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Questions & Answers about Mačka je crna.
Why does the word for black (crna) end in "-a" in this sentence?
Because it is describing mačka (cat), which is a feminine noun. In Croatian, adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe. The basic masculine word for black is crn, but we add -a to make it feminine to match mačka.
Where is the word for "the" in this sentence?
Croatian does not use articles like "the", "a", or "an". The word mačka alone can mean "cat", "a cat", or "the cat". You figure out which one makes the most sense in English based on the context.
If I look up "black" in a Croatian dictionary, will I find crna?
Not usually as the main entry. Dictionaries list adjectives in their masculine singular form. You would look up crn. From there, you just remember to add -a for feminine nouns like mačka.
Could I change the order and say Crna je mačka?
Yes, you can! Croatian word order is very flexible. Both Mačka je crna and Crna je mačka mean exactly the same thing. Notice that the little verb je (is) stays in the second position in both sentences. This is a strict rule for short, unstressed words.