Questions & Answers about Vidim velike zgrade i male dućane.
Why are the words in this sentence in the accusative case?
The verb vidjeti (to see) requires its direct object (the thing being seen) to be in the accusative case. Here, you are seeing the buildings and the stores, so they must be in the accusative form.
The dictionary form is zgrada (building). Why is it zgrade here?
Zgrada is a feminine noun. In the accusative plural (when you have multiple feminine objects being acted upon), the -a ending changes to -e. The adjective velika (big) also changes to velike to match it.
Why does the masculine noun dućan (store) get an -e ending to become dućane?
For masculine nouns ending in a consonant, the accusative plural is formed by adding -e. So, dućan becomes dućane.
Wait, so the accusative plural ending is -e for both masculine and feminine words?
Exactly! In the accusative plural, both masculine nouns (like dućane) and feminine nouns (like zgrade) end in -e. Their adjectives also take the -e ending, which is why we have velike zgrade and male dućane.