Pod pretpostavkom da svjedok istovjetnosti dođe, ovjera potpisa može početi.

to be able to

Breakdown of Pod pretpostavkom da svjedok istovjetnosti dođe, ovjera potpisa može početi.

• doći: to come
• početi: to start
• ovjera potpisa: signature certification

Questions & Answers about Pod pretpostavkom da svjedok istovjetnosti dođe, ovjera potpisa može početi.

Why does the sentence start with pod pretpostavkom da? What exactly does that structure do?

Pod pretpostavkom da is a formal way to say assuming that, on the assumption that, or provided that.

It introduces a condition, so the first part of the sentence sets up the circumstance under which the second part can happen.

• pod = under
• pretpostavkom = assumption in the instrumental case
• da = that

So the whole phrase is literally something like under the assumption that..., but in natural English it is usually rendered as assuming that... or provided that...

This is a fairly formal or administrative expression, not something especially casual.

Why is it pretpostavkom and not pretpostavka?

Because after pod in this idiomatic expression, Croatian uses the instrumental case.

The base noun is:

• pretpostavka = assumption

In the instrumental singular, it becomes:

• pretpostavkom

So:

• pod pretpostavkom = under the assumption

This is one of those case patterns that learners often just need to remember as a fixed expression.