Udomitelj ne samo da potpisuje nego i provjerava.

It is the Croatian pattern for not only ... but also ....

So:

• ne samo da potpisuje = not only signs
• nego i provjerava = but also checks/verifies

This whole sentence means that the foster carer/person in that role does both actions, not just the first one.

In this structure, da often introduces the first finite clause:

• ne samo da potpisuje
• nego i provjerava

It is a very common and natural pattern in Croatian. It helps frame the first part as a full clause.

A learner can think of it as a set expression:

• ne samo da X, nego i Y = not only X, but also Y

You may also see simpler patterns without da in other contexts, but here ne samo da ... nego i ... is the standard, idiomatic form.

After the negative element ne samo (not only), Croatian normally uses nego to introduce the contrasting/additional second part.

So the pair is:

• ne samo ... nego i ...

This is the usual matching structure.

Very roughly:

• nego here works like but rather / but
• i adds the sense of also

Together, nego i gives the natural meaning but also.

Udomitelj is in the nominative singular, because it is the subject of the sentence.

The subject is the person doing the actions:

• Udomitelj ... potpisuje ... provjerava
• The foster carer/foster parent ... signs ... checks

So nominative is exactly what you would expect here.

Croatian does not have articles like English a/an/the.

So udomitelj can mean:

• a foster carer / foster parent
• the foster carer / foster parent

Which one is meant depends on context.

That is very normal in Croatian. You do not need to add anything for the.

Udomitelj is a noun for a person who provides foster care or takes someone into care, depending on context.

In many contexts, it is best translated as:

• foster parent
• foster carer

It is a masculine singular noun in form. If the person is female, you may see udomiteljica.

Because you said the meaning is already known, the important grammar point here is that it behaves as a regular subject noun in the sentence.

They are in the 3rd person singular present:

• potpisuje = he/she signs or is signing, depending on context
• provjerava = he/she checks/verifies or is checking

In a sentence like this, the present tense usually expresses a general fact, role, or habitual action, much like English:

• The foster carer not only signs but also checks.

So this is not necessarily about one action happening right now. It can describe what that person typically does as part of the role.

This is about aspect, which is very important in Croatian.

• potpisuje and provjerava are imperfective
• potpiše and provjeri are perfective

In Croatian, when you talk about a general repeated action, a process, or something that is part of someone’s usual duties, the imperfective is the normal choice.

That is why this sentence uses:

• potpisuje
• provjerava

If you used the perfective present forms, they would usually sound more like a future/completed single action in many contexts, which is not the point here.

Yes, the subject is understood and does not need to be repeated.

Croatian often avoids repeating the same subject when it is already clear:

• Udomitelj ne samo da potpisuje nego i provjerava.

The subject udomitelj belongs to both verbs:

• (Udomitelj) potpisuje
• (Udomitelj) provjerava

You could repeat it in some sentences for emphasis or clarity, but here it would sound unnecessary.

Yes, Croatian word order is flexible, though not completely free. You can move parts around for emphasis.

For example, you may also see:

• Ne samo da udomitelj potpisuje, nego i provjerava.

This still means the same thing, but the emphasis is slightly different. Starting with Ne samo da ... highlights the not only ... but also ... structure right away.

The original sentence is perfectly natural too.

In practice, you will often see this kind of sentence written with a comma:

• Udomitelj ne samo da potpisuje, nego i provjerava.

That comma is very common and often preferred in careful writing because two coordinated parts are being linked.

If you saw it without a comma, that may be due to style, editing choices, or less formal punctuation. For a learner, it is safest to remember that a comma before nego is often used in this structure.

The verb endings show that both are 3rd person singular present.

• potpisuje = he/she/it signs
• provjerava = he/she/it checks

Since the subject is udomitelj (a singular noun), the verbs must match it in number and person.

So the sentence cannot mean I sign or you sign. The verb forms clearly point to he/she.

Both can work. Provjeravati / provjerava has the basic idea of checking, examining, verifying, making sure something is correct.

Which English word is best depends on context:

• checks = more everyday and broad
• verifies = slightly more formal or precise

So in many cases:

• not only signs but also checks

is the most natural English rendering, while verifies may fit legal or administrative contexts better.