Breakdown of Večeras prikazuju dokumentarni film.
večeras
tonight
prikazati
to screen (a film)
dokumentarni film
a documentary film
Questions & Answers about Večeras prikazuju dokumentarni film.
Why is there no word for they in the sentence?
Croatian often leaves subject pronouns out because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action. The form prikazuju is 3rd person plural, so it already means they show / they are showing. You would add oni only for emphasis or contrast.
Who does they refer to here?
Usually it means an unspecified group such as a TV station, a cinema, a festival, or the people in charge of the program. Croatian often uses 3rd person plural this way when the exact subject is not important. In English, this can also be translated with an indefinite they, or sometimes with a passive idea such as a documentary is being shown tonight.
Why is the verb in the present tense if the action happens tonight?
Croatian often uses the present tense for planned, scheduled, or near-future events, especially when there is a time word like večeras. So prikazuju can refer to something happening later today. English does something similar in sentences like They’re showing it tonight.
What exactly does večeras mean?
Večeras means tonight or this evening. It is an adverb, so it does not need a preposition. In this sentence, it sets the time for the whole event.
Why is večeras at the beginning of the sentence?
Croatian word order is flexible, so putting večeras first highlights the time. It is a very natural way to start a sentence when the most important new information is when something happens. The sentence could be rearranged, but this version sounds very normal.
Why is dokumentarni film in that form?
It is the direct object of the verb, so it is in the accusative case. However, film is a masculine inanimate noun, and in the singular its accusative form is the same as its nominative form: film. The adjective agrees with the noun, so dokumentarni also stays the same here.
So how do I know that dokumentarni film is the object and not the subject?
You know mainly from the verb meaning and the sentence structure. Prikazuju is a transitive verb meaning show / screen, so something is being shown, and that something is dokumentarni film. Also, the subject is already built into the verb ending: they.
Is prikazuju closer to show, are showing, or will show in English?
Croatian has one present-tense form here, and English chooses the best version from context. In this sentence, English would most naturally use are showing or sometimes show in a schedule-style sentence. Because of večeras, the meaning is about a planned event tonight, not a general habit.
Why is the verb prikazuju and not pokazuju?
Prikazivati / prikazati is the normal verb for showing, screening, presenting, or broadcasting a film, program, or similar content. Pokazivati is more like to show physically, to point out, or to demonstrate something. For a movie on TV or in a cinema, prikazuju is the natural choice.
Can the word order be changed?
Yes. Croatian word order is flexible, and different orders change the emphasis more than the basic meaning. For example, Dokumentarni film prikazuju večeras puts more focus on the documentary film, while Večeras prikazuju dokumentarni film naturally leads with the time.
Could I also say Večeras se prikazuje dokumentarni film?
What aspect is the verb here, and why does that matter?
Prikazuju comes from the imperfective verb prikazivati. The imperfective is the natural choice for an ongoing screening, a scheduled showing, or a neutral statement about what is on tonight. A perfective present form would not sound as natural in this kind of simple announcement.
How is prikazuju pronounced?
Very roughly, it is pri-ka-zu-yu. The letter j in Croatian is pronounced like y in yes, so the end is not like English joo, but more like yu. Also, Croatian spelling is quite regular, so words are usually pronounced much as they are written.
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