Poručnik je spreman.

The lieutenant is ready.

Breakdown of Poručnik je spreman.

• biti: to be
• spreman: ready
• poručnik: a lieutenant

Questions & Answers about Poručnik je spreman.

Why is je used here?

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

So:

• poručnik = lieutenant
• je = is
• spreman = ready

Together: Poručnik je spreman. = The lieutenant is ready.

Croatian usually does not omit the verb to be in sentences like this, so you need je here.

Why is it spreman and not some other form like spremna or spremno?

Because spreman agrees with poručnik in gender, number, and case.

Here, poručnik is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative (the subject of the sentence)

So the adjective must also be:

• masculine singular nominative → spreman

Compare:

• Poručnik je spreman. = The lieutenant is ready.
• Poručnica je spremna. = The female lieutenant is ready.
• Dijete je spremno. = The child is ready.

Is definitely masculine?