Breakdown of Ova pisma su kratka.
biti
to be (sam, si, je)
ovaj
this (m) / ova (f), ovo (n)
pismo
letter
kratak
short
Questions & Answers about Ova pisma su kratka.
Why do ova, pisma, and kratka all end in -a? Doesn't that usually mean they are feminine singular?
While -a is the common ending for feminine singular words, it is also the standard ending for neuter plural words. The singular noun is pismo (neuter, ending in -o), so its plural becomes pisma. The describing words ova (these) and kratka (short) must match this neuter plural form, so they also take the -a ending.
What is the dictionary form of the adjective kratka?
The dictionary form (masculine singular) is kratak (short). When we add endings to it, the second -a- drops out. So, for the neuter plural, kratak plus the -a ending becomes kratka, not krataka.
Is ova related to the word ovo?
Yes! Ovo means 'this' for a neuter singular noun (like ovo pismo - this letter). Because we are talking about multiple letters here, we must use the neuter plural form, which is ova (these).
Why is the verb su placed after Ova pisma instead of at the end of the sentence?
Su is an enclitic, which means it is a 'weak' word that cannot stand on its own or start a sentence. In Croatian, enclitics almost always want to be in the second position. Here, it sits right after the first logical block of the sentence, which is the entire subject Ova pisma.
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