Questions & Answers about On želi sladak sok.
Why do sladak and sok look like their dictionary forms? Doesn't the accusative case change the endings?
In Croatian, masculine nouns that are inanimate (objects, like sok) do not change their endings in the accusative case. The adjectives describing them, like sladak, also stay exactly the same as their dictionary form. Because of this rule, the accusative looks exactly like the nominative here!
I've seen the word for sweet written as slatki before. Why is it sladak here?
Many Croatian adjectives have two forms for masculine words: indefinite (general) and definite (specific). Sladak is the indefinite form, used here because he wants a sweet juice in general. If he wanted the sweet juice (a specific one you were just talking about), you would use the definite form slatki sok.
Does the verb želi always force the next words into the accusative case?
Yes! The verb željeti (to want) takes a direct object because you are directing your want at something. In Croatian, the direct object of a sentence is always put into the accusative case.
Since želi already means he, she, or it wants, do I have to keep on at the beginning?
You do not! You can simply say Želi sladak sok and a Croatian speaker will understand from context that you mean he or she. Including the pronoun on (he) just adds a little extra emphasis, like saying He wants sweet juice.
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