Ovo područje je veliko.

to be

Breakdown of Ovo područje je veliko.

• ovo: this
• velik: big
• područje: an area; region

Questions & Answers about Ovo područje je veliko.

Why is it ovo and not ovaj?

Because ovo has to agree with područje, and područje is neuter singular.

In Croatian, words like this change form depending on gender, number, and case:

• ovaj = masculine singular
• ova = feminine singular
• ovo = neuter singular

So:

• ovaj grad = this city
• ova kuća = this house
• ovo područje = this area

Here, ovo matches područje.

How do I know that područje is neuter?

A very common clue is the ending -e or -o in the singular nominative. Many Croatian nouns with those endings are neuter.

So područje is a neuter noun, which is why it takes:

• ovo for this
• veliko for big

A dictionary will usually mark it as neuter, but the ending is already a strong hint.

Why does veliko end in -o?