Breakdown of Naknada štete ne stiže, osim ako je izljev vode osigurani slučaj.
biti
to be
ne
not
stići
to arrive
osigurani slučaj
insured event
Questions & Answers about Naknada štete ne stiže, osim ako je izljev vode osigurani slučaj.
Why is it naknada štete and not naknada šteta?
Because štete is in the genitive singular.
The basic noun is šteta = damage. After another noun like naknada (compensation), Croatian often uses the genitive to show compensation for/of something:
- naknada štete = compensation for damage
- procjena štete = assessment of damage
- uzrok štete = cause of the damage
So naknada štete is a normal noun + genitive structure.
What does ne stiže mean here? I thought stići meant to arrive.
Yes, stići literally means to arrive, but in many real contexts it can also mean to come through, to reach someone, or to be received.
So in this sentence, naknada štete ne stiže does not sound like the compensation is physically walking somewhere. It means something like:
- the compensation does not come through
- the compensation is not received
- the compensation is not paid out
This kind of wording is common in everyday and administrative language.
Why is the verb stiže in the present tense if the sentence is talking about a general rule?