Broj je naopako.

Croatian does not have articles. So broj can mean either a number or the number, depending on context.

If you want to make it more specific, Croatian uses other words instead, for example: taj broj = that/the number jedan broj = one/a number

Broj is nominative singular and it is a masculine inanimate noun.

It is in the nominative because it is the subject of the sentence: the thing being described is broj.

Je is the 3rd person singular present form of biti (to be).

So structurally, the sentence is:

broj + je + naopako
subject + is + complement

English also uses is in this kind of sentence, so this part works quite similarly.

Because naopako here works as an adverbial/predicative expression, not as a regular adjective agreeing with broj.

That means it does not change for gender or number. You can say:

Broj je naopako.
Slika je naopako.
Slova su naopako.

In all of these, naopako stays the same.

If you used a true agreeing adjective or participle instead, it would change: Broj je obrnut. Slika je obrnuta.

No. It can be used both:

• literally, for physical orientation
• figuratively, for something being wrong, backwards, or not as it should be

For example: Slika je naopako. = physical orientation
Sve je naopako. = everything is wrong/backwards/messed up

So context tells you how literal it is.

This is the neutral, standard order.

Croatian word order is fairly flexible, but changing it usually adds emphasis or sounds marked. For example:

Broj je naopako. = neutral
Naopako je broj. = unusual unless you are emphasizing naopako or contrasting it with something else

So for a learner, Broj je naopako is the best default form.

For the negative, use nije:

Broj nije naopako.

For a yes/no question, a common pattern is:

Je li broj naopako?

In speech, intonation can also help, but Je li... is the clearest standard pattern for learners.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

broj ≈ broy
je ≈ yeh
naopako ≈ na-o-pa-ko

A few useful points:

• j in Croatian sounds like y in yes
• all vowels are pronounced clearly
• naopako has four clear vowel sounds: na-o-pa-ko

Yes, depending on the exact nuance.

Some possibilities are:

Broj je obrnut.
This suggests reversed or inverted.

Broj je okrenut naopako.
This more explicitly says it is turned upside down.

Naopako is a very natural choice when you want to say something is oriented the wrong way or upside down, especially in everyday speech.