Questions & Answers about Liječnik radi u bolnici.
Why does the word for hospital end in -i here?
The base word for hospital is bolnica. Because the doctor is in the hospital (a fixed location), we use the locative case. For feminine nouns that end in -a, we make the locative by dropping the -a and adding -i.
Does the preposition u always make the following noun end in -i?
Not always! The preposition u (in/at) forces the locative case here because it describes a fixed location (where the doctor is working). However, only feminine nouns ending in -a take the -i ending in the locative. Masculine and neuter nouns take a different ending, usually -u.
What is the dictionary form of the verb radi?
The dictionary form (infinitive) is raditi, which means to work or to do. Since liječnik (the doctor) is a "he" (third-person singular), we drop the -ti from the infinitive to get the present tense form radi.
Is the word liječnik related to medicine?
Yes! The root word lijek means medicine or drug. So a liječnik is literally a person who heals or gives medicine. You will also hear the borrowed word doktor used very commonly in everyday Croatian.
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