.
Why aren't there any words for "the" or "an" in the Croatian sentence?
Croatian doesn't use articles at all. Whether a word means "an apple" or "the apple" depends entirely on the context. So, Dijete jede jabuku literally translates to just "Child eats apple."
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