Perilica-sušilica rublja je nova.

Because it is a compound noun meaning a single machine that does two jobs: it washes and dries. Croatian often uses a hyphen in this kind of combined label, similar to English washer-dryer.

So perilica-sušilica is one appliance, not two separate appliances.

It is feminine singular.

A good clue is the ending of both parts:

• perilica
• sušilica

Nouns ending in -a are very often feminine in Croatian. Because the whole compound noun is feminine singular, the adjective also has to be feminine singular: nova.

Croatian adjectives must agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number
• case

Here, perilica-sušilica is:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective must also be feminine singular nominative:

• masculine: novi
• feminine: nova
• neuter: novo

That is why the sentence has nova.

It is in the nominative singular.

In this sentence, perilica-sušilica rublja is the subject, and the subject of a normal statement is usually in the nominative. The predicate adjective nova also appears in nominative because it describes the subject.

Rublja is in the genitive singular.

The basic noun is rublje, which means laundry or washing in this context. After another noun, Croatian often uses the genitive to show what something is for or connected with.

So:

• perilica-sušilica rublja = washer-dryer of laundry
• natural English translation: washer-dryer for laundry

This is a very common Croatian structure.

Because the dictionary form is the nominative singular, while this sentence needs the genitive singular.

For this noun:

• nominative singular: rublje
• genitive singular: rublja

So the ending changes because the grammatical role changes.

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

So:

• je = is

In this sentence, it links the subject and the adjective:

• Perilica-sušilica rublja = the washer-dryer
• je nova = is new

Because je is a clitic in Croatian. Clitics usually appear in the second position of the sentence or clause.

So in:

• Perilica-sušilica rublja je nova

the first unit is Perilica-sušilica rublja, and je comes after that.

This is very normal Croatian word order.

Yes, but not every version sounds equally neutral.

The most neutral version here is:

• Perilica-sušilica rublja je nova.

You may also see patterns like:

• Nova je perilica-sušilica rublja.

This puts more focus on new. Croatian word order is more flexible than English, but clitics like je still follow special placement rules.

Because Croatian has no articles.

English distinguishes:

• a new washer-dryer
• the new washer-dryer

Croatian usually leaves that unstated unless context makes it clear. So Perilica-sušilica rublja je nova can be understood from context without any article.

Grammatically, rublje is treated as a singular neuter noun, even though in meaning it refers to a collection of clothes/laundry.

So in this sentence, rublja is genitive singular, not plural.

This can feel unusual to English speakers because English often uses plural ideas like clothes or garments, but Croatian often uses collective or mass nouns instead.

Yes. Perilica-sušilica za rublje is also possible and very natural.

There is a slight structural difference:

• rublja = dependent genitive
• za rublje = for laundry

Both can be used, and both are understandable. The version in your sentence is a compact noun phrase, which is very common in labels, product names, and formal descriptions.

In rublja, the lj is one sound in Croatian, not a clear l plus j said separately.

It is similar to the lli sound in some pronunciations of English million, though not exactly the same for every speaker.

So:

• rublja sounds roughly like ROOB-lya
• perilica-sušilica roughly like peh-REE-lee-tsa soo-SHEE-lee-tsa

The exact accent may vary by region, but that approximation is helpful for a learner.

No. It normally means one combined machine.

If you wanted to talk about two separate appliances, you would say something like:

• perilica i sušilica rublja

That means a washing machine and a dryer, as two separate items. The hyphenated form points to one combined unit.