Questions & Answers about Nemam plav kišobran.
Why does the adjective stay as plav instead of getting an ending like plavog?
Because of the rule for masculine inanimate objects! The verb nemam (I do not have) takes a direct object in the accusative case. For non-living masculine things like an umbrella (kišobran), the accusative form of both the noun and its adjective looks exactly like the basic dictionary form.
Why is 'I do not have' written as a single word (nemam)?
If the object is in the accusative case, why didn't the noun kišobran change its ending?
Just like the adjective plav, the noun kišobran is masculine and inanimate (not a living being). In Croatian, masculine inanimate nouns do not change their endings in the accusative case. They stay exactly the same as their nominative (subject) form.
I heard that negative sentences use a different case. Is that true?
Yes, strictly speaking, negative sentences often use the genitive case, which would make this sentence Nemam plavog kišobrana. However, in modern everyday Croatian, it is very common to just use the accusative case as shown here. This sentence is a perfectly natural way to practice the inanimate accusative rule!
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